Joshua States

Kinda sorta. It does keep it to a slight black patina that wipes off with 400 grit paper.

I don't know squat about welding, but I can make two pieces of metal stick together. I was under the impression that AC was specifically for aluminum and nothing else. I always seemed to make a mess of everything I ever tried it on.

OK. I am terminally challenged technically. I thought I had ensured that I would be alerted when the next episode aired by subscribing via Apple and Google thingys, but evidently I overestimated my competence for that sort of thing. I began to get edgy about it, but I didn't want to bug Dave (I know he's a busy guy). For those of you who have also been waiting, Episode 8 went live 2 weeks ago. I just found out tonight...…..

The black stuff is Rutlands. The white stuff is Kilz acrylic primer. The all white blade is Scrapmascus and doesn't need a Hamon.

Ok. Now I'm laughing.

I can't decide if when I grow up I wanna be Emiliano or Jake...….

What a great project. Where's the pig?

I was referring to the pins holding the bolsters. Whether the bolsters are soldered or peen-pinned, 3 pins should be used.

Yeah I know that feeling. Leather tooling designs has always been just at the fringe of my artistic abilities, whether it is American Western motif or otherwise. It's a cultural thing that becomes easier the more you immerse yourself in the style. When the visuals are all around you, the shapes become engrained in your psyche and you can start to see them with little effort. I think you have gotten to a level of ability that replicates the period very well.

I heat treated 6 blades.

Retro geometry lesson: 3 points define a plane

Low tech worked for a couple of millennia. It'll work now.

I am not a home inspector, I am a building code official. Home inspectors are not required to know the building code and most of them haven't the slightest idea anyway. If you can get an electrician to show up and do it for $50, by all means, go for it. I would expect to pay at least 3x that though. If you are unsure of electricity and proper wiring techniques, please stay away from the circuit panel.

First of all, I don't think "free handing is best" is a universally accepted truth. It just works better for some folks than it does for others. If you eventually are going to move to a freehand method, it just makes more sense to me (from a time and effort perspective) to learn the initial steps with the final step's methodology. You can set the initial bevels in a controlled manner without the bevel jig, and as Alan has pointed out, with the complex geometry involved in curves, tapers, and bevels, jigs definitely have their limitations. You always end up establishing the bevels in some areas freehand. Also, "freehand" is a subjective term. I think there are two camps in the grinding debate. Workrest grinders and totally freehand grinders. I am a workrest grinder. Now comes my opportunity to pitch my videos on grinding. https://youtu.be/_5WtQOWoc4s https://youtu.be/il88qhfoJnQ

So I just had to find out what a Barramundi was. https://www.thebetterfish.com/thecurrent/why-barramundi-is-the-future-of-fish/