A morning's tinkering

Jack Black

Jack Black

Seize the Lambsfoot! Seize the Day!
Platinum Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2005
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I picked up this old John Watts a good while back. It’d clearly seen better days, the end of one of the blades was snapped off, the other was a mess too, and its tip sat proud of the liners. There was quite a bit of play in the longer blade, and the shield span like a propeller. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, didn’t want to change it too much, and my skills are minimal anyway, so it’s just been sat in a drawer. Finally got round to doing something with it this morning. It still has its faults, some gaps, a softened tip on the longer blade, some nicks in the edge of the shorter one, but I might actually carry it now.

BEFORE:





AFTER:



 
Great looking piece!! Its actually quite good looking. Get in the pocket.

P.S. Is that a cobblers anvil?
 
I love the color of the bone on that knife Jack :thumbup:
cool that you gave it a shot at getting some pocket time, it deserves it :)
 
You did a great job, Jack! That´s a really an Oldie and Goldie :)

Thanks for sharing!
 
Great job Jack, some people rescue dogs, we rescue knives. Enjoy the knife and the new life ya have it.
 
Thanks a lot fellers :) Nice to see you in here S-K :thumbup:

Gevonovich said:
Is that a cobblers anvil?
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It's a cobbler's last. When I was a kid every house had one, they were known as a 'hobbing foot' for some reason. They were always useful as a small stiddy and for all sorts of other things. There are still a lot of them about here, but people think they are a device for holding doors ajar.
 
She looks quite serviceable now. Great save.

Love the jigging!
 
Jack Black said:
Thanks a lot fellers :) Nice to see you in here S-K :thumbup:



It's a cobbler's last. When I was a kid every house had one, they were known as a 'hobbing foot' for some reason. They were always useful as a small stiddy and for all sorts of other things. There are still a lot of them about here, but people think they are a device for holding doors ajar.
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Thanks for the info, pal! Looks like a handy thing to have around.
 
Nice work Jack! I agree with the others, that one has some fantastic looking bone!

-Dan
 
That's more better!

Nice job, Jack.
 
Thanks a lot fellers, really appreciate the kind words :)

bwperdue said:
Well done! Did you fix the spinning shield, too?
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Yeah, that's probably the biggest pain, I need to think up a way of peening it (I don't even have a vice anymore). I've got a few ideas. For the moment I've just put a small blob of expoxy behind. I managed to do it neatly in the end (the pics show some stray glue from my first attempt to glue it with a contact adhesive, but I cleaned this off after, and eventually used epoxy). Still a bit of a 'bodge' I'm afraid, and I'd like to do it correctly.

Chris Montgomery said:
Well done. I wouldn't have had the nerve to try.
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It's taken me over six months to get round to it. I only have a limited number of tools these days, and even more limited skills. I re-shaped the blades with a file, there's a nick in the smaller blade and I did think about shortening it further, but in the end I didn't want to lose too much of it. Getting rid of the proud 'point' on the longer blade was easier than I'd anticipated, I simply filed it into a spear and it now sits OK. Tightening the pivot pins was straightforward. The shield was probably the most awkward part.
 
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Nice work Jack. I agree that bone is extra juicy. Well worth the effort.
Now ,a "hobbing foot "you say?
Well that's cobblers...No its true I tell you.
 
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Yeah very good stuff Jack..Ive got a couple of those Cobblers lasts as well...Theyre great for all sorts of stuff...love the bone...........FES
 
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