The making of a table

[RivennHewn]

Riven, sweet..

I am still working on my honing skills..

Another “crude, yet effective “ tool. Just the way I like em.

After you get the cutting angle/ micro bevel right, the honing goes fast and easy.

The leather with the Tormek honing compound puts a mirror finish on the tools with minimal effort.

 

[Toolfool]

I'll call you for my next by-pass surgery.

 

[RivennHewn]

I'll call you for my next by-pass surgery.

Hell, I might even come up with a few more “crude” implements for a chance at that!

 

[Toolfool]

Cool. There was a good youtube vid of coronary bypass surgery, you can study up.

 

[RivennHewn]

Instead of going to work in a high rise building in downtown, I pointed my truck North. Found myself well East of I-5, headed for a pass that's closed for the winter due to snow.

Met up with an old codger with a collection of logging tools for sale.

Ended up with an Iron City froe, a Warwood adze, and a McDonald T metal hard hat.

I'm thinking of making some stove pipe shin guards so I don't fillet my shins with the adze.

My home for wayward tools has no limit.

 

[Toolfool]

Gonna build yourself a log cabin in the woods ? Only contact with the outside world through GJ ?

 

[RivennHewn]

Gonna build yourself a log cabin in the woods ? Only contact with the outside world through GJ ?

Some days, that actually sounds good.

The timbers I brought home awhile back, are going to get some sharp edge attention.

 

[drivesitfar]

Riv: I've got my gramp's old fro sitting next to my door from the kitchen into the garage and need to find a spot on the pegboard for it. his wood mallet was well used and forgotten before i knew about it, but that metal hat sure brings back memories. he had a D9 like this to cut some of those old logging roads while i was on his lap when i was about 6 years old and not sure this is him, but this was his daily outfit.

I saw you bring home those cut logs and i'm guessing you are happy you own a flatbed to be able to pick up and haul this sort of stuff. i'm also curious what kind of leather you are using for all your blade protectors and really like how you are able to make them and keep your tools razor sharp.

did you drive up to the snow or just short of it? or did you have some at your house this week cause we only had a small amount down here?

cheers

 

[RivennHewn]

Drives,

When I was about 8 years old, we moved to Alaska. My dad built a new house where they were just starting to cut in a new sub-division out of the forest.

I used to go play on all the equipment. That pic of your gramps brings back a lot of memories for me.
Then today, I was going a bit old school tempering a new knife. It was raining and my hat soaked through. I put on the old metal hardhat, just like I used to play with when I was a kid. The sound of the rain on that hard hat brought back even more memories.

I'm too cheap to buy leather from the local store up the street. Tandy seems to think they deal in gold. I get it where ever I can find it.

As I said, I'm making a hack or riving knife today. No forging on this one, only removing the material with grinders and my belt/disc sander. Not intended to be fine tool, this one is more of a rough use type tool.

I used up some of the Elm scraps to get some good coals. I brought it up to a temp that renders the metal non-magnetic. After a quench, I used momma's oven to heat treat it. (she's out of town) Hoping for a tough blade that is not too brittle.

 

[drivesitfar]

Riv: that old picture brings up good memories for me to. my gramps used to cut shake blocks out of trees on the ground this big (yep no kidding) and throw them in the back of his truck for a little exercise after dinner where he'd use his (mine now) fro and cut up a few squares.

if you might have the space for an apartment size oven with 2 or 4 burners it's yours if you can get down to pick it up cause i'm having to move out of my shop and i've got no room at home for it.

or if i have another reason to head up to your place and you'd like it and just don't have the time to pick it up maybe PM or email me your address.

love all the stuff you make and post and if i happen upon some good old leather maybe you can teach me how to make some covers for my chisels and blades to keep them sharp.

cheers

 

[RivennHewn]

Great pics.

The history of logging is the history of this country.

Built by people like your grandfather.

I’m looking at selling/moving in the near future. Actually going out of my way to avoid bringing anything home at this point.

Let me know if you have a particular tool that needs sharpened or sheathed.
I’m sure we can figure it out.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Riven, great start on the knife..

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Drives,

When I was about 8 years old, we moved to Alaska. My dad built a new house where they were just starting to cut in a new sub-division out of the forest.

I used to go play on all the equipment. That pic of your gramps brings back a lot of memories for me.
Then today, I was going a bit old school tempering a new knife. It was raining and my hat soaked through. I put on the old metal hardhat, just like I used to play with when I was a kid. The sound of the rain on that hard hat brought back even more memories.

I'm too cheap to buy leather from the local store up the street. Tandy seems to think they deal in gold. I get it where ever I can find it.

As I said, I'm making a hack or riving knife today. No forging on this one, only removing the material with grinders and my belt/disc sander. Not intended to be fine tool, this one is more of a rough use type tool.

