Frosty Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Is a router cheating or something? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kexel Werkstatt Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 I was going to use the burn method for both handle and scabbard. For handle, drill a hole at about min thickness of the tang. Heat up tang. Burn it into the handle so that about 1/4 is peeking out on the butt end. (Remove and then Harden/Temper knife). Torch that 1/4" nubbin when knife reinstalled into handle. "Rivet" it down, or bend it over if heading it doesn't work. Finish handle and final sharpen knife. Scabbard - drill a series of small holes to match the width of the blade. Again burn it in bit by bit as far as it will go. Use pen chisel to carve out last 1/3. You are right, it will be hard to do with hickory but it looks like I have the right sized pen chisels so maybe not so bad. We'll see! I have seen it done before and I think I can make it work, even if it is my first time trying. I may, for the handle, drill one hole about the width of the tang. Take a wood dowel, cut it lengthwise, shave the halves to fit on either side of the tang down into the handle like wedges, friction/compression fit. If I go that route I may just make a two-piece scabbard and affix them together with glue and wrap the whole thing in leather. Decisions, decisions... Frosty - no, completely allowed. Thomas - are you referring to Shirisaya? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Frosty; Wrapping a cord around the shaft and pulling it to get it to spin in an unelectrified shop is tedious. Actually we always carved/scraped the interior to the shape of the blade and I haven't found a way to rout a shallow wide \/ . A scratch beader is a more useful tool. We often then glued a fabric liner in to make a slight friction fit. Of course for a using blade that gets very messy a washable kydex sheath makes sense and a FANCY box for display pieces. Kexel; did you mean drill the hole the minimum size of the tang and burn to fit? (Note most folks try to burn a tang in much too hot and end up getting a layer of char that quickly powders and leaves the tang loose.) If you are going for a lot of char to speed up burning it to size make some little hooked chisels to clean out the char between runs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kexel Werkstatt Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Thomas - I meant min - edited it while you were typing I think. Controlled heat, minimum char. Coat tang with an epoxy (ideally something natural, haven't decided yet), before installing tang in to handle and torching the protruding end for heading. That should keep any wiggle away. After watching one of my favorite blacksmith/bushcraft YouTube guys (Bertram - this guy and his videos are great) make his Yakut I've decided to do the burn fit handle, and the two piece leather wrapped scabbard. Hopefully I can work on it some more tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Way back when, the neo tribal metalsmiths did a lot of work with such methods. Pine resin and PHD (Powdered Herbivore Dung) in various mixes were extolled by various users who were "rolling their" own for blades. You may want to look into "cutlers resin" Wikipedia: "Cutler's Resin, also known as Cutler's Pitch, is a waterproofing adhesive made by including wax when making a Pine Pitch Glue. Cutler's Resin commonly consists of pine pitch, beeswax and/or carnauba wax, and usually employs a filler like charcoal, sawdust and/or animal dung to help secure a blade or device to a handle. It has been used for centuries to attach knife and sword handles, and as a fastener for other tools and weapons. " And of course there is always Theophilus' 1120 CE method of mounting a broken tang blade back into the handle using molten sulfur... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 That actually makes a lot of sense, considering that sulfur is one of the comparatively rare substances that expand as they solidify (water being another, but not at temperatures suitable for knife blades), thus wedging the tang in place. Many of our modern adhesives expand when they cure (e.g., polyurethane adhesive/Gorilla Glue), but most traditional adhesives either shrank too much or were too brittle to be effective in that kind of application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Most of Theophilus' techniques I've tried have worked. Some I have avoided due to changes in longevity expectations and then there is the one on how to soften quartz for carving... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kexel Werkstatt Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Thanks Thomas I will go read up on the cutlers resin. And, I agree with you - I'm going tp pitch the Hickory handle and scabbard plan and go pick a nice piece of something "fancy" out of the bin. At first I took the stance of "it's my first one, probably won't turn out that great, no need to waste nice materials on it"... and then realized... if that was my plan, I would get what I feared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 1 minute ago, Kexel Werkstatt said: I'm going tp pitch the Hickory handle and scabbard plan That's a whole different kind of cutler's pitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kexel Werkstatt Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 sumtymes i no type so grape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Fancy grain is usually hard to carve. If you haven't done much hand carving I would suggest trying an easy to carve wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 "The time has come, the walrus said to talk of many things of shoes-and ships-and sealing wax of cabbages and kings of why the sea is boiling hot and whether pigs have wings." - Lewis Carol. My daughters favorite book growing up was Alice in Wonderland. I listen to a lot of Irish music. Most of it is quite fun and lively with a good dose of humor thrown in. Fun fact, it is the Irish that are credited with the creation of scat, shoobidy doobidee bibidee dibidee doo. At least they say that scat came from Irish form of singing called lilting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kexel Werkstatt Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 The woodwork I'm good with - I have hand carved much over the years. I'll look when I get home... I think have a nice piece of Butternut that might work. Or a piece of Cherry... I'll have to see what's in the bin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul TIKI Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Today is one of those days where the temperature out there really bites since I don't have a sheltered place to forge. If there was ever a day where heating a chunk of metal and hammering it into submission would be therapeutic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Make a one soft firebrick forge run off a cheap propane torch and forge