Carved AK pics.

philthygeezer

philthygeezer

Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
746
Hello,

I've 'finished' the refinishing on the handle of my new carved AK. Used soft toothbrushes, J-cloths, mineral oil (cleaning), Tru-oil(finishing), and my thumb and forefinger. I don't think I've done a superlative job, but I think I did a good one for a first try. :) Anyway I feel like this khuk has a bit of me in it.

You be the judge:
IMG_1041.jpg
 
That's now a good-looking knife, Phil. Very brave of you to finish a carved handle on your first try. I'm about 1/4 through redoing a WWII as my first.

How many coats of oil did you do?
 
That last pic is quite snappy...excellent!

Dan
 
About three coats of oil. I followed Walosi and Ferguson's advice and only put a little on the tip of my finger each time. Then I would use an extra soft toothbrush to work the Tru-oil into every nook and cranny. If I screwed up and got too much on, I would wipe of the excess with a J-cloth. I rubbed the oil in with my thumb and finger until they got sore.

I practiced on 2 chakmas and 2 kardas before I started on the carved handle, so it wasn't totally new..:D

Phil
 
Your progress is commendable, Grasshopper (sorry,de debbil made me do dat :p) When the swelling goes down in your fingers and thumbs, wrap just a bit of 0000 steel wool along the edge of a stick from an ice cream bar (my source) or a wooden tongue depresser (drugstore, and you get nuttin' to eat). Polish the flat, around the handle ring, and any other large ones in the carving. This is minute finishing, but when the flats take a slick shine, they will show some grain, but mainly they will have an exaggerated contrast to the stippled background, and the parts that are duller. With a little finesse, you can carve/shape the stick end to fit, and use it (light pressure) to burnish the flats you wish to bring up to shine. This is less tedious than trying to do it as you would on a smooth handle. It doesn't work on a larger smooth area, BTW - Causes streaks that need to be wooled down again. On the narrow flats in the carvings, this isn't a problem. Do the burnishing with the grain, and "downhill". All of the cuts in the carving have exposed the grain ends and pores - burnishing in the "uphill" direction raises the ends and opens the pores - "downhill" mats the ends down, and closes the openings. You can see and feel the results of your direction, and make corrections as you go. For graduation, you will be required to bare your forearms and lift a ceremonial bowl made rom a section of barrel cactus. Years later, when people see the pattern of puncture scars, they will either recognize you as a Woodchuck-Lin Master, or turn you in to be drug tested. Either way, your Khuk-fu better than their Khuk-fu. Gotta get a better TV schedule :rolleyes:
 
Thanks Wal; the rough finish I left on the ring around the handle is one of the things I wasn't happy with, but didn't know how to deal with until now. Especially the pointers about wax-on wax-off with the grain. I backed into a barrel cactus when shooting in Arizona. Does that count?

That last pic is quite snappy...excellent!
Click to expand...
Thanks Dan. One of the benefits of shallow depth of field at f/2. I guess I just don't care for the harsh contrast in that photo. Here's one I shot of a snowshoe hare in my back yard on Friday(Lawn mower is busted so I'm starting an ecosystem :rolleyes: ).
I think it shows how Depth of Field can be used to isolate a subject:
bunny2.jpg


EOS 10D, 1/500th@f/5.6, 300mm f4L IS with 1.4x extender at effective 672mm, handheld!
 
Better keep your old scars under wraps - They will just call you "filthy old man" instead of the more respectable "Master Philthy"....and the food ain't no good where you will spend the next 90 days.
 
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