WIP from the weekend at Bob's

Good day all,

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.

Got a hold of my wood guys and I should have my handle materials by the end of the week so I started the sanding this past weekend.

I took Bob's sdvice and just sat on the couch with the blade attached to a magnet and sanded while watching a movie. Got the first one done with 200 grit getting out the grind lines and ridges.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/5981/straight001.jpg

I'll finish up the second one shortly (I hope) and than move into the shop for finish sanding and handle work.

Main thing is that it is also Christmas candy season and working on candy and knives at the same time, not so good.

More to come.

Jim

Looks good so far Jim. It's gonna be a beaut!!!

Bob

Nice, very ncie!!

Looking good! Can't wait to see the finished product:)

Got the handle material in today. All we professionally stabilized -

The top one is clear black ash burl, second one is green dyed black ash burl, third is brown/black dyed box elder burl and bottom one is black/gold dyed box elder burl.

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/4997/handle2001.jpg

I should have gotten the full size as I forgot how nice the sides can be -

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7466/handle3001.jpg

Choices, choices.

Two blades and 4 possible handles.

Which one do you guys think?

Jim

P.S. - still sanding the second one. I did the grinding on it and it's a lot harder to clean up than Bob's work.

The green dyed black ash burl has my vote. I think those pants would look very classy on your blade.

I love that blade

I vote brown/black box.
They are all gorgeous, whatever you choose will be great.
That is a nice blade. I hope you have had as much fun with Bob as I have talking to him on the phone. He seems like one heckuva guy.
Thanks for sharing.

-G

Personally I like the first and third one most.... The green just doesn't do it for me I don't like scales that overshadow a blade, especially on that nice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thehekler

Personally I like the first and third one most.... The green just doesn't do it for me I don't like scales that overshadow a blade, especially on that nice.

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+1 I too like the first and third ones!

Well, after a lot of sanding I got the other one cleaned up to 220 grit. Got all the grind lines out -

http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/5472/straight002.jpg

Also got the the top one done with 320. Not sure if it was my grinding (I did the post HT grinding on the top one) or my sanding but the edge isn't straight. It has a slight curve in the middle.

Once I get them sanded to 600-1000 I will move on to putting the handles.

Jim

Now that I'm ready for the shop work here is what my setup looks like. First the machinery.

My little baby, a KMG. One of the two main work horses of the shop -

http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/1048/kmg1.jpg

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/8975/kmg2.jpg

The accessories -

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8111/accessories.jpg

The belt collection that goes with it -

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/7044/beltsr.jpg

The 12" disc, the other work horse -

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/7053/12disc.jpg

Metal cutting bandsaw I use to cut out the blade steel -

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/132/bandsaws.jpg

Wood bandsaw and drillpress -

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8292/drilld.jpg

The heat treat oven (kiln) -

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/4174/kiln.jpg

My buffer and his new baby brother. Need to build a station to mount these -

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/6643/bufferi.jpg

The personalizer. I use electro-chemical etching for my mark -

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/6...rsonalizer.jpg

The sanding station.

This is my sanding vise with the main pieces I use for knives. Unfortunately they don't work well on the hollow grinds of the razors -

http://img574.imageshack.us/img574/4307/sanding2.jpg

Can be a bit dangerous with a blade in it if you're standing. Have always sat down since one day I stood up and felt a very sharp point in my stomach. Got lucky and didn't pierce -

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2199/sanding3.jpg

My paper sorter -

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/2715/sanding1.jpg

The materials -

The steels. A couple pieces of damascus and my normal steels -

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/4268/steely.jpg

The bolster and pin materials. Various materials including mosaic pins -

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/7388/handle1.jpg

Handle materials -

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/8378/handle2.jpg

These are special materials from the USS Constitution and most of my wood scales. A collection of ironwood, black ash burls, and ebony among scraps -

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/3023/handle3.jpg

Some of my larger blocks that include old hedge posts and kuri -

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/6228/handle4.jpg

My synthetics -

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3184/handle6.jpg

The animal and gem stone pieces. Have some nice ivorys, stag and mother of pearl -

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3167/handle5.jpg

Hope to get everything done by this weekend and get it out for sharpening.

Jim

Wow you got quite the setup!

WOW! I don't think I like you any more...very nice set-up! I'm happy for you that you have a shop like that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shooter74743

WOW! I don't think I like you any more

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:cry:

Jim

Yep, green with envy on the tools...nice work by the way...

