Week-end Post, What Are You Doing

Just got back last night. We had a great time down there. I got some Photo's and today been out in the shop working on a new knife design. I also have 4 going into heat treat. Sunday going to set back and think about all the things I need to do. My wife has a TOO- DO-LIST as well. Hope you all are doing ok. ------------:)
 
Trying to put a fixed air flow fixture on the sides of Al plates. I guess it will keep me busy all weekend. It would be nice if had some engineering skills, these shop upgrades takes days for me....
 
So far it's been a great weekend. Last night Kook, Marleen, Linda and I did a guided walking tour through "haunted Providence" (RI). It's located on the East side of Prov. RI around Brown University, which was founded in 1764. We went by a house that Edgar Allan Poe once lived in, I didn't know that he had lived in Rhode Island at one time. Also we went by the home of H. P. Lovecraft, and many other areas that are supposedly haunted. It was a real nice time.

Today, my Brother-in-law and his son came over and we forged out 2 knives using 1075, I made 2 because I plan on clay coating and water quenching. If I hear the dreaded "Ping" I have another that I will use oil for quenching. If they both workout OK, then my nephew and his dad will have a couple of hand mades :cool:. Phil, my Brother-in-law has done quite a bit of work around my house, and this is the least I can do in return.

Hope you all had and are having a nice weekend. :thumbup:
 
Well I finished the edge of a tanto yestorday (gotta order copper now), dug more of the hole for my power hammer's foundation today, and tomorrow is a shift at work and then more digging. Also designing a forge made to hold multiple pieces of 3"+ round stock 4 feet long... hmmmm.
 
Good weekend here as well. I watched some football this morning (go Tech!), then I was able to get out to the shop and was actually pretty productive. I did some pre-heat treat finishing work on a customer's knife order early this afternoon; then later this evening, I was able to heat treat the knife (it's in the oven tempering right now), and I was able to cut out and profile another knife. This one will be an EDC size, pointy wharncliff that I'm using the jade-colored G10 I won on the forums for the handle. I was also able to cut out a new work table for my portaband.

After two weeks off with my wife, it's going to bite going back to work Monday, though :(.

--nathan
 
it's not a knife, but I finished a project i started a week ago, a historically accurate reproduction of a Scottish targe from around the time of the battle of Culloden (1746)

forged out everything for it except for the brass nails, but back then they'd have just bought brass nails from someone else who makes them anyways too. Forged the shield boss and the buckle for the back from brass bar and sheet stock. The only real historically inaccurate thing I did was that I used a T nut (which I didn't forge and thread myself) under the center boss rather than a lump of soft lead... the lead is historically accurate for the center spike to screw into, but I'd rather not deal with toxic metals =)

Stats, 20 inches in diameter, 7.5 lbs total weight, deer hide back, 5oz leather front, around 700 brass nails, 1/2 inch oak core. 9 inch spike, design is my own based on components from various historical targes in museums. The handle on the back is leather wrapped around a forged out metal handle, and handle and straps are held on without screw just like historic examples. This was my first time doing any leather work of any sort, so it's not the best, but I think it came out well.

targe60.jpg


and the back

targe75.jpg
 
While Justin was fooling around with his targe, I went to "The Commotion by the Ocean", last night. It was a black tie fund raiser for the Virginia Marine Sciences Center.I went in Highland formal, of course. The gals from the store all went with me. I'll try and scan the photo later and post it. It was a great evening.
Stacy
 
October 24, 2008
Yesterday I over seeded the lawn with some high-quality premier seed. in the past I just went to my local store and purchase the seed in a small bag and applied it as directed. But didn't see any growth of grass. So, I decided to purchase high-quality grass seed for the job. The 50 lb. $ 100.00. Its supposed to start growing in 7 to 10 days under the right condition. :D

I also managed to get the 5 knives heat treated and tempered and they came out outstanding in hardness and in color. My first test in heat treating is my colored test which I like them to be gold or bronze to say. The hardness checked out between 59 to 62 1/2. This is the area I prefer my knives to be in. And I like the hard edge and soft back for my hunting and field knives. :D

Saturday I will be cleaning up the shop and getting the material list wrote down so I will know what needs to be ordered. Also, I will be building a platform for me to stand on when I am at the grinder. The grinder is getting taller or I am getting shorter. So I decided to build a platform 30x28x2. This will help me see and look down at my work better. ;)

