sandpile

Let me add a little true story to this topic. I used to wait till I was completely finished with a knife, sheath and all, before taking it to the coffee shop. I had a razor sharp knife that would cut a long hair at an angle.(free hanging). I carried into to the cafe and set it on the table. Thinking, if anyone was interested, they could pick it up and look it over. OREN, This older W-II vet. picked it up started acting like he was going to cut this other old vets. ear off. The other vet started to reach for the knife hand not knowing it was a knife that Oren had in his hand. I hollered as loud as I could. STOP!!! Oren looked like he had swallowed a persimmon--said "I was just playing with Charlie" I took the knife and have never taken a sharp knife back in there. I do not truly sharpen a knife even for a knife show. Chuck.

Aah, Mate have you been trying to play with my mind? With a squint of his eye he said....

forge it into a heart shaped candle holder. The ole bat loves candle holders. I might be able to find a laundress but can not replace the pastrys and cakes. Maybe she will

Those marks are called Honey Marks in our house. We had them indentified and dated. Like marks on the door facing for the different kids height, at different ages. The disfiguring marks as yours, were signed off and dated. We will occassionally have to show these marks to our kids to get the grandkids out of trouble.BOG. I once stuck a knife over a hundred times in a solid oak door. I never did get that one lived Down.GRIN. Chuck

Hello ELKDOC-- As with most platens behind the belt--This one is too short.. You need to add about three inches more. On the buffing side--You can get a threaded spindle for it. That would allow you to change buffing pads in seconds, instead of wearing out the threads on the spindle. I have three different pads with different grits. I use some knife edge buffs and different thickness buffs on different parts of a knife. Also with the sander in an upright position like that. It will throw a lot of grit and filings right in your face. Make sure you have a very good respirator(SP) and goggles. Chuck

I quit the DIRECT TV and went to DISH TV because DIRECT TV said I was the only one that had requested RFD TV. I noticed an advertisement, just the other day for DIRECT TV in the ad it said that RFD was now availible on DIRECT.. The channel number on DISH NETWORK is 9409. It has a lot of good stuff on it. Horses from 9pm to 11pm. I am enjoying this tv channel as much as I did back in the fiftys and sixtys..It is great. Really down to earth programing and NO filth. Chuck

Thanks JR. gives a fellow some ideas. Sandpile

# 1. Dumber than a box of rocks. 2. Slicker than a box of snot. 3. His oar does not reach all the way into the water. 4. His elevator does not go the top. 5. Born at night but not last night. 6. Could not stack greasy BBs. 7. No more sense than a locoed cow. Sandpile

They look some what like the first BRUCELLOISES(SP) TAGGING PLIERS, First meaning the first I ever saw. GOVERNMENT AND STATE vets used them. You first made a hole slipped the tag in through the hole and used the pliers to press the end through a slit in the tag, then bent the tag over on its self. The tag was metal and had an identifing number on the tag. Chuck

JWOLFE & JEANETTE--We are with you folks. Keep your chin up and we will do our part. Glad to hear some good news. Chuck

One _Rod Welcome aboard. You bring new blood and perhaps more talent and knowlege to our humble forum.. Good work-- keep it up. Sandpile

Jerry you could make brackets and bolt it together. After doing the drilling and machining. Weld it together. If you checked around you probably could trade the two pieces for a lot of steel that would do just as well. More to the specs that you need. Good luck and congrats on having a good friend. Sandpile

Q.C. Congrats-- glad to hear you have recovered enough to hammer. Just remember what caused it (if you know). Don't squeese the hammer. GRIN Chuck

PAM-- Congrats!! I know you will enjoy this one a little more than the others.GRIN. Good for you. Chuck

ELKDOC-- Nice Knife. Shows some imagination. If you want to keep on with the shoes---St. CROIX(eventer) shoes will harden enough to use for an actual knife. You will have to water quench them three times from non-mag. On the third quench it will be hard enough to use for just about anything. I don't temper them. Don't let them get to thin before you quench-- after quenching, then finish grinding down to final thickness. Railroad spike knives will give you a lot of practice with a hammer. The nice spike knives will bring $45 to $60 at craft shows in railroad towns.. If you want to see some nice spike knives---TAI GOO-- has some posted on-----donfogg.com-- bladesmithforum People like to recognize the spikes for what they are. Quench the spikes the same as the shoes. Chuck

