Fairly Knives Chat - Check in and say Hi! Post whatever here...

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Man, it sounds like you guys are living the dream!

We are all living the dream over here, but we only say that at the worst of times...

I wrote my International Relations exam today... 3 hours of nonstop writing, most definitely not my favorite way to spend a few hours. I much preferred my abnormal psych class, an hour of multiple choice, an hour of fill-in-the-blank and an hour of short essay. Besides it was a wicked awesome class.

I hope you did well!

I think all the writing I did in college helped me the most, it seems that with most career choices good writing is key. Psych class is always fun!

Morning men.Daniel I hope you are feeling better same for Xander's wife.Being sick just sucks all the way around. Xander you are correct if momma aint happy no one is happy! You guy's have a great productive Tuesday!

Dental appointment Thursday! I hope that clears it up.

Have a great day!

Morning guys. The wife is staying home again today. She has got it pretty bad! I just hope she can manage being home by herself!

Yesterday I sarted working on some osage orange wood and let me tell you, this is some tough stuff! I have never worked with it before. I tried sanding a rough block to shape and it just laughed at me, didn't even heat up and burn all that quick. Working on a set of scales or a DIY knife blank from Mark Wohlwend. Daniel, you ever thought of offering DIY knife blanks? Several makers on here do and they are lots of fun! Think about how nice it would be to just grind, ht, and sell! If you do some, let me know, I might pick one up.

-Xander

We hope she feels better soon!

Osage Orange, that is some cool wood. My parents have trees of it all over their property. My Dad always told me if I wanted to carve anything use the Osage Orange wood. We call them "Horse Apple" trees in TX. I made a bow and a few slingshots that were pretty tough. I want to go cut one down and process it! I hear you get a ton of loss from checking... I do have some mesquite though.

That osage sounds like Maroon Micarta, the stuff just doesn't grind. I think I have ground softer jasper!

Try some Zirconia belts on the Osage, they don't load up as bad as a lot of belts. I always use them for handle material, I'm surprised I don't see them recommended more often, I know most of us just use old belts for the handles.

Blanks could be cool, you never know!

 

[fast14riot]

Yeah, that block of osage I have came from DanCo's brothers house in TX. It is a couple years dry, too. I was using #40 blue Zirc belts on it, old and new! I ended up getting out my block plane, sharpened it up and went to town. It was still tough but worked down pretty quick once I got it dialed in for this wood. I had to take very shallow cuts, .007", and had to cut askew of the grain. It doesn't produce nice long curls like some woods but short chips with some tearing evidence. And this was just trying to true up one face for scales, haven't even begun the shaping yet!


-Xander

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Yeah, that block of osage I have came from DanCo's brothers house in TX. It is a couple years dry, too. I was using #40 blue Zirc belts on it, old and new! I ended up getting out my block plane, sharpened it up and went to town. It was still tough but worked down pretty quick once I got it dialed in for this wood. I had to take very shallow cuts, .007", and had to cut askew of the grain. It doesn't produce nice long curls like some woods but short chips with some tearing evidence. And this was just trying to true up one face for scales, haven't even begun the shaping yet!


-Xander

New 40 grit Zirconia belts burned it, good Lord! I hear they made ships bearings from it, that makes sense now. That micarta I was talking about is the same way.

The planer sounds great for stuff like that. I think Tai Goo also mentioned some sort of saw that was good for handle shaping.

How are all the projects going? Feel free to post any links or pics.

 

[fast14riot]

Yeah its some gnarly stuff. I'm told its the hardest native wood in North America! I always thought Lignum vitæ was used in ships bearings, I don't know one way or the other 'bout osage orange or bois d'arc as its also known. I'm goung to use them on a small blade, and try to keep them thin, I'm thinking of using mild steel pins and bluing the ends to contrast the scales. Gonna give checkering a try on them also, this hard wood should hold up well with it unless it eats up the cutters! I think I might take the scales to a friend with a bridgeport and have him mill them true on face and bring them to correct thickness. Would save my wood working tools! It chewed up the blade on my plane as well, but I think my dumbass brother tried using a torch on it to get some sticky stuff off and ruined the temper...

I'll try to get some pics up, thanx for the permission. I don't want to look like I'm promoting other makers in your forum.


-Xander

 

[fast14riot]

Morning guys. Got a new guy a work, he's 18 and this is his first job. Nice thing is he has no bd habbits from other jobs or whatnot. He's a quick learner, and eager to do right, hopefuly he works out and sticks around.


