WM Elliott and Co. 63 in African Blackwood

I spent hours trying to get the Tru Oil finish right on this one; I don't think I've rubbed anything so hard since I was 14 lol! (My intuition and further reading convince me that waiting a couple of weeks instead of a couple of days after the final coat to work up a gloss finish will probably yield better results). Though I've buffed in a few coats of RenWax, I may work on it some more, but as it is I've rubbed out the sharp bevels I had on the scales! The wedge is rosewood with brass liners. It was secured with brass pins and cup collars, and closes tight and centered.
Front Side:
Attachment 308142
Attachment 308143
The reddish figure just glows in the right light:
Attachment 308144
Back Side:
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Wedge/Oblique View:
Attachment 308147
I enjoyed working on this one, and am intrigued by the potential of Tru Oil once I dial it in; it truly combines the best of both worlds in my mind-oil and varnish. I've done many wood projects with hand-rubbed finishes of various types-how I had never discovered Tru Oil mystifies me. Anyway, I look forward to honing and shaving with a straight Solingen edge for a change! Thanks for looking-SHD

Looks good A-A-Ron!
I am anticipating your summer to net many of these beautiful projects.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

Looks good A-A-Ron!
I am anticipating your summer to net many of these beautiful projects.

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Thanks, Shaun-I definitely have a good dozen more I hope to complete before going back to school. Problem is, I'm running a household with a huge yard alone while my wife is in Europe, my reading list for my AP English course is about 3 feet tall, and I'd like to go catch a few trout this summer too-I've got a cabin in the mountains reserved for a couple of weeks in late July while my in-laws are here for that. (Ah, well, it's a good problem to have-nobody feels sorry for teachers during the summer!).

Oh, and I'm laying A-Aron the substitute teacher off for the summer; anyway, you know who has had his fun for a couple of days!

I’m hoping you squeeze some serious razor work in.

Very nice workmanship !

Nice work Aaron. And the wedge and liner. You have got those down pretty good now days. Congats on a fine job. It get easier and better the more you play with the oil.

Good stuff. Really nice job. That's a classy looking razor.

Lookin good, boss. Yeah, it takes a bit getting used to how Tru Oil works. It sure don't like humid conditions, so I typically keep its use for cooler times of the year.

Thanks Mike-Funny thing is, we've had quite a run of sunny, dry windy days while I was doing this, so I got in a lot of drying time on the deck rails. I also often put a drying finish over our dehumidifier to help the drying process. In any event, I love the way it works: kind of like BLO, kind of like a varnish-I suppose because it's both in one. The other thing is that I never did get those big pores quite all the way filled despite wet-sanding in several grits and rubbing the slurry in. Still, the result is an organic look that I also kind of like.

I will definitely play with it some more for future projects.

I have a couple like that too Aaron. Just couldn't get them to fill no matter what i did. I don't think they look bad that way.

Yeah, it's still beautiful wood. These natural materials are a little like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates sometimes, right?

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Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Yeah, it's still beautiful wood. These natural materials are a little like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates sometimes, right?

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Very good work man! That's a beauty.
A great thing about wood, especially with patterns, is that depending what cut you decide, which slice you choose, the cut angle.. you will get a totally unique work of art. No two are the same.
Each with a story to tell. And in a way like the blade it holds, a little slice of history.
:beer1: