tsterling

Very pretty, Gabin! Great shape and coordinated viual qualities. Be sure and show us the sheath when you're done. Tom

Hi Tedster, That looks pretty cool! I liked your Japanese mask as well. Don't you think it's time for a step-by-step tutorial on this technique? I do! Ted! Ted! Ted! Ted!... Tom

Bitten! Now your transition to the Dark Side is complete... Tom

Thanks, guys, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Scott and Kevin, glad I could be of service... Nate, I find 416 and 410 stainless cuts just fine, maybe a little harder than mild steel. I use it when I want a silver background, although CP and Grade 2 titanium is sneaking up on me (but not 6Al4V). The 300 series stainless steel isn't nearly as nice - a lot tougher, not so much harder, but resistant, and not as clean cutting. I'm an engraving wimp and I shy away from 303 and 304. The bad news is the 300 series is the stuff you want for rust resistance, as the 400 series will rust and is more like stain resistant. Oh, well. Tom

Here are two knife scales I just finished for William Henry Studios. This is their B30 model, and the scales are 416 stainless steel. I’ve placed two main inlays on them, a dragonfly and a butterfly, both in shibuichi (25% silver, 75% copper) and 24k gold. Photos are courtesy of William Henry Studios. The rest of the engraving is done in a Japanese metal carving technique called shishiaibori. The technique starts out with very deep external outlines (takes me three times around with three different gravers, wide to thin, to get deep enough and cutting heavily each time). Then, the inside edges are carefully carved back, rounding them over to achieve a 3D look. Obviously, you need to have steeper sides in some areas, and shallower sides in others to achieve the 3D look. The main point is there is no background removal, as in “normal” engraving, and all of the design (not including the shibuichi inlays) is at or below the surface, so wear and tear on the engraving should be less of a concern. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! You can see a more exhaustive discussion of the shishiaibori technique on my blog here: http://sterlingsculptures.com/wp/?p=2781 And an ad nauseum step-by-step of engraving theses scales here: http://sterlingsculptures.com/wp/?p=2654 Thanks for Looking! Tom

Awesome looking! I really like using the tang as a decorative element inside the basket twist. Tom

You might want to rethink the date portion of your signature. Consider this: made in 2014, it goes up for sale in 2018 (for whatever reason), the prospective client begins to wonder why it has taken so long to sell, decides to move on to the next table because now there is (unfounded) doubt in his mind... This business is tough enough without shooting yourself in the foot. Tom

That's a pretty one, George! Pleasing shape, good looks and craftmanship - I'd say you nailed it all around. In keeping with my policy of no good deed going unpunished, now you need to make another just like it... Tom

Hi Guys, Glad you like the fish, even though some of you apparently don't eat sardines. Your generous feedback is very encouraging to me, and I owe all of you a great debt for helping me get here. It's been a fun ride, and I learned stuff as well. Only a few thousand more engraving and bladesmithing miles to go........... Tom

Hi Guys, Thanks for the generous feedback. You all put a smile on my face this morning! I'm glad you're liking my little slice of craziness, it was just a fun thing to do... Tom

Yes, you heard right - a dried sardine scalpel. What's it for? Well, for filleting sardines, of course. The reliquary box is 3 5/8 inches long, and made from bocote hardwood, 416 stainless steel, sterling silver, moose antler and dark cow horn, with a copper opener key. The knife is 3 1/2 inches long, with a 1 1/8 inch blade, and is made from 1075 carbon steel. The knife scales are of 25% shibuichi (a Japanese art alloy of 25% silver, 75% copper), with silver pins and double inlaid eyes of moose antler and dark cow horn. The knife and knife stand both store away inside the reliquary when it is disassembled. A closeup of the 416 stainless sardines, with moose antler and cow horn eyes. And a view of all the elements together. This puppy has been a year in the making, with several stops and starts along the way. You can see a pretty extensive tutorial about how it was made on my blog, starting here: http://sterlingsculptures.com/wp/?p=2539 You can come see the Dried Sardine Scalpel and Reliquary in person at the 1st Annual Seattle International Knife Show, April 26th and 27th (2014) where I’m excited to say I’ve been invited to exhibit. Hope to see you there! Thanks for Looking!

Yeah, but now I'm too zoned out in my happy place to employ them...

Love it! Direct hit - you sank my battleship... Tom

Nice job, Clint. That works! Now how about a rawhide sheath to go with it? Here's a link to the best rawhide tutorial I know of: http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/19744#.Ur8GLnnYnKk For some pictures of nice rawhide sheaths Google John cohea rawhide sheath and also Daniel Winkler rawhide sheath or maybe Karen Shook rawhide sheath Tom

Go for a really aged look, and add some thick silver wire staples (12 or 14 gauge), sort of like suturing the wound. I've used lots of simulated repairs in my work, and they've proven popular - gives that relic sort of look. Tom

Thanks for the hints, Jim. I'll give them a try! Tom

Hi Jim, OK, you've got me interested! A couple of questions - Is your drift in image 4 an old bur shaft? What does the point look like? I'm tired of buying tiny fragile drill bits... Also, lately I've been engraving the lines first, then sawing. Which way is best? I've finally seemed to make peace with 8/0 saw blades...But inquiring minds want to know. Thanks, Tom

Awwww, he's so cute. You must be a proud daddy, Petr. And what does the munchkin have in his hands in the second image? Tom

Very cool, Petr! Just what I've come to expect from you. But my favorite details are the copper hangers you've forged - really adds a unique look. And is that a flint striker in the end of the sheath or is Alan correct (either way, I like it)? Tom

Nice one, Jake. Looking forward to the carving. Wish I could be there to watch the magic moment when you oil the wood. Tom

You don't need anything fancy for holding something large like a knife blade. Above is a large wooden pitch block (I'm guessing about 12 inches square) with pitch built up on top. This one is used by Ford Hallam, who carves/chisels exceptional Japanese-style metalwork. This block might have hollows cut in it and lead poured in to increase it's weight if the block doesn't have enough mass to resist your chisel blows. You would do well to check out what he and other talented metalworkers do on: http://followingtheironbrush.org Do a search for pitch and pitch bowl on the forum, and you should find a lot more information. Ford also has some very helpful videos if you look for them there. This information is from my posting Simple Engraving for Knifemakers, found here: http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=24166&hl= A cheap heat gun works very well for mounting and unmounting blades from pitch. Good luck! Tom

Thanks for the hot bluing info, Tiaan.. I've been resisting going in that direction, but your results are so encouraging that I'm going to have to reconsider. Excellent carving info - thanks for the WIP, and I'm really looking forward to the next! When you do that one, let's see the tools as we'll;) Tom

Thanks, guys! Tiaan, I was just admiring your little bark friction kozuka, very nicely done. Here's a link to a nice Youtube video about the cube twist that got me started: Tom

Very well done, Tiaan! That's some of the best bark I've seen. It's also such a nice flat dark color - what patina method did you use? Now for your next one, let's add some vermin lurking under the bark. You guys in South Africa should have some real doozies to play with............ And please tell me you took some WIP pics as you made this? If so, let's see them... Tom

Hi Cook, Thanks for the kind words. You can see sort of a step by step here: http://sterlingsculptures.com/wp/?p=2374 This one was a lot of fun, and a little bit of a headache. I did discover W1 doesn't like to be bent while cold - my first try at the cube twist went really well, but there was a tiny little unstraight place at the pommel end. It just needed the tiniest of bends, and after all, the steel had been heated quite hot for the twisting and should have been soft...snap! I suspect W1 does a little bit of air-hardening, so it was on to the second try..... Tom