What's going on in your shop? Show us whats going on, and talk a bit about your work!

I haven't posted anything in a while, I have other projects going on, but also some knives being finished and just waiting for sheaths. This one I wanted to get finished first because I was excited about it. I am very happy about the proportions - some time ago I asked for a feedback on a bowie knife I was making and was not happy with it, and then I took that feedback and got better. So THANK YOU to all of you providing feedback.
Steel is Sleipner at 6 mm thickness, handle is indian ebony, bronze and blued steel. Silver brazing marks where the balls at the tips of the guard are a bonus:) Takedown construction.

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pafka said:
I haven't posted anything in a while, I have other projects going on, but also some knives being finished and just waiting for sheaths. This one I wanted to get finished first because I was excited about it. I am very happy about the proportions - some time ago I asked for a feedback on a bowie knife I was making and was not happy with it, and then I took that feedback and got better.
Steel is Sleipner at 6 mm thickness, handle is indian ebony, bronze and blued steel. Silver brazing marks where the balls at the tips of the guard are a bonus:) Takedown construction.

DSid7Oh.jpeg

PCVUASF.jpeg

7SdIUih.jpeg

mTPqH8V.jpeg

6b8e0Nl.jpeg

3KCEQEe.jpeg
Click to expand...
Magnificent.
 
Got the last of the forge demolition done today. The shed in the background is all that is left to tear down and have hauled away ... along with all the debris. There is a huge pile of wood on the other side of the fence-gate where Judy is standing.
The area shown from the fence by Judy to the foreground post is 12X32 feet. That will become an enclosed forge with an 8-foot arc/gas welding section, a 12-foot forging/grinding/shaping section, and a 12-foot section for the lawn and garden things. I will put in the bulkheading this week to get ready for the fill dirt to level the area.

The area by the bamboo and creek is 2 feet lower than the area with the concrete, where Judy is. That is why I initially decked it 25 years ago.
The bank is currently about 7-feet higher than the creek, and the worst storm in our history a few years back didn't come that high ... but the extra couple feet will be extra protection.
The strange box on the right is an old safe that I had under the deck. I'll probably turn it sideways along the bulkhead and burry it. It will never rust away.

There is no going back, now. All my forging equipment is in the old workroom (to the left of the photo), in the new shop (in piles) , and in a 20-foot POD in the driveway behind Judy.


forge demolition.jpge
 
pafka said:
I haven't posted anything in a while, I have other projects going on, but also some knives being finished and just waiting for sheaths. This one I wanted to get finished first because I was excited about it. I am very happy about the proportions - some time ago I asked for a feedback on a bowie knife I was making and was not happy with it, and then I took that feedback and got better. So THANK YOU to all of you providing feedback.
Steel is Sleipner at 6 mm thickness, handle is indian ebony, bronze and blued steel. Silver brazing marks where the balls at the tips of the guard are a bonus:) Takedown construction.




https://imgur.com/6b8e0Nl
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https://imgur.com/6b8e0Nl

The name touchmark, I can't read that by myself, I'd never be able to find you again.
Consider block letters instead of script

The way you're attaching the balls onto the guard takes patina differently than the guard material.
What about turning, filing or milling the balls in from solid guard material so it all matches ?
 
12345678910 said:
The way you're attaching the balls onto the guard takes patina differently than the guard material.
What about turning, filing or milling the balls in from solid guard material so it all matches ?
Click to expand...
I think getting better at brazing would be easier (I could have simply spent more time cleaning up the excess solder) and then no (or very little) difference would be visible. Of course, you can machine the whole thing from a single piece of oversized stock but that to me leads to inefficient use of material. I'm not saying it would not be worth it cost-wise or time-wise, it's just that it did not sit right with me. And I am lucky enough to be able to do things the way I like, even if it ends up subpar in terms of quality, cost or any other criteria. I'm not saying you are wrong, I'm just saying "I did it like this because I felt like it". Thanks for the input though.
 