small stuff *inside* in steel, copper or even silver! I did that when I used to live in Columbus Ohio and access to a basement in the 50's degF when outside had a wind chill of -20 degF. Of course hauling the 91# anvil down and up the rickety basement stairs wasn't much fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 I have been trying to convince the Mrs. that I could forge in front of the tv. Still working on that one but I really want a coffee can forge for the garage. Time is what I lack most Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul TIKI Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 I have been looking at ideas to build a cheap recycled materials type of structure to use as a shop. Earthbags are one potential material. Also recycled pallets. Earthbag construction fascinates me. It seems a deceptively simple and cheap construction method, extremely solid, and very flexible with the things you can do with it in terms of curved walls and windows. Combine earthbag walls with Catalan Vaulting (sometimes called Timbrel vaulting or Gustavino vaulting) and you can build whatever shape your heart desires out of local materials and at very little cost beyond that of labor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 Here below Albuquerque it's too warm for earth ships; so my retired Pastor built a straw bale house. Beautiful and easier to fit standard fixtures in too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 18 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Frosty; Wrapping a cord around the shaft and pulling it to get it to spin in an unelectrified shop is tedious. Who is it who is always saying, "minions"? If a person were to hang a disc of plate on a cord it can be wound up and will deliver a prolonged strong rotation. Making a depth guide for a router bit would be a matter of a little trial and error. Personally though I'd buy or make one of those planes with the narrow knife like a coping plane. They'll make whatever shape you need, single bevel, double, whatever. I used to see them in pawn shops pretty often but I haven't checked a pawn shop in a long time, I have more tools than I'll be able to use before I'm dust in a field or surf. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will-I-am Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 Mr. Tiki, earthbags are fun but the bags will rot in the sun quickly so you have to stucco the outside in a reasonable time. Earthships are easier. Check out Mike Reynolds books and website he has been building earthships in Taos NM for a long time. Tires are free from the local store and you shovel dirt in them and pound with a sledgehammer. I used a metal silo roof for this cabin. I build 20ft diameter earthship cabin at 4000ft elevation buried 10' in the ground about 10 years ago with my hands, it was even permitted, any engineer will stamp it. You can cover the inner walls at your leisure. My shop in the flat is also 20' diameter and used a "reciprocal roof" design but in not an earthship, you just need 14" long poles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul TIKI Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 Will-I-am, It was Earthships that put me on to the concept of earthbags in the first place. I haven't read the books, so I'm sure they address the bits I have not been able to wrap my head around, mainly fire resistance and how to fill the gaps created by using essentially circular building material. Seems like a lot of fill work would need to be done to complete a wall. Straw bales I know are fire resistant because they are dense, and earthbags, well, you know, dirt. I suppose the other stuff and packing the tires with dirt makes them fire retardant as well, but I have been to enough college bonfire parties to know old tires burn pretty well. What do you use to heat your place? I love the concept of a Rocket Mass heater stove things, with the inverted steel drum, but I'd be happy with something like the old wood stove in my last house, which was a 65000 BTU cast iron monstrosity that kept the house toasty warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will-I-am Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 Woodstove in earthship cabin, woodstove in monolithic dome main house and ground firepit/forge in shop. Here is pic of shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul TIKI Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 Very Nice! I love the roofs that have that central point with the interlocking timbers like that. I've always thought it gives a pleasant, organic feel to the structure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Griffin Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 Most of you know my situation. I'm pretty much confined to my front porch most of the time, weather permitting. I moved a few tools to the porch so I guess you can say it's my temporary shop. Also, this is not just today but over a period of time. Thought some of you could relate having shot slingshots/catapults at some time in the past. Since my surgery I don't have a lot of control over my bladder and there are few places I can sit. A straight back patio chair with a special cushion on my porch is one of those few places. But, it gets pretty lonesome sitting there day in and day out. I watched a YouTube video of someone shooting a slingshot and thought, that's something to occupy my time. So, I made a slingshot. Then I made another. That's most of them over the last few months. I've made some for kids in the comunity not pictured. Most, including the ones for the kids, are made to shoot .177 BB' s just like you would shoot in your Red Rider. A few shoot larger ammo. Some up to 50 cal. lead balls. But the BB's are the most fun and most cost effective. I can shoot thousands of BB's for a few dollars. My brother helped me build a catch box so I get all my ammo back. And, yes, that's a golf ball for a target. I've gotten pretty good after 10,000 or so shots. So far, this is my favorite. It's small enough to fit my shirt pocket and shoots really sweet. So, until I can get back in the shop and fire the forge, you guys know where to find me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will-I-am Posted February 18, 2021 Share Posted February 18, 2021 That roof is the "reciprocal roof" I studied earthbags heavily before ordering the earthship books. I even visited Hisperia CA at Nader Khali ceramic house complex. Earthbags are a massive amount of work. Earthship is easy. Hammer a rebar in ground in center, stretch a string, lay down tire, fill with dirt, hammer. As the wall grows you can stand on the wall as you work. Unless you build a fire against a tire they will not catch on fire; anyhow you cover the inner walls with dirt or cement. Reynolds has some amazing wood stoves built out of chicken wire and smeared clay. His books are mastery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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