I used up some of the Elm scraps to get some good coals. I brought it up to a temp that renders the metal non-magnetic. After a quench, I used momma's oven to heat treat it. (she's out of town) Hoping for a tough blade that is not too brittle.

Hi Riven
I like your new lid. My dad in the mid 50’s was a rough neck on a oil drilling rig. He worked for Pennsylvania Oil and Drilling. He wore a similar helmet but it wasn’t as shiny. I wonder whatever happened to those old pics.

I like your new/old additions to your tool collection. I can almost feel the hoof knife in my hand. I like the feel of old well wore tools and how they feel in your hand. Especially if the handles are made out of wood. Nice job on the stab knife and of course the and sheath.

Sometimes it’s the oven and sometimes it’s the dishwasher. I’ve been know to use the dishwasher for cleaning car mats when the boss is out of the picture.

 

[RivennHewn]

Riven, great start on the knife..

Thanks 1/2 cup,

Even though it was raining, it was a fun way to spend my afternoon

 

[RivennHewn]

Thanks Pontiac,

The knife should come in handy splitting pins and smaller pieces.

I might have to try the dishwasher, next time the wife is outta town.

 

[drivesitfar]

Riv: speaking of using the dishwasher i've had my wife's blessing to wash the gas heater's filters in ours for years now, but even I wouldn't put old car mats or tools in it.

i'll try to save old leather pieces now after seeing how you use them when in the past all i could think of their use was for shoes when i'd find an old guy's drawer full of it at an estate or garage sale.

are you liking working nights? speaking of that it doesn't seem like you sleep anymore.

cheers and hope you are getting some of this sunshine this morning.

 

[Strouty]

Sleep? What is that?

I haven’t been keeping up with the GJ at all lately. I wanted to ask advice before setting out on my experimental butcher block top. I have some water based dye powder and have made a nice blue stain, I was wondering if I should seal it afterwards or leave it alone? It is a desk, not a countertop, but I am unsure of what to use, I see some people use spar varnish, some use Waterlox and then there are many other choices. Any advice?

 

[RivennHewn]

Riv:

are you liking working nights? speaking of that it doesn't seem like you sleep anymore.

cheers and hope you are getting some of this sunshine this morning.

I'm done with night work for now. Back to the land of the living. I try to spend a few hours outside everyday no matter the weather. I get my vitamin D, whether its dry or liquid is the only question.

 

[RivennHewn]

Strouty,

Aniline dye is fun stuff. Lots of color choices and the results can be amazing.

Be sure to wet your wood, let it dry, sand it, and repeat. I usually do it at least twice, or three times even better.

This will raise the grain, then get knocked down and so the grain won't raise when you put the color on it. If you don't, you'll most likely end up with a rough finish, or you'll sand through the color.

Some times it takes a few applications for the color to build. Test pieces are highly recommended.

Like you said, there are a ton of finish options. High build/high gloss or low build/ satin, with a lot of variations in between.

For a desk, I would want to go with an easily repair able finish as opposed to a 'Strong" finish. Both will get scratched. My personal favorite for just about everything is equal parts Varnish, Tung oil, and turpentine.

It penetrates well into the wood, has a semi-matte finish, and just takes a re-wipe to make most scratches go away.

Be sure to post up what you decide. Looking forward to seeing pics!

 

[Strouty]

I tried a small area on the bottom, I can see what you mean about the grain raising. This was more about trying to get some color as a test.

 

[RivennHewn]

I tried a small area on the bottom, I can see what you mean about the grain raising. This was more about trying to get some color as a test.

Oh ya, I’m looking forward to see this one.

Reminds me of guitar body work!

 

[Strouty]

It is all your fault too.

That picture shows my poor sanding job, but the other side looks much nicer and will be a better candidate for the stain. I think I will probably sand the underside too and stain the entire thing. What grit do you usually go to before staining? I have 220 and it is pretty smooth, I am sure I can get crazy and go to 2000 grit or something like that. I am picking up some supplies today, but I may not be able to touch it again until next week.

 

[RivennHewn]

220 should be fine for initial sandings. You may want to go thru 320 or 400, depending on how it feels to you.

 

[Strouty]

I just stole some time and used a rag to put water on the sanded portion. It instantly got rough, very glad you gave me that tip. I am going to end up sanding all sides of it and staining them too, I think it will look much nicer in the end.

 

[Strouty]

I bought my supplies today, had to go two places, one had no tung oil, the other had no varnish. The funny part is that I bought turpentine at one place, then at the other place the salesman and I were discussing the 3 part formula and handed me turpatine, I was confused and bought it anyways as I thought I had made a mistake. Apparently it is a replacement for turpentine or some substitute created so you won't die of cancer in California, luckily I am not in California or I would most likely already be dead.