Cleared the piles of old decking and benchtops. Started on the 4X6 supports.
Forge rebuild.jpgForge rebuild 1 .jpg

Heard bullhorns and dogs barking. Went out front and saw the SWAT team coming down my dead-end street. Raided the house three up from me. There was a fellow running a tiny drone that went in the house. Lots of pistols, rifles, shotguns, and automatic rifles. I think they had a robot, too. I knew something was up earlier in the day when there were phony looking utility workmen and the street was packed with black SUVs and sedans. We have a very quiet street, but there is this one house where people come and go all day and night. It is drugs, I am certain. I don't think they got the person they were looking for. After an hour, the Urban Assault Vehicle left, but the others stayed for a few hours. I noticed that one workman with a bulletproof vest under his blue work vest. His tool belt had a pistol in the drill holder and ammo clips in the screwdriver pockets. I started to take a photo, and the guy gave me a stern look, so I just smiled, nodded, and told him "Thank You."

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Night Blooming Cereus is ready to bloom tomorrow. When the tips show fine white fibers, it will open that night. They are just getting ready to show.

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Today's progress was good. Dug n=more post holes and poured a LOT of concrete in them. The back side needs the posts in about 48" of cement before I fill it level with dirt. That puts the post 24" below the existing grade and will be ready for 24" of fill. The front posts only need 18-24 deep holes, since there will be no fill there.

forge demolition 1 .jpgforge demolition 2 .jpgforge demolition 3 .jpg

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT for the Night Blooming Cereus to bloom. They have puffed up since yesterday and turned white on thnight blooming cereus 5 .jpge ends and sides.
I have a board meeting for the Academy of Music ( I'm on the board) at 6, but will be home long before full bloom. I will invite the other guests and board members to drop buy on their way home to see this really stunning display. Full opening will be between 11PM and 2AM. I'll try and go out around 3AM and get some final shots.
 
I machined some 8670M blanks last night. It sounded like it was cutting really well but the endmill wore out after only 4 parts. Still working on perfecting the feeds and speeds but learned a lot. :) Can't wait to leave the day job today and get back to this project.
 
pafka said:
I haven't posted anything in a while, I have other projects going on, but also some knives being finished and just waiting for sheaths. This one I wanted to get finished first because I was excited about it. I am very happy about the proportions - some time ago I asked for a feedback on a bowie knife I was making and was not happy with it, and then I took that feedback and got better. So THANK YOU to all of you providing feedback.
Steel is Sleipner at 6 mm thickness, handle is indian ebony, bronze and blued steel. Silver brazing marks where the balls at the tips of the guard are a bonus:) Takedown construction.

DSid7Oh.jpeg

PCVUASF.jpeg

7SdIUih.jpeg

mTPqH8V.jpeg

6b8e0Nl.jpeg

3KCEQEe.jpeg
Click to expand...

Pretty Gorgeous!!!
 
I want to play with lasering sheaths soon! Just started doing leather work and trying to get some patterns down.
 
Taz said:
I want to play with lasering sheaths soon! Just started doing leather work and trying to get some patterns down.
Click to expand...
I would be happy if you then share some tips or tricks you might have. For now I do not have a good process - my knives are mostly one offs, so what I did twice now, is that I trace the knife on paper, then take a photo of that, trace it digitally in inkscape, and then laser cut that. And also I don't have the belt loops standardized - that is all sort of ad hoc afterthought, I do those as I go, which I am not happy about. It would be cool to have some better process that starts with some standard patterns, but is customizable considering the knives are not the same.
 
Just cut out and shaped these 5” Utility blanks (8 in total) These will be that tweener kitchen knife, filling that gap from a 3.5” parer and 6.5-7” carver/utility. Cut out from 3mm/.12” 14C28N. Should be a nice slicer.IMG_1523.jpeg
 
Dropped the roof of the old smithy this morning.
Installed the last posts.
Put up the four main joist braces.
Dumpster arrives tomorrow AM and I'll get rid of all the debris.
You can see how much fill I will add to level the slope. That is a 48"X12" concrete pillar that is 18" in the ground. When the fill is added, the soil will be level with the top of the pillar. 20 yards coming as soon as the dumpster is gone.

forge demolition 4 .jpgforge demolition 5 .jpgforge demolition 6 .jpg
 
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