BurlSource- Mark Farley- Spalted Sycamore

[NickWheeler]

Hi guys-


I wanted to show this knife here to share this wood with you guys. I got this crazy awesome piece of stabilized, spalted, snakeskin Sycamore from Mark... and I really like this wood!

This is a pretty good sized fighter forged from 1-3/4" W2 round, differentially hardened without clay, and polished to bring out the hamon.

416 guard with mirror polish on inside of lugs and the scallops, that contrasts the 800X satin finished sides. Copper and black G10 spacers.


Thanks fellas

[video=youtube;Y3kJUzLN38A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3kJUzLN38A&list=UUM3ezocAUFI1HtIi4V7SLmw&index=1[/video]

 

[Burl Source]

Thank You for the kind words Nick.
I am glad you liked the sycamore.
The knife turned out great.

 

[quint]

Another amazing piece Nick. Mark has a way of finding some amazing wood, and you have a way of making some amazing hamons.

 

[silver_pilate]

Wow! That blade profile is absolutely gorgeous. The subtle recurve, that tip.... The handle is gorgeous. And the hamon is outstanding. I think I like that hamon every bit as much as the one I have. GREAT control on getting that to lay where it is without clay. You're getting that down pretty good, huh?

--nathan

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

The sycamore Mark has is insane. My favorite personal stash wood.

That cloud" hamon is amazing. I guess it would be gunome-kumo-midare ( flowing cloud hamon).

 

[Bob Katilus]

I am not normally a fan of sycamore, but that piece really is fantastic. You nailed the hamon, too... and without clay :thumbup:

 

[12345678910]

Nice knife and a knockout bit of wood on there.

 

[NickWheeler]

Thanks guys

The "hamon seeking road" I turned down about 13 years ago has been one with many turns of incredible frustration. It still is... LOL. But I finally feel like I'm beginning to understand it better. A little... :foot:


I came across some photos of one of my blades on some forum and they were discussing all these technical Japanese terms and the kind of polish that, "he has clearly done." Yet, I have NO IDEA what they were talking about, LMAO.

I just know I like shiny, shimmery, white, whispy stuff.

This wood is crazy cool. I have another block from Mark that I am excited to use. I originally took it up to a high grit hand sanded finish and did a super quick buff. But that made it look sort of plastic-ish. :thumbdn:

So I ended up sticking with a hand sanded 1500X finish, then hand buffed with wax. It left the wood with a nice luster that shows off the crazy grain, but it looks and feels like wood, not plastic.

We are an extremely fortunate lot... to have folks like Mark Farley and Chuck Bybee that allow us ready access to an amazing cache of materials!!!!!!! :thumbup: Thank you guys!!!

 

[Willie71]

Nick, When I went through the Wheeler's Steel WIP last year, I was riveted with each post, until I came to the handle finishing posts. I kept thinking "you will ruin the feel and texture of the wood doing it that way." I worked in my uncle's cabinet shop, and learned wood finishing from a true artisan 30 years ago. What you are doing now is how I learned to finish wood. There is a place for poly or lacquer finishes, but there is also a place for a hand rubbed oil finish. I think a knife handle is the perfect place for this finish. It feels so good in the hand. HAve you tried using steel wool, rather than sand paper. I find the fine sand paper smears the wood, where the fine steel wool cuts it.

 

[phillipsted]

Nick - you did a great job with that piece. I got a block of that Sycamore from Mark as well. Absolutely stunning stuff. I don't usually like Sycamore (too splintery for my taste) - but the look is really incomparable when it is finished nicely, like you've done. Nice work!

TedP

 

[bittermanbrewing]

wow. That is a work of beauty. I hope at some point in my life I might be able to create something that is half as great as that is.