JPH Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 Howdy: Many years ago the first sword I made for sale was a short leaf blade.. That was 45 odd years or so ago...Here is that same type of sword that I just finished... 5160 blade..22" in length..forged phosphor bronze mounts and an exquisite piece of curly redwood. I wish I knew how nice this wood was as i have two pieces left. It took me totally by surprise ! It is NICE wood.. All in all this one didn't turn out too badly.. JPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 Always with the "not too bad". It is a work of art. I'm surprised you never got into engraving the furniture or blades. Never seen a piece from you that wasn't pure to form and clean. Nice work as always. Keep it up till I can afford one. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted September 8 Author Share Posted September 8 Das: Thank you for the kind words..I do try to make something that looks half-way decent.. As far as engraving goes...First off..I would love to be able to do that however I can't even hold onto a pencil all that well any more...that and I have absolutely NO artistic talent at all in that sort of thing..Now my son Nick..he would be a great engraver..or even a scrimshander as his drawing abilities are amazing but he has no interest at all in doing anything like this...He sweats out more talent than I could ever possess...Different skill sets.. Right now I am trying to improve my leatherworking..as it is is sucketh mightily and honestly when compared to my metal working it is an embarrassment. I did go out and acquire some basic tools for that but here again I am having problems holding on to them..But I will figure out a way to tart things up a bit as far as my leatherworking goes... More on that later... JPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 I have to agree with Das, Jim. This is another piece of art like everything else you've shown us. The curly redwood is spectacular. I surely understand about a skill not fitting in your tool kit no matter how you try. I learned mechanical drawing when T squares and triangles were the tools of the trade and have picked up all the new tools effortlessly. Draw a rose let alone a face? HAH! My little Sister was better than I'll ever be in the 4th grade. Thanks for another look at your work Jim. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 Lovely work, Jim, as always. Thank you for sharing it with us! 13 hours ago, JPH said: 45 odd years or so And some of them have been VERY odd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted September 8 Author Share Posted September 8 32 minutes ago, JHCC said: Lovely work, Jim, as always. Thank you for sharing it with us! And some of them have been VERY odd! Oh they most certainly have been that!! Frosty: Drafting class!! Oh geeze I hated that class...I have over the years accepted the fact that I can not draw...but that's ok..I am doing pretty good with that limitation... JPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 My Father insisted I couldn't go far in the world if I couldn't read blueprints and started me early, maybe 10yro. I spent a minimum of 2 hrs. a day on weekends at his drafting table in the shop before doing work that paid $1/hr. Kids in school kept telling me I was "lucky" I had spending money. Yeah, I typically worked about 20-25 hrs. / week and didn't make as much an hour as the kids with a newspaper route, I just put in a lot more time. One of the only hard rules I had living at home was rent was zero as long as I was in school and as long as I was in school I HAD to take drafting. 12 years / 24 semesters of drafting not counting summer school and a few semesters where it wasn't offered. When I got to college it started over at drafting 1. Oh, those were high school, THIS is a college class, totally different. Yeah, same thing they said in high school and like then we used exactly the same books, required drawings, lectures, tests, final "exam." Maybe mechanical drafting is proof you CAN hammer a skill into someone's head if you start early enough and don't let up till the law says you can't make them anymore. I don't think I learned ANYTHING new after the 2nd. or 3rd. class in jr. high. I was so bored it was horrible. At least I learned what a zombie must feel like. College drafting 101 was worst of all, the instructor had zero drafting skills. He not only couldn't work the drafting arm he couldn't draw a box. Another easy but meaningless A. Sorry about the rant, it's an old gripe of mine. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 I had a year of drafting in high school, and I'm glad I did. Still working on my freehand drawing skills, but with a long way to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 I had 2 years in drafting. My second year the class finally got two computers to use and I got to use one of them. Two years was enough I think. Now I have to be disgusted with the absurd drawings of parts and horribly done exploded views that is in the "professional" and expensive collision repair estimating software. "Maybe that little blob is the part we need, what do they call it."still no luck. Anyway Jim, go for the leather. It is a compliment to your amazing blade making skills. Or atleast worth a try. Sorry you have trouble with holding small tools like an engraver. Sure wouldn't know from your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted September 9 Share Posted September 9 JPH... your latest leaf blade short sword is absolutely stunning. I've always heard them referred to as a hunting sword, my favorite type. I got pretty good at leather work, mostly holsters and scabbards, however I haven't picked up any leather working tools in around 30 years now. Still have all the tools and Debi is the true artist in this household. She did some fantastic clay pottery back then but hasn't fired up the potters wheel or kiln in just about as long. Funny how hobbies come and go, good thing we didn't have to depend upon them for a living. I did manage to make a couple of leaf blade plug bayonets, for smooth bore muzzle loading trade rifles that came out very nice for a blacksmith. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.~ Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davor Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 Beautiful work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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