2020 GEC #62 Easy Pocket Congress and Pocket Carver Thread

urbantrapper said:
Has anyone experienced blade rub? Mine 62 ez congress came in today and im real happy with it, but already got some blade rub at the tip of the wharnie on the side that shares the well with the pen. Just at the tip, the scratches run the width of the blade but dont appear to catch the edge. I have read a fair amount of this thread but not the whole thing, havent seen much about blade rub.

What do you all say? Send er back or hang onto a unique piece?
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I've bought 6 total 62s from the current run, and 2 had blade rubbing. I let them both go. It happens when you have multiple blades with a mirror finish. Once they get used and form a patina, it shouldn't be too noticeable. But I'm picky and had to turn them loose.

I would say blade rub is a modern problem as a lot (including myself at times) safe-queen their collection. No one really cared 100 years ago because they were tools and used as such. I'm sure the stockmen of old had many rubs out of the factory.
 
knifethetank said:
My middle grandson got interested in carving when I showed him pictures from this thread, thanks for the great work guys :thumbsup:. Carving for a 10 year old is hard but he tries, not sure what year he will be done :). I'm retired now, it's nice having free time so I'm back doing old hobbies I haven't done in many years.
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boy if I could go back to my ten year old self I’d make life a lot easier- basswood, very sharp blades and a glove until I got used to carving. The frustration for me was how long whittling took; part of that is the hobby, but part of it was not understanding wood and blade choices, and a huge part of it was not really knowing what a very sharp knife was.

I once used a case mini copperlock with its factory edge and didn’t sharpen it... its a wonder...

now I feel I can whittle any kind of wood, but I think back then I would have liked chunks of craft store basswood.
 
rpstrimple said:
I've bought 6 total 62s from the current run, and 2 had blade rubbing. I let them both go. It happens when you have multiple blades with a mirror finish. Once they get used and form a patina, it shouldn't be too noticeable. But I'm picky and had to turn them loose.

I would say blade rub is a modern problem as a lot (including myself at times) safe-queen their collection. No one really cared 100 years ago because they were tools and used as such. I'm sure the stockmen of old had many rubs out of the factory.
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Its possible I scratched it while opening it, maybe there was some grit there or something. It doesnt look like its contacting when at rest. Ive decided to keep it. If it wasnt that id probably discriminate on something else. Its a user for me so im just gonna hang onto it and carry it as intended. I am too critical often of everything, its a bad habit. Theres other "flaws" too but sometimes its best to just move on and not allow it to linger in your mind. Im also trying to mind distancing measures so I dont want to mess around with the post office and so forth right now.
 
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Well coming back periodically and visiting this thread of all the wonderful knives and amazing whittling got the juices flowing again. So thought I’d cap off my 62 easy pocket collection with a smooth white bone Pocket Carver :thumbsup:
I’ve been on a wood covers adventure as of late so decided to go with a different flavor and have always loved smooth white bone.
 
Cedar, that should provide aromatic bonus too :cool:

With the debate about blade-rub I'd add that it's a more serious affair on stainless knives, particularly crocus finish so every scratch and abrasion looks horrible. On carbon that's used and gets ru sorry, patina ;) it won't show, likewise matte stainless shows it less. If you are going to 'collect' it safe queen it then maybe it's a concern-but all carbon/brass knives need a lot of vigilance to keep them in top shape anyway. Too much anxiety for me :D
 
hornetguy said:
Getting close to being done with this one... spanish cedar, 1 3/4 X 1 3/4.... Need to clean up the edges and oil it. I tried this first in 1 X 1 basswood, and quickly found out there would likely not be enough room to clean out for the ball.

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Beautiful work! I’m sure you’ll say something humble, but you’re quite skilled. Not breaking pieces with grain runout that are that thin is tough.

been there before, starting a project and worrying I didn’t leave myself enough room. Turns out fine 80% of the time that happens, it just takes longer and smaller blades.

keep it up!
 
EngrSorenson said:
Beautiful work! I’m sure you’ll say something humble, but you’re quite skilled. Not breaking pieces with grain runout that are that thin is tough.

been there before, starting a project and worrying I didn’t leave myself enough room. Turns out fine 80% of the time that happens, it just takes longer and smaller blades.

keep it up!
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Thanks for the encouragement.... I sometimes have trouble seeing things "spatially" when removing wood. I worried about this one until I realized the inside area is still square, even though the legs angle from corner to corner.. it created an optical illusion in my mind that took some thinking to get around... hey... old dog, new tricks, right?
 
hornetguy said:
Thanks for the encouragement.... I sometimes have trouble seeing things "spatially" when removing wood. I worried about this one until I realized the inside area is still square, even though the legs angle from corner to corner.. it created an optical illusion in my mind that took some thinking to get around... hey... old dog, new tricks, right?
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im right there with you on the spacial blindness: especially as translated from 2D on two adjacent, 90* faces into a 3D shape. There’s always that dimension on the 45* angle that is roughly *sqrt(2) longer than it ought to be.

I will say carving through wood and making ball-in-cage or chain whimseys has improved by skill of knowing where the blade tip is as I whittle my way into the piece.
 
EngrSorenson said:
im right there with you on the spacial blindness: especially as translated from 2D on two adjacent, 90* faces into a 3D shape. There’s always that dimension on the 45* angle that is roughly *sqrt(2) longer than it ought to be.

I will say carving through wood and making ball-in-cage or chain whimseys has improved by skill of knowing where the blade tip is as I whittle my way into the piece.
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Yes.... that little "oops" painful feeling, and having to go get a band-aid is a pretty good teacher! :eek:
 
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