BRUCE/BUCK--A bright young lad just moved back up there. CLARK WHITE had been going to school at Panhandle State in Goodwell Okla. He has been in TERRY ALWARD'S spur, bit, and buckle shop for two or three years. He could help you with quite abit of the stuff you are interested in. I am not sure which town he moved to. Alliance or Hyanis(sp), Lakeside. He would not be that hard to find up there. Ask six people and four would probably know him or his family.GRIN. Just ain't that many folks up there.grin If You look him up--tell him hello. Chuck Bennett --- The Dalhart Knifemaker

newlad--You and I need to team up. You show me how to make the tongs and I will show you how to make a knife.GRIN.. I can make a knife but have trouble with tongs. I have a tendency to make left handed tongs. They don't always turn out just the same,either.Grin Chuck

Hello New Lad-- I have made knives for a number of years and started several other people in the trade. I have five Grandsons and four of them make knives. The oldest is now 15 and the youngest is 9. There has never been any play acting or talk of cutting, stabing or how much damage could be done with a knife. There has been a lot of talk about how a knife should be made for different uses. They seem to lean towards making camp knives and skinning knives. One boy has made a knife to cut himself loose if he hangs up to a run-a-way horse. He fashioned a sheath on his leggings(chaps) , so he could get to it faster. We attempt to equipt these young people with the mind tools that it takes to get along in this everchanging enviroment. We teach them all that we can--sense of fair play, respect for others, welding, carpentry, horse/dog training, gardening and any thing else, if they have a leaning towards it. By the way--If someone fears that teaching this tool making will be harmfull to these kids. They should look at what the alternitive is. All the violent playstation games and the violence in almost every movie. This contributes a terrible amount to the young people going haywire. The folks that are so wound up in their own lives, let the kids tell them what they want. Then the kids will entertain themselves, with the wrong life lessons. I no more believe a young person will go bad because he has the knowlege and equiptment to make knives, than a young girl will turn into a prostitute because she has the equiptment to do so. Chuck

LEAH, Thanks for letting us know. I read the post and it gave me goose-bumps.. Bless her heart. GOD BLESS and KEEP ALL OF US.. Chuck

THOMAS P. You forgot about the doughnuts and a six-pack at the scrapeyards.BOG. Chuck

NEWLAD be careful about getting the cleaner higher than the fire... If you leave it higher while you are forging it can let unburned gasses up into the pipe and cause blow out or backfire.. You have done a good job on the forge.. Congrats Chuck

It is probably because I can not see the pic well enough. But I can not see getting enough matertial, with out upsettting before folding it back on it self, to do the fullering Just a thought. Chuck

Hello PJ; Welcome to the forum. We have some really talented people on this site and they are very helpful. Welcome and enjoy yourself. Chuck.

DAWN; What wonderful news. We are so thankful for his better than thought, trip through surgery.. We are glad to hear of the gathering of the clan. You will have quite of lot of support from your family. We are on your team,. We have kept RALPH on the list since late JUNE. GOD BLESS Chuck & HELEN

I have built my self a hammer. I later bought a 50 LG. The 50 has been setting here for over a year. I have not got in a hurry to get it up and running, although, all it needs is to fix the treadle. The reason for not working on the 50 is , the home built hammer works so good, I don't really need the 50.GRIN. My HBH is of a yoke spring and toggle set up. Having said all of this. If I was building another hammer from scratch. I would use RAY,S(PTPIDDLER) and CLAY,S design. This is the simplest, easyist hammer to build or use, that I have seen. If you scrounge the parts you can come in a way below the $1000.00 mark. Where to scrounge?? The bigger pieces are in the scrap yard, even if you have to weld several pieces together, for the upright. Front hubs off a bigger car. Connecting rods form the mechnic down the street. Buy some doughnuts and drop by the scrap yard. Stay and eat your share of the bear-sign. Get acquainted with the people there. You will have great need for them in the future.BOG. Just some thoughts Chuck