What I'm learning...and amateur's restoration
So, today I decided to get my 'feet wet' trying to fashion a set of scales from scratch. (images will be posted on the bottom)
I started my first 'full' overhaul/restoration. I have a 6/8 Wade&Butcher 'Special' spike point that was carbon black with age, pined to black celluloid scales that were degraded to light tan/brown (pewter end spacer, might make this an older version of the brand).
I started hand sanding the blade using some tricks from Bill, Vlad, Joe, and much of the others that have been posting here. This is something I played around with last weekend. This weekend when I started the scale, looking at the blade, I realize I need to redo them....especially after seeing Vlad's recent post.
The scales are going to be made out of blood wood (1/8" thick), brass liner, and blue plastic liners (I'm not that crazy about the blue, but it was all the texasknife store sent, since they were out of the black...we'll see how they look when this is done. Sort of reminds me of a "Bluefooted Boobie")
What I have learned, and am learning......
1. I do not think I have the patience or shoulder/hand endurance to sand the blade as well as Vlad does. (This is a WHOLE nother topic to write on 'learning').
2. Using a Dremel with buffing wheels (mesh = 220-400grit), flap wheel (120 grit) or any rotary sanding of pitting only makes my job last longer, because I wind up going back over the work with 100grit paper to make the surface smooth......There is too many wavey lines and dips in the surface when holding the dremel or blade. Sanding this with a dremel does not look nearly as good as when the blade is flat on wood and I am holding the sandpaper (wrapped around a rubber tube for support), which disappoints me, because I REALLY wish I could save time using the dremel!! Also, some sort of lubricant works great when sanding (since I do not have any mineral oil on hand, I am using a drop or 2 of Tuf-Glide while sanding).
3. Dremel cutting wheels. What the hell are these good for?! I find them a bit brittle, and while I do enjoy the nice wood-burning smell they make when trying to cut wood, they only scorch the wood, and take for EVER to make any progress on.
4. Using a coping saw cuts better than a dremel cutting wheel, but sucks rocks, when you do not have a clamp to hold down the wood. This takes longer than I had hoped, and made me really wish I had access to a jigsaw. Also, while the wife HATES the rediculous noise I make trying to cut this wood, she loves the 'wood smell' of the saw dust.
5. Palstic liners (HIGH TECH PLASTIC SPACER from texasknife.com) does not like to be cut with a scissor (chips and cracks). Since the Dremel wheel sucks versus cutting, a small router/engraving bit slices nicely through the plastic liner.
6. Brass sheets cut nicely with titanium metal cutters. Escpecially when the brass is 0.005 thick! (Thinner cuts better)
7. T-88 Epoxy is not as scary to use as I thought, and excess NyQuil cups are great for mixing the epoxy in. Also, the epoxy is thick as honey and spreads easy on the wood/brass/liner. If you do not have a roller, a round marker seems to work great! I rolled the brass on the wood to work out excess epoxy.
8. Wearing a mouth/nose mask when dust starts flying helps me breath easier, reduces the headache, and my snot is not dark :) Also, rubber gloves are key when sanding down the metal or working with the epoxy.
9. Paper clamps (the one's with the 2 swinging arms) work GREAT for clamping together the drying/annealing the liner/wood/brass and holds the set off the table.
10. Waiting 24 hours for epoxy to dry is a LONG time. Especially when you want to keep playing :( I guess this is the time to start cursing at the hand sanding of the blade.
Till the next posting.....(for anyone who cares)
C utz