Robakyo Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Hi All. Mostly I lurk, or occasionally comment, but always I am inspired by the endless creativity and talent of the members posting on IFI. I have been involved in stained glass since the late 90's, and one of the most fundamental tools of this craft is the lead knife. These three knives are a variation of the style I was first introduced to. They are each a bit under 7 inches. Bedframe steel, forge finished, file worked, with brazing rod pins. They all cut through lead came very smoothly. I use paraffin wax as a lubricant to facilitate a clean cut, so some of the wax is still visible on the cutting edge of the blades. Hope the pictures load alright. The Ipe handled knife is mine, but the smaller of the other two is on its' way to a stained glass painter in Japan. I studied under him for three months and greatly admire his painting talents. He uses a different style of lead knife that I have copied and will post later. Those have a straight, chisel shaped blade. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Nicely done, love that little "inlay" on the tang between the scales. Epoxy over file work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I like those! They look like they'd be useful for skinning as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robakyo Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 Nicely done, love that little "inlay" on the tang between the scales. Epoxy over file work? Thank you Michael. Actually, I haven't had the best luck with epoxy, and of course I used the slow set variety. At some point I'll try JB Weld, but for now I've been using Gorilla glue. Once the GG cures and I've roughed out the handle with rasps, I apply India ink to the glue joint. GG seems to accept this "tinting" very well and pulls it deeply enough into the joint that subsequent finish sanding doesn't remove it. Then, after that dries I apply any stain that I intend to use (usually the vinegar used to remove the scale from the blade after forging) . Once that is dry I apply a coat or two of Super glue, allowing it to cure and then file and sand the joint once more. Then I apply floor wax and buff until shiny. It makes my file work stand out against the black that surrounds it. Dang! I really need to find a better way of doing the glue-up! I also slightly peen the pins before the glue sets. I believe that the metal swells slightly in the holes of the scales, adding to the bonding process. I don't have definitive proof of that, but since adopting these methods, none of my scales have loosened up. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 rethink epoxy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robakyo Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 I like those! They look like they'd be useful for skinning as well. Hi Bigfoot, and thank you. Maybe they could be used for scraping the fat from a skin, but I've no idea. The width of the blade doesn't seem capable of piercing and sliding under the skin smoothly, but I've never tried it. The curve of the edge is designed to rock across the surface of the lead came marking the angle of the cut. It is indispensable in fabricating stained glass windows. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robakyo Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 rethink epoxy Will do Rich. After putting my procedures in writing, I realize what a PITA it has been. But, one of the kitchen choppers is holding up with no signs of de-laminating. This particular tool is not only called upon to slice, I use it to tenderize pork, pounding the fillets with the spine of the blade. It is akin to fullering! :lol: I don't particularly like the grey appearance of the JB weld. What kind of black pigment could I add to the mix that wouldn't compromise the integrity of the epoxy? Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robakyo Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 Here are the chisel shaped lead knives styled after the knives favored by my teacher from Japan. I recently found an old stained glass book that showed how to make a similar lead knife from a putty knife. It seems kind of flimsy to me. I also think this style is favored in Europe, as my teacher studied glass painting in Italy. It amused me that he learned so much even though he barely spoke Italian, and I learned quite a bit from him while I was there, although my Japanese was atrocious. So I guess he was empathetic with my plight. Sometime the visual lessons transcend language. Blah, blah, blah....Well, here they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BM454 Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 I use devcon 2 ton epoxy and it seems to work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loneforge Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 K and G offer a dandy 24 hour epoxy and black pigment to add to said epoxy....works dandy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robakyo Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 I use devcon 2 ton epoxy and it seems to work well. I think I did too. Is that a tandem syringe arrangement? Some of my scales stayed on while others popped off. Maybe the amount of hardener wasn't consistent. It seemed to be solid until it wasn't. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robakyo Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 K and G offer a dandy 24 hour epoxy and black pigment to add to said epoxy....works dandy! Thanks. I'll check K and G when I get the chance. Is that the route you go with your blades? I suppose that would be the best way to make mosaic pins as well. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.