Nick Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 I've made several small pieces inspired by Viking artifacts recently. I'm still making a lot of fire steels, and have been getting several custom orders for them, too. I've made several of these little dragon ones. I also have been wanting to make one with a little loop on the tail. Most of the strikers I make are R-type, but I made these ones last week, with the more familiar two curled arms. I took the zoomorphic form from the fire steel and added it to a little penannular brooch. I've made a few of these now. Finally, a ring pin with a leather cord to wrap around the pin when it place to keep it from shifting (the same job the ring of the penannular does). I usually use a beeswax and linseed oil finish, which gives a black finish, but recently I've been cleaning pieces on the wire wheel and finishing with paste wax, which gives a brighter finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 nice work it is great to explore the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitch4ging Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Nice detail in small scale! Very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Great ideas. Finish looks good, too. What is the 'paste wax' you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 Thanks, gents. Ausfire, they're finished with Johnson Paste Wax, usually used as a wood and floor finish. The tin is old, nearly 30 years I'd say, but it gives a very nice, clear, clean finish. I use it as a final coat when I use the beeswax and linseed oil, too. I originally tried Minwax floor polish, but I got the satin finish and didn't care for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P. Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Very nice little things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Thanks for more eye candy Nick. I'll bet being 30 years old it comes from the time Johnsons contained Carnuba. I LOVE carnuba for finishing iron work, it's really hard but fluid when warm enough to fill all the nooks and crannies. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 where do you post these for sale? I would live to buy one of your pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Off topic, but I seriously can't decide which is more awesome- Nick's mustache, or Basher's beard. My wife would never let me get that creative! : :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Frosty, the tin doesn't have any ingredients, but carnuba sounds right. It also smells strongly of turpentine, but that dissipates very quickly, leaving a hard, glossy finish. Carnuba is used to finish briar pipes for the same reason. Basher, thanks! I sell them on Etsy, under Iron Bay Forge. I don't have a dragon striker listed right now but could forge one if you're interested: https://www.etsy.com/shop/IronBayForge Jim, I uses to have a big beard, but I shaved it in favor of the moustache a few years ago. It took my wife months to get used to it (she had never seen my chin before). The beard comes and goes, but the 'tache stays. e: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 A strong turpentine smell sounds like carnuba to me alright. The stuff is so hard it has to have something to thin it or you have to use an ice pick or similar to chip it out of the can. I have an old can of Treewax Carnuba I finish with and I love it, tough as nails and doesn't yellow with age. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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