Another interregnum

[tryppyr]

I always get a little twitchy when I send a blade off for HT. With the blade gone it is a little difficult to insure the holes you are drilling are the right size for a snug fit. It's challenging to discern whether the changes you plan for the bolster will be just so. I'm not saying all work comes to a stand-still while the blade is away, but the coices of what I can work on suddenly narrow down.

I usually fill the gap by starting on another blade... just to have something going on. But there's two problems this time... I no longer have any billets laying in wait, and I really would prefer to spend my time advancing the KITH project.

What to do... what to do.

I'm toying with ideas for a sheath. Frankly, I don't like any of them, but I need to make a decision on that soon. I'm also toying with a lot of impractical ideas for the presentation box. I may not get around to making one of those if I don't get some better ideas.

I want to make progress on the carved handle... but the one idea I've had so far for the fitting between the handle and the guard seems... dubious. It would look cool if it works as expected. But will I be able to pull it off and get a clean look? Also, I'm waiting to see if a better piece of handle material will become available.

I need a pommel. Problem will be making the pommel visually aligned with the rest of the knife while insuring it is properly fitted and attached. I've had a number of ideas... none practical or visually correct.

All the while the clock is ticking, and October promises to be a VERY busy travel month... and there will be travel in November as well. Tick-Tick-Tick.

- Greg

 

[Jason Magruder]

I feel ya on that one. I always hated waiting for knives to come back from heat treating. I tend to start a new project and not care about the old one anymore by the time it gets back to me. I have a whole pile of heat treated knives that never got finished because I came up with something better while they were out.

That's a good reason to invest in the equipment to do your own heat treating. I've probably wasted more money in unfinished knives than I would have spent to just fork over for an oven and a rockwell tester ten years ago.

 

[tryppyr]

Yeah, if I had a real shop (instead of a just desk in my garage), I'd definitely have an Evenheat... and a lathe... and a proper drill press... and a proper band saw.. and a proper grinder... and a big credit card debt.

Good thing I don't have a real shop. Not having space gives me a good excuse for avoiding poverty.

- Greg