-Xander

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Yeah its some gnarly stuff. I'm told its the hardest native wood in North America! I always thought Lignum vitæ was used in ships bearings, I don't know one way or the other 'bout osage orange or bois d'arc as its also known. I'm goung to use them on a small blade, and try to keep them thin, I'm thinking of using mild steel pins and bluing the ends to contrast the scales. Gonna give checkering a try on them also, this hard wood should hold up well with it unless it eats up the cutters! I think I might take the scales to a friend with a bridgeport and have him mill them true on face and bring them to correct thickness. Would save my wood working tools! It chewed up the blade on my plane as well, but I think my dumbass brother tried using a torch on it to get some sticky stuff off and ruined the temper...

I'll try to get some pics up, thanx for the permission. I don't want to look like I'm promoting other makers in your forum.


-Xander

I bet! I used to have the lignum vitae when I lived down island, you could whack it with a machete and it would just make you shake.

Blued mild steel pins sound nice! Cool on the checkering too, that is awesome. Are you using a setup from a gun supply or files/saw?

A mill would be nice for scales, even G10 isn't 100% flat from the factory. I'd like to get a mill, lathe and surface grinder one of these days.

...speaking of filework I live right next to the Navajo reservation, the file and saw work some of the local jewelers can do is beyond amazing. Inlay as well... I saw a pendant with a comet shooting through a night scene complete with the planets, etc... it was all done with stone in a one square inch area.

 

[bigcountry1315]

Good morning men.Hope you gentlemen have a happy and productive hump day!!!

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Morning guys. Got a new guy a work, he's 18 and this is his first job. Nice thing is he has no bd habbits from other jobs or whatnot. He's a quick learner, and eager to do right, hopefuly he works out and sticks around.


-Xander

Nice! Good luck with him!

 

[IMWILSON]

Morning everyone, time to get ready for work, Damn it.

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Morning!

Today will be a busy one for sure, the Legal EDC's are getting close and I'm going to be molding sheaths.

Have a great day guys!

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Morning everyone, time to get ready for work, Damn it.

Morning! I'm about to go too, ahh the small of kydex in the morning! gag!

 

[fast14riot]

I bet! I used to have the lignum vitae when I lived down island, you could whack it with a machete and it would just make you shake.

Blued mild steel pins sound nice! Cool on the checkering too, that is awesome. Are you using a setup from a gun supply or files/saw?

A mill would be nice for scales, even G10 isn't 100% flat from the factory. I'd like to get a mill, lathe and surface grinder one of these days.

...speaking of filework I live right next to the Navajo reservation, the file and saw work some of the local jewelers can do is beyond amazing. Inlay as well... I saw a pendant with a comet shooting through a night scene complete with the planets, etc... it was all done with stone in a one square inch area.

Well I am going to try some non conventional methods for the checkering as a proof of concept, once I get going on it I'll put the results up, good or bad. I just need to figure out my spacing, I normally like 22lpi on my guns, but I may try 16 or 20. If the osage doesn't work out I have a broken rifle stock that is walnut I could cut up or also some mesquite. When checkering I don't like highly figured woods because you won't see it anyways.

I have a few supplies I have to pick up but I am looing forward to trying this out.


-Xander

 

[fast14riot]

Morning! Sure is quiet round here...you guys have jobs or something?!


-Xander

 

[bigcountry1315]

Morning men. I am off to a VA appointment later on.That will take up 3 hours of my day.1 hour each way and 1 hour for the appointment. Cool thing is not far from there I found a used book store that has tons of old books and even newer ones people have given them.Paperbacks are 75 cents to a buck fifty and hardbacks are from $2 to $5.I spent $10 in there and came home with a big bag of books.

 

[fast14riot]

Have a good one Big! Used book stores are fun, there is one 3 blocks from my house that I finally got to browse through the other day. Found some cool first edition VW books but my copies were in better shape.

Just got to work and am having an asiago cheese bagel toasted with sun dried tomato cream cheese and a latte. Got to start the day off right!


-Xander

 

[fast14riot]

Hey Daniel, if your coherant after your dental appt, what type of resin do you use when making your own handle material? Epoxy, polyester, or vinylester? I have some ideas for my own stuff and was considering using the cheap polyester resins I can get. I know its not as stable in the very long term, but its MUCH cheaper than using a ton of West Systems.

Hope you feel better!


-X

 

[bigcountry1315]

Daniel how was the Dental appointment? They get you feeling better? I hope so! You get the legal EDC run all done? Looking forward to the Chopper run!!!!! I am itching for a new big blade in my hands!Oh yea I know it is coming soon I just suck at waiting!!!

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Morning! Sure is quiet round here...you guys have jobs or something?!


-Xander

I either need to bring in the naked chicks, free beer or more knives...

Morning men. I am off to a VA appointment later on.That will take up 3 hours of my day.1 hour each way and 1 hour for the appointment. Cool thing is not far from there I found a used book store that has tons of old books and even newer ones people have given them.Paperbacks are 75 cents to a buck fifty and hardbacks are from $2 to $5.I spent $10 in there and came home with a big bag of books.