 

[RivennHewn]

I bought my supplies today, had to go two places, one had no tung oil, the other had no varnish. The funny part is that I bought turpentine at one place, then at the other place the salesman and I were discussing the 3 part formula and handed me turpatine, I was confused and bought it anyways as I thought I had made a mistake. Apparently it is a replacement for turpentine or some substitute created so you won't die of cancer in California, luckily I am not in California or I would most likely already be dead.

Never heard of turpatine before. I wonder if California will outlaw pine trees next. I'm sure they're know to the state of california to shrivel your nuts.

Just reading the label, it says it's an economical alternative to regular turpentine.

Not really sure why you'd need an alternative. Appears it didn't sell very well, I think it's been discontinued.

How's the progress?

 

[Strouty]

Slow as molasses. I have a huge project going with my paying job and it keeps getting in the way of progress. We are supposed to get 20” of snow this week, so that should kill the rest of this week.

I look to you for the next update, this is your thread.

 

[RivennHewn]

Made a utility knife to match my hack knife.

Wanted to make a double sheath, but didn't have any leather I liked for it.

I've never worked Kydex before, so I bought some.

Kind of fun stuff to work with, as long as you don't burn your fingers.

I started by making some wooden copies of the knives.

Then used my heat gun to work the material.

I made one sheath to fit inside the other. This way the knives have their own slot, and won't rub together.

Both knives fitted into the sheath.

Now, I just need to attach a belt loop.

Pretty happy with my 1st attempt.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Nice job as your usual. Do you temper the blades or how do you keep them sharp? I know you have that super dooper sharpener. Are you going to polish up the handles or finish them say like a brushed/textured finish? I realize that they are for utility and not a present, so probably not required. Unless you want to send them my way and I could test them out for you.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Nice job as your usual. Do you temper the blades or how do you keep them sharp? I know you have that super doors sharpener. Are you going to polish up the handles or finish them say like a brushed/textured finish? I realize that they are for utility and not a present, so probably not required. Unless you want to send them my way and I could test them out for you.

I was about to ask the same Riven?

Top job..

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Not super doors meant super dooper

 

[RivennHewn]

Pontiacs/ 1/2 Cup,

Thanks.

Both of these knives where made my removing material, not shaped by hammer on the anvil. I did my best to keep them from getting over heated while I was grinding on them. Lots of dipping them in water.

Once shaped, I fired up my old boiler. I've learned that not all wood gets "hot", even when it's on fire! Good hardwood fuel is key.

The blades go in once a good bed of coals is achieved. I keep them in until they reach a state that is no longer magnetic. Then they are quenched.

Then they go into the oven. 1/2 hour at 250 degrees, then turn it up to 450 for another 1/2 hour. I do this 2 or 3 times.

I'm not very educated on blade smithing, and there is a ton of information out there on the inter-webs. Check out Dog House Forge's threads on knife making. He's done his homework. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=200204

Once they are heat treated, then they go on the Tormek for final sharpening.

This approach seems to work for me.

I can hit the back of the hack knife with a hammer, and drive it into the hardest wood I can find with no edge damage. The sharp chisel end has held up to oak and iron wood.

The handles are done. I use a brass brush on the grinder once they are out of the oven, then use a blackening solution. This helps keep rust away.

The sheath has holes in the bottom so they won't hold water. Another attempt at keeping them rust free.

 

[Strouty]

Those knives look great, the shape of the handle looks comfortable to the hand and pleasing to the eye.

 

[RivennHewn]

Those knives look great, the shape of the handle looks comfortable to the hand and pleasing to the eye.

I'm not really a "Every day carry" kind of guy, and I don't wear a belt.

Most likely just ride around in my old truck, ready to go to work.

Maybe take them out when I play Timber Cruiser, looking for interesting wood for the lathe.

 

[RivennHewn]

A little F'n around in the shop this afternoon.

Finished up the kydex sheath.

And still had time to hammer out a small double bevel hook knife, then mount it in an antler handle.

It cuts, but still needs some edge attention.

 

[Strouty]

How did you mount it in the antler piece?

 

[RivennHewn]

How did you mount it in the antler piece?

Drilled and epoxied

How’s the sanding going?

 

[Strouty]

I haven’t touched it. I walked by it today, but that last 18” of snow messed up all my plans. Now they are calling for more on Tuesday. I did mess with a cheap butcher block top for my GF’s craft room, it is made from acacia wood. Has a neat look to it.

 

[RivennHewn]

Skipped out of work early on a beautiful day.

Came home to some riving and hewing.

Can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Skipping out early good for you. What are you hewing on today?