Sunday I will kicking back and do what ever the wife wants to do. I just hope its not the honey to- do- list. . Well better get going and get my self back into the shop and get started working. Just hope you good folks have a great one as well. :thumbup:
 
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Going to try and fix the furnace in the house so we have heat (it's starting to get cold!) and I need to get a new dog door installed. Maybe after that I'll buzz down a a buddy's place and borrow some time on his big power hammer to get some of the billets I have sitting around worked out. I've also got some collaboration pieces to work on. Of course, the "Honey-Do" list is kind of long as well...

-d
 
gotta re run the stovepipe for the porch woodstove.

Gotta restack the throwing range. Teaching hawk throwing to 2 people and the logs are CHEWED.

Gotta keep puppy proofing the yard and shop spaces, it is taking forever:

victoria.jpg
 
I've got a couple of knives in the works that, one I'm hoping to finish and one I'm hoping to get ground and heat treated.

Around that, I've got to get to the old house and get it cleaned up a bit for a meeting with a realtor to get it set for the market.

Also have to watch some college ball, of course.

--nathan
 
I'm thinkin this is gonna be a good weekend.The weather here in southeast Texas is perfect, Lows in the 40's and highs in the 70's. The wife is up at her mothers, I have two nice racks of pork ribs I'm gonna throw on the pit and I'm gonna spend 2 whole days in the shop.Got 9 knives on the bench in varius stages of completion so here we go.
Stan
 
I'm teaching a class in beginner bladesmithing this weekend, and i'm nervous, because i only consider myself a beginner =P I know more about the science of heat treating and making damascus and the like than beginners, but I'm certainly not hugely experienced or anything. Going to be a small class and I hope it goes well. I need to finish my handouts for the class tonight and get 15-20 copies printed.
 
Work, work work. We got a hot job in from a valve company yesterday. When I said hot, I ment literally, the pieces (2) came directly to my from the HT. I have to radiograph the weld which is 5" thk. I'll be using a 10 curie source of Co60. We're calculating an exposure time of over 3 hours.

What will I do for 3 hours you may ask, well I'm sure going to bring a guitar to pass some of the time. I also have some annealed 5160 I plan on using for a couple of file guides, and I will use the company band saw to cut the 5160 down to size.

Lightning Brothers jam Saturday evening.

Missing out on a motorcycle fleamarket on Sunday at Stafford Springs in CT. My Brother Rob came over Fri. evening and I gave him a bunch of old Shovel head parts, 3 leather jackets, a leather vest, and 4 knives to put on his table at this event. Hopefully he can sell some of this stuff for me. I especially hope he can sell the knives.

Working Sat. and Sun.
 
Continue trying to rebuild the shed into a smithy, change the oil in the Harley, and put it up for the winter (I hate road salt!) try to get caught up on jewelry backorders so I'll have some money.

-Page
 
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I made the big purchase for a new 52 inch plasma TV to replace the 16 year old rear projection unit that is on its last legs. That means re arranging the living room before the installers arrive.
 
I did a lot of destructive knife testing and comparisons today. Can be pretty tedious, but it is also kind of fun.

Part of the comparison included a premium semi production knife in S30V and a D2 blade I had heat treated by a well known master of the craft in addition to my own D2 knives I was evaluating with different heat treats. If I may blow my own horn for a moment, I do some pretty kick ass D2 (*sound of one patting one's own self on the back*)
 
October 31,2008

Here is a photograph of a building that I thought was very interesting to see. This is not the BIG HOUSE in Washington DC. I took this photo back in the summer in the month of July. I was just curious if anyone recognizes this building. ;)

Also, I am getting ready to start surface grinding one of my knives out today. It one of my newest creations. I am going to call it The field and camp knife. It will serve many purposes in the field or just in the wilderness. I am excited to get it done. But with all things it takes time. Satuday will be out in the lawn working and Sunday if it nice out will be putting on a BBQ. What are you all doing this week-end? :yawn:

I want to wish all of you a happy week-end. Well better get going here and start working in the shop. All the Trick-Or -Treaters will be knocking on the doors and need to all the candy ready for them. :)
 
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