That's a drive! Sounds like everything here. My driveway is a 15-30 minute ride so it can take me an hour of serious driving to get a package... except they send me pick up slips instead! oh the efficiency!

Cool on the used books, I am in to that sort of thing for sure. I want a half price books here, I don't know if it is a chain or what but they rock.

Have a good one Big! Used book stores are fun, there is one 3 blocks from my house that I finally got to browse through the other day. Found some cool first edition VW books but my copies were in better shape.

Just got to work and am having an asiago cheese bagel toasted with sun dried tomato cream cheese and a latte. Got to start the day off right!


-Xander

who's VW? or maybe Volkswagon books, lol I had a super beetle once. Cool...

Hey Daniel, if your coherant after your dental appt, what type of resin do you use when making your own handle material? Epoxy, polyester, or vinylester? I have some ideas for my own stuff and was considering using the cheap polyester resins I can get. I know its not as stable in the very long term, but its MUCH cheaper than using a ton of West Systems.

Hope you feel better!


-X

The appointment went well, my tooth is pretty much OK but my sinuses are jacked. I may give in and take something, I can put like two tablespoons of sriracha in my ramen and it won't hardly phase me! (hot stuff is my usual allergy remedy)

I got to go to town today, Farmington, NM. I haven't been anywhere but Bayfield and Durango in 2 months and it was very nice to get out.

I saw a guy with a shopping cart full of ramen and cheese puffs, I was dying! Now that's a proper diet! He had 3 cases of Ramen, a 5 gallon thing of cheese puffs and a 6 pack of sprite! I looked and he had oriental, beef and chicken... now that's pimpin!

Daniel how was the Dental appointment? They get you feeling better? I hope so! You get the legal EDC run all done? Looking forward to the Chopper run!!!!! I am itching for a new big blade in my hands!Oh yea I know it is coming soon I just suck at waiting!!!

It wasn't bad! The EDC's are really close, I have about 2 full days to spend on final finishing and sharpening then they should be done! (trust me I can't wait for payday)

I am so close to starting the choppers I have the steel pulled out! I keep thinking about them... I think I'm making 4-5 in .360 for orders and want to make more just because big blades rock!

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Morning! Sure is quiet round here...you guys have jobs or something?!


-Xander

I either need to bring in the naked chicks, free beer or more knives...

Morning men. I am off to a VA appointment later on.That will take up 3 hours of my day.1 hour each way and 1 hour for the appointment. Cool thing is not far from there I found a used book store that has tons of old books and even newer ones people have given them.Paperbacks are 75 cents to a buck fifty and hardbacks are from $2 to $5.I spent $10 in there and came home with a big bag of books.

That's a drive! Sounds like everything here. My driveway is a 15-30 minute ride so it can take me an hour of serious driving to get a package... except they send me pick up slips instead! oh the efficiency!

Cool on the used books, I am in to that sort of thing for sure. I want a half price books here, I don't know if it is a chain or what but they rock.

Have a good one Big! Used book stores are fun, there is one 3 blocks from my house that I finally got to browse through the other day. Found some cool first edition VW books but my copies were in better shape.

Just got to work and am having an asiago cheese bagel toasted with sun dried tomato cream cheese and a latte. Got to start the day off right!


-Xander

who's VW? or maybe Volkswagon books, lol I had a super beetle once. Cool...

Hey Daniel, if your coherant after your dental appt, what type of resin do you use when making your own handle material? Epoxy, polyester, or vinylester? I have some ideas for my own stuff and was considering using the cheap polyester resins I can get. I know its not as stable in the very long term, but its MUCH cheaper than using a ton of West Systems.

Hope you feel better!


-X

The appointment went well, my tooth is pretty much OK but my sinuses are jacked. I may give in and take something, I can put like two tablespoons of sriracha in my ramen and it won't hardly phase me! (hot stuff is my usual allergy remedy)

I got to go to town today, Farmington, NM. I haven't been anywhere but Bayfield and Durango in 2 months and it was very nice to get out.

I saw a guy with a shopping cart full of ramen and cheese puffs, I was dying! Now that's a proper diet! He had 3 cases of Ramen, a 5 gallon thing of cheese puffs and a 6 pack of sprite! I looked and he had oriental, beef and chicken... now that's pimpin!

Daniel how was the Dental appointment? They get you feeling better? I hope so! You get the legal EDC run all done? Looking forward to the Chopper run!!!!! I am itching for a new big blade in my hands!Oh yea I know it is coming soon I just suck at waiting!!!

It wasn't bad! The EDC's are really close, I have about 2 full days to spend on final finishing and sharpening then they should be done! (trust me I can't wait for payday)

I am so close to starting the choppers I have the steel pulled out! I keep thinking about them... I think I'm making 4-5 in .360 for orders and want to make more just because big blades rock!

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Good morning guys!