They have been collected over the last 10 years with the help of military pay and a donation (the kiln) from a memtor.

Though if I dive into straights it will cost me another $900 in tooling not counting that I should probably put together a seperate grinder for just straights.

Jim

That is a lot of $$$ to just make razors...I bet it can be done cheaper if you try

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shooter74743

That is a lot of $$$ to just make razors...I bet it can be done cheaper if you try

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Probably if I skipped the extra tooling arms but I'm lazy about changing wheels all the time.

On cutting corners for the wheels, I go by the idea of getting quality tools. Sometimes cheaper tools can work but Beaumont Metalworks has always treated me right and all my knife making buddies allhave had similar experences. I may get good ones cheaper but I know I'll get good ones from them.

Main issue with the retooling is that all my work before has ben flat grinds. I never had any wheels so I need all four - 2", 4", 6" & 8".

Jim

And back to work.

Got the blades sanded and buffed. For those of you who may not have had a chance to do shop work let me tell you that can be a little nerve wracking. The buffer is the most dangerous machine in the shop. It can catch and throw a blade is a second. This was even more so since the blades are already sharp. That is normally the last thing I do when making a knife.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/5359/straight003.jpg

Moving onto the marking. Here is where I clean up the surface -

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/5958/straight004.jpg

Setup to start etching -

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/7192/straight005.jpg

The little toy. Set first to mark. This uses DC to remove metal through the stencil -

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/6307/straight006.jpg

How it's done -

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/5834/straight007.jpg

Set it over to mark. This use AC to remove and add the metal darkening it -

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/6526/straight008.jpg

Not the best but I am not use to this steel -

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/7250/straight010.jpg

Here is one of the blades laid out with the handle design. These were done back at Bob's -

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/531/straight011.jpg

Blades, handles, and parts -

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/3415/straight012.jpg

Trimming the handles -

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7910/straight013.jpg

Profiling the outside on the disc -

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/310/straight014.jpg

Here is where I wish I had done this at Bob's. I don't have large wheel to sand the inside perfectly smooth. Had to do it by hand -

http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/8434/straight015.jpg

Still not perfect but as good as I will get them. Left the end undone since I still have to shape them with the spacer -

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1990/straight016.jpg

Splitting the scales. Here is another area I wished I had done at Bob's (looks like the handle should have been done at Bob's period). I was not able to split the wood cleanly -

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/3174/straight017.jpg

The spacers. Following advise I saved the tip of the pattern for making it -

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/1985/straight018.jpg

Getting everything together -

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/2968/straight019.jpg

Here is the finish of tonight's work. Still have to do the finish sanding but it may end up being usable -

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/8515/straight020.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9205/straight021.jpg

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/3448/straight022.jpg

The main issue I seem to have the blade is twisted. It lines up outside but as soon as I close it it goes to one side but only the edge. I must have ground it wrong. Hopefully the other one won't have the same screw up. Granted it also may be the handles. I think I will use pre-cut materials or have my wood guy re-saw it for me.

WOW thanks for all the pics, very nice set up!!!!!!!!

Here are the two finish straights -

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1343/straight023.jpg

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/6469/straight024.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/2734/straight025.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7325/straight026.jpg

Many thanks to Bob for all his knowledge and help,
Jim

Top notch, Jim. Both razors look great. The wood, the fit, the design all go together to make two very classy razors. A+

Bob @ OCD Razors

Looks awesome!

Thanks.

Still need to send them out to be sharpened.

Once I get them back I have to figure out what to do with one of them. I only need one.. Maybe Bob will get a late present.

Jim

Jim,

Than you for this thread I have enjoyed watching the process, the pictures have been great. You and Bob are talented and do beautiful work.

Charlie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by spazola

Jim,

Than you for this thread I have enjoyed watching the process, the pictures have been great. You and Bob are talented and do beautiful work.

Charlie

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I totally agree. Thanks to you and Bob for letting us get a peek at the men behind the curtain. (Wizard of Oz was just on the tele)

I am glad I got to see how the razors were finished after seeing them being 'born' a few months ago. Thanks again.

Wow!

What's up w/ Texas? 'Seems like a very high concentration of really highly skilled guys doing beautiful work!

I hope you're excited about that one. Its just breathtaking - metal and wood.

After so many distractions I finally got off my butt and sent them into be sharpened. I know it's been forever but life has been busy over the last year. In the mail today and I will hope they should be back by Nov.

Jim