Frazer's Corner of the Internet [photo heavy]

[Purple Bullet]

I kind of like the torched look. Fire hardening has been common practice for wood for a long time, I think. And may be I'm doing it wrong but linseed oil always leaves things feeling sticky to me.

[Frazer]

I do it almost entirely for aesthetics, but it also makes the handle look a little less "off the shelf". It's a very light hit from the torch. Here's a comparison. 

Purplebullet, I cut my linseed oil with turpentine to thin it out and so it penetrates a little deeper. Still, I know what you mean by the tacky-ness, but I find that goes away in few days after it cures.

[George N. M.]

OK, that looks better than what I had imagined.  I had been thinking of something blotchy or a spiral.  I've seen some folk do some pretty ugly things with a propane torch.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Frazer]

I think I have seen what you're talking about. I have also seen people blacken the whole surface. Not my cup of tea, but different strokes for different folks, as they say.

[Chelonian]

Nice tomahawks!

When it comes to hammer handles, I char them mostly for mold protection. After this very cool and damp spring/summer, I noticed all the non-charred handles were growing mold, but none of the charred ones were. I ended up charring all my hammer handles after that.

[Frazer]

Thanks Chelonian, I had a good teacher (Latticino).

That's an interesting observation. Do you char the whole handle or do you just give it a light burn with the torch? Do you think annual application of linseed oil would help protect the wood from mold? 

[JHCC]

45 minutes ago, Frazer said:

I had a good teacher (Latticino)

You too, eh? Did he have you use the magic welding hammer?

[Frazer]

Ha, no, I had my own. 

[Chelonian]

I didn't want the mold to come back so I pretty much charred the whole handles, although not that deeply. All the non-charred handles that grew mold had linseed oil on them, so I don't think it does a very good job at protecting the wood, at least from this species of mold.

The mold hasn't ever been a problem previous years though, and if your shop isn't in a cool and humid underside of a barn it probably isn't needed.

[ThomasPowers]

Old handles tend to be dark probably through hand oils, linseed oil, dirt, etc; so if you are trying to make something look "historical" a darker handle helps.

I've had quite a few "discussions" about this with folks in the SCA who try to make things look *exactly* like the pieces in museums.  I point out that those pieces have centuries of wear/storage/abandonment and so a piece you make for "your personal use in the year 1300" should NOT look like it was 700+ years old!

[Frazer]

In just about every case, I'm more concerned with functionality and aesthetically pleasing rather than historically accurate. I will however, admit a personal bias toward function over form.

I would also rather drop a tomahawk on my foot than enter a debate on the "traditional" way of forging one. 

[ThomasPowers]

With or without a shoe or boot?   (I had a great^? uncle that died of blood poisoning after accidentally chopping a toe off---pre antibiotics of course.)

[Frazer]

Caught red handed (not footed); I wear steel toes.

Still... I realize there are many different approaches to doing the same thing and as I'm standing in my LED illuminated shop with a bench grinder, a welder, etc, I'm not really that worried about how things were done 700+ years ago.

[JHCC]

Better to wear 'em than have 'em.

[ThomasPowers]

My toes are still flesh cartlidge and bone; but as a diabetic that might change in time!

[Frazer]

I don't know John, having steel toes might actually be pretty cool. I don't think I would be winning any gold medals in Olympic swimming though.... Now soccer on the other hand... hmmm.. 

[Purple Bullet]

Ha! Many years ago steel toe boots were my every day wear. The company I worked for subsidized the cost so we got some fairly nice looking boots with steel toes. One Thanksgiving holiday I visited relatives and saw nieces and nephews that I saw only rarely. One niece was trying to be playfully obnoxious by going around and stepping on folks toes. She came to me and stepped on my toes and got no reaction. Disconcerted, but determined, she stomped harder. I just grinned at her and said "Steel toes". Her eyes got big and she backed away. "Uncle Robert!" she said," I didn't know you were bionic!" 

[pnut]

Steel toes or at least safety toe boots are so ingrained into my work wear that I don't feel comfortable working without them even when they're not necessary. I wear steel toed boots to work in a laundry room . I tried wearing tennis shoes to work because I know the steel toed boots aren't necessary but it bothered me the whole day. Some habits die hard. 

Pnut

[jlpservicesinc]

I was required to wear steel toed shoes on several early jobs.. And then it was suggested when I served my apprenticeship.. 

Not once did the horses ever miss the top that was not protected.. The steel toes were useless so that was that.. 

[Frazer]

Purple bullet, that's funny, my niece does the same thing. Only she jumps! What is it with kids and jumping on people's feet?

Pnut, I have two pairs of steel toes and one pair of dress shoes. I always say my day's not over until the boots come off. Naturally, I spend a lot of time in them.

JLP, I also used to need them for work. I don't anymore, but I've gotten used to not worrying about my toes and they have stuck around. I don't spend much time around horses, but when I did I tried to steer clear of their feet. Steel toes or not! Of course you were a farrier so that's not really possible. That's when metatarsal guards would come in handy.

Did you end up going with increased situational awareness in lieu of foot protection? (Not that you weren't paying attention before.. you know what I mean)

[jlpservicesinc]

I noticed a huge difference when I moved from shoeing horses to barefoot ( specialized trimming)

The horses know exactly what they are doing and where they are stepping. 

There is a huge difference when a horse wants to hurt you and they will aim for the upper part and then shift there weight onto it. 

 

I don't have that problem at all any longer and 99.5 % of my new customers are for bad  or horses that have not been trimmed before.

Horses are a lot like people and remember experiences.  

 

So many of these horses are just tired of yelling at people and no one listening.  

So once I show up and show them I'm listening they stand perfectly and by the 3rd visit or so, no lead or halters are even needed. 

Here's 1 that's typical.  This type of thing is normal. 

 

I did have her stand up for the rear feet to make it easier on myself.

I've got hundreds of these kinds of stories. 

I wear a helmet camera to document the trims.

[Frosty]

I've been away from horses too long I guess, I've never seen anybody lay one down to trim. 

In that situation I'd be more concerned with the goat eyeballing your butt! 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Frazer]

I describe them as very big and occasionally mischievous dogs (in a good way). They certainly each have their own personality. I worked with them over the summer of 2018 and went from knowing essentially nothing about horses to taking a liking to them (I still can't claim I know all that much). I will say I never saw anything like that! Now, rolling around immediately after they’re brushed and clean…that’s another story.

Any plans to make a second YT channel where you release your helmet cam highlights?

[jlpservicesinc]

8 hours ago, Frosty said:

I've been away from horses too long I guess, I've never seen anybody lay one down to trim. 

In that situation I'd be more concerned with the goat eyeballing your butt! 

Frosty The Lucky.

All ready down..  Just didn't mind being trimmed on the ground..  It's a very high stress enviorment.. 

 

[JHCC]

14 hours ago, jlpservicesinc said:

Not once did the horses ever miss the top that was not protected.. The steel toes were useless so that was that.. 

I’ve got some aluminum and foam metatarsal protectors I was hoping to sell at Quad-State; I’d be happy to send you a pair.