Thread: What are you working on?

Cake sounds good!

Just finished my Herder #16. Tight and straight.
Got all my wedges tapered, so I should be able to pin one every day.

What's the spade made of, Tom. MOP...?

Originally Posted by outback

What's the spade made of, Tom. MOP...?

It's outline is somehow carved into the bone and the rest of the scale is dyed black.....How did they do that?

Way back in 1977 for my mom and dad's 25th wedding anniversary I had a mantel clock's internal mechanism overhauled by a professional clock guy and I refinished the wooden case. The clock had been a wedding present to my dad's mom and dad (my grandparents). The wood was mainly a medium dark stain but there was a 'Bowtie' type design under the face area of the clock.

The finish was very old and cracked and I really couldn't see what was underneath and I was fearful that the lighter 'bowtie' was some kind of a decal and when I stripped the finish I'd ruin the piece.

Once I had the old finish off I found that some kind of 'tape' or 'stencil' had been used to keep the stain off of the bowtie area.

Whether or not that's how it was done on these scales or not I have no idea. I just thought I'd add the info in.

These scales are contemporary. Perhaps laser-engraved? Still, the spade seems at the same level as the scales.

How deep does the dye penetrate? If it is just onthe surface then masking and cutting the grain will keep the dye out of the masked area, I should think. I’m learning it not that easy to get a deep, even stain on bone. Unless of course you knew what you were doing . . .

Originally Posted by sharptonn

These scales are contemporary. Perhaps laser-engraved? Still, the spade seems at the same level as the scales.

However it was done, it looks great Tom. Those large shoulderless hollow herders look like really nice shavers. Maybe I'll come across one someday.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

These scales are contemporary. Perhaps laser-engraved? Still, the spade seems at the same level as the scales.

Contemporary... Do they glow in the dark?

Originally Posted by RezDog

How deep does the dye penetrate? If it is just onthe surface then masking and cutting the grain will keep the dye out of the masked area, I should think. I’m learning it not that easy to get a deep, even stain on bone. Unless of course you knew what you were doing . . .

It seems to be deep, Rez. In sanding the spacers into wedges (made of the same dyed bone) I have gone pretty radical. Seems black through and through.
Then, there are some they did in natural with the spade dyed....

Originally Posted by JP5

However it was done, it looks great Tom. Those large shoulderless hollow herders look like really nice shavers. Maybe I'll come across one someday.

These blades I am working with are from the old factory display board....
I have never seen anything like them on the bay
(until recently) or in the wild.

In discussing these and what is left with the seller, it seems LOTS of #49's, 76's, and 25's are around yet.
They contracted someone to make these scales to install on the old stock blades, yet they are not quite done right without some modification. The wedge is a spacer and there are no spacers between the tang and bone. The scales would rub it to death, I think.
The benefit from tapering the spacer into a wedge and installing thin brass spacers at the pivot.

On the blades....Just not these examples are to be seen. Think I bought all the notched ones off the display board which were over 7/8, with the exception of the #28 which was bought by someone for a hefty sum. A huge blade.
Who knows? I just don't think these will come around in the quantities of the aforementioned blades. Notwithstanding!

Originally Posted by 32t

Contemporary... Do they glow in the dark?

Meaning they were done recently, Tim!