Thread: What are you working on?

We learn by failure, Aaron. I took on horn, just for the challenge. I still fail at times, but it gives me a reason to try something else to repair what I failed to repair. From that, comes knowledge, and confidence

My father restored vintage cars. Some were what most would call scrap, by all means. Hundreds of hours, and years later, I would watch as he turned the key, and brought them back to life, and we'd take them for a ride.

Then he'd sell them, so he could start on another. Restoration was his passion, and he could still seen life, in the broken and despaired.

I'm not in to cars, never was. My older brother is all about body work and painting, where dad did it all from the ground, up.

So I guess it runs in the family, and the nut really doesn't fall far from the tree, after all.

So go on and fail, Aaron. Without failure, we never succeed. At least with horn, you can remove the botched repair and start over. Knowledge gained.! Always willing to share what I've learned, so that others can use it, and might be able to do better than I, and share their own knowledge.

Honey horn has been my toughest challenge, but I'm getting better.

That’s an interesting wood Shaun, and very nice handle profiles. Should stand the test of use and time. Well done sir..

Cool razor stand as well tin-tin, your lad will love it.
That skive knife looks like something I’ve been improvising with my hand held plane blade, but safer.
May need to buy one. To make my own blades is on the wish list still.

A very quick question, is there any reason why I can't use aluminium or aluminium alloy for wear washers? OR other metals? I'd rather use brass, but my brass sheet stock is all 0.3mm, and I want some slightly different thicknesses. Seems aluminium is much easier to find lying around.

Many thanks!

Originally Posted by Montgomery

A very quick question, is there any reason why I can't use aluminium or aluminium alloy for wear washers? OR other metals? I'd rather use brass, but my brass sheet stock is all 0.3mm, and I want some slightly different thicknesses. Seems aluminium is much easier to find lying around.

Many thanks!

I can't say for sure, as I always use brass, but I would be concerned that even occasional wetness on the pivot would oxidize soft aluminum and make it "crusty" (or whatever you call oxidized aluminum). Seems to me this might attract more moisture and gunk that could prematurely tarnish the pivot area.

You can but aluminum does not wear well and turns black with wear.

You can buy brass sheet stock from most any Ace Hardware or hobby shop, or buy brass flat washers and smash them with a hammer to flatten to the thickness you need. You may need to re-drill the hole, but a handheld pin-vise will easily do the job.

A while back I made some from a clear plastic water bottle, for some clear scales. It is easy to do, they have worn well and are near invisible. I think I would do that before aluminum.

Here is the link to how I did it. How I made (PETE) Clear Plastic Thrust Washers

I haven't made any scales in a WHILE and I have several projects that are in need of finishing. Since I got my band saw fixed recently I decided it was time to get some started.

Some of that ancient Southern Live Oak I keep harping about.


Cut a slab off; about enough for a set.
Haven't decided which one I'm going to use these for yet or whether to do a reproduction shape or a custom shape. Maybe this Christiensen with the broken pivot end scale.

It had a buttload of putting at he spine side of the blade but almost zero rust at Al at the edge. I did an enormous amount of light sanding with.the 2k-3k paper and thin I'm done with the blade. Don't know why but I really like this one

Some Tru-Oil should make that pop.!

Originally Posted by outback

Some Tru-Oil should make that pop.!

What he said-I love that stuff more and more!

I think might try that this time. I've used polyurethane and other finishes as well as gun stock wax but I keep hearing about using Tru oil and as it turns out I have some so I may give that a whirl. I'm thinking the straightness of that Christiensen may lend to something more custom but we'll see.

Here's some examples

With 3 coats of clear


With a bunch of coats ( don't remember how many) of the gun stock wax. No stain with either. That is beautiful wood but so hard a cat can't scratch it.