What did you do in your shop today?

[Charles du Preez 295]

6 hours ago, Mike Ward said:

@Charles du Preez, on the top piece from left to right: walnut, maple, Padauk, walnut, canary wood, and walnut again.

 

Thanks

[Joshua States 780]

On 3/24/2019 at 2:55 PM, Mike Ward said:

Spent the weekend making these. A holding block for a knife out of curly maple and walnut. And a big 12x18 cutting board that’s glueing right now.

Is that holding block a top-slot or a slide-in? Both that and the cutting board are very nice. I might have to steal the idea....

Edited March 26 by Joshua States

[AndrewB 148]

Got my file guide and blue dykum in the mail today tomorrow the fun begins again with the grinding.

[Conner Michaux 91]

Hey guys, I didn’t want to make a whole thread about this, but there is a master blacksmith named Allen lake in Lewistown Montana who has found someone to pay for anyone under 21 to take a class In his April session, I’m not sure how many young people are on this forum, but I thought I’d share, the details are on his Instagram account.  Classes are paid for but food and lodging is not included. 

[Mike Ward 43]

29 minutes ago, Joshua States said:

Is that holding block a top-slot or a slide-in? Both that and the cutting board are very nice. I might have to steal the idea....

I put two coats of wipeon poly on the outside and dribbled mineral oil on the inside to protect it and the blade. 

Cutting boards are really fun to design and make and each one is unique which is very appealing. Plus they’re quicker to make with less hand sanding 

[Troels Saabye 22]

I finally had some time to repair my Hultafors felling axe ^^ sharp like a razor

[Joël Mercier 286]

Working on this gift for my mother. It's got a 6" blade for perspective. Something I've noticed is that females tend to use smaller knives for almost any chores in the kitchen. 

 

[AndrewB 148]

Well its not really anything to do with knives since I'm waiting on belts to get here hopefully in a couple of days.  I do not have a green thumb what so ever but I needed to transplant two of my trees into larger pots.  One is a Japanese maple that I got from my parents house as a seedling the other one I think is a spruce of some sort not sure exactly but it's a nice tree.  I just hope I didn't kill them in the transplant lol.  I did give them a good drink of water as well as soon as they were re planted in the new pots.  I used the Mirical Grow potting mix.  That stuff aint cheap 10 bucks a dang 5 pound bag.  SHEESH.  I just hope I didn't kill my trees in the transplants.

[Conner Michaux 91]

Where can I get 1/4 inch high carbon round stock? I didn't want to make a whole thread just for this small question.

[Joël Mercier 286]

7 hours ago, Conner Michaux said:

Where can I get 1/4 inch high carbon round stock? I didn't want to make a whole thread just for this small question.

Fastenal, Grainger, anywhere they sell drill rods. What for exactly?  

[Alan Longmire 1,485]

My local Ace hardware has 1/4" music wire, basically 1095.  Otherwise yeah, go online for 1/4" water-hardening drill rod.

[Conner Michaux 91]

4 hours ago, Joël Mercier said:

Fastenal, Grainger, anywhere they sell drill rods. What for exactly?  

I want to make a letter opener for my grandparents, they collect them. 

And I have no idea if it should be high carbon or not.

[Joël Mercier 286]

25 minutes ago, Conner Michaux said:

And I have no idea if it should be high carbon or not.

Mild steel will do just fine!

[Conner Michaux 91]

Thanks Joël 

[Mike Ward 43]

Got the board from last weekend done. Really pleased how it turned out. ~12x18x7/8”

[Alex Middleton 148]

Nice!  What did you use as a finish on it?

[Mike Ward 43]

2 liberal coats of food grade mineral oil and then 2 more of Howard’s Butcher Block Conditioner. I used a hair dryer to warm it up a bit to get good penetration.

[Alex Middleton 148]

Thanks.  I'll have to keep that in mind for the future.  It really made the grain pop on the paduk and the canary wood.

[Charles du Preez 295]

That’s come out really well. I love the way the Padauk grain in second photo gives a kinda M C Escher 3D effect.

Edited March 31 by Charles du Preez

[Cody Killgore 33]

Had someone over in the shop who is considering getting into the hobby. 

I got him started him on a knife. I'm starting to wish I had learned from someone from the beginning. He did a lot of it but I stepped in every once in a while to show technique and correct issues (he asked me to). Went from forging to grinding and heat treat. Looking pretty good so far I think. I usually get the shoulders set prior to heat treat but we were in a bit of a hurry. The way I do the shoulders, it shouldn't be an issue. 

Either way, I think he got a pretty good taste of what the hobby entails. And he definitely wants to finish the knife. My first time teaching this stuff. 

Just out of heat treat. Had cleaned up ricasso to test hardness. 

[Gerhard Gerber 138]

Spent the past more than 2 weeks building a alu-clad steel frame canopy for my Suzuki Jeep, got the rear hatch back after having glass fitted Friday and realised the locks not working was just the first of many problems.....

I can salvage about 70% of the frame and fortunately the aluminium cladding is still untouched........but this is a kick in the you-know-whatsit's

Everything was covered up but I turned my shop into a grinding and welding mess, so sick and tired of the canopy build I'm even looking forward to hand sanding.

Wanted to give up for now and get a few knife-things done this week, but that would not be smart.....

[Conner Michaux 91]

Started working on this little necker, 

ive got a quick questio, on YouTube I have seen people wipe some oil on a knife while is hot to give it a dark finish, Does that actually work?? I want to try it out, and what kind of oil do you use for that?

[Bruno 42]

9 hours ago, Conner Michaux said:

YouTube I have seen people wipe some oil on a knife while is hot to give it a dark finish

Yeah it works.   I use canola use, my regular quench oil.   If you get the steel  to around 200 degrees F, then wipe oil on it, it  sort of bakes on.  To my understanding anyway.  Sort of like treating a cast iron pan.     I usually do it in several passes, careful not to overheat the steel if it's a knife.  Just heat, and wipe on with an old rag, or dip in the oil and rub afterwards.  I don't use motor oil, used or otherwise for fear of toxic fumes and whatnot, so I stick with canola.    A coat of wax on top after oil treatment gives a little shine too.      I would also look into rust blueing  if you are interested.   Basically, rust a piece (various methods),  then boil it.   Set's the oxides or something like that.    I boiled my last damascus blade, and the finish seems to be holding up, for whatever that is worth.    A spray bottle with salt water can help build up rust fast.  I live in the desert though, so I have fast drying times.

 

 

 

[Bruno 42]

On 4/1/2019 at 1:00 AM, Gerhard Gerber said:

Wanted to give up for now and get a few knife-things done this week, but that would not be smart.....

Eyes on the prize Gerhard!    Sometimes efficiency is better than immediate satisfaction, He say's Looking at his table of unfinished knives.   I cook with propane, so it cost's me money.   I also use propane to temper knives in the oven.  I could temper one for six hours or I could temper 10.    But then again, sometimes I just make something for myself to remind me why I do this at all...

[AndrewB 148]

Okay so this afternoon I'm planning on working on the blades bevels some more.  But I am curious is to how to be able to take the bevels up at least half way on the blade with out ruining it entirely.  For the bevels that I have on it now which is the "Noob Grind" I had to hold the blade at a pretty steep angle against the belt.  How can I accomplish this safely?