Dec 31, 2011

I do have a daughter

Here she is in Annapolis after taking part in drinking a six pound milk shake at Chick and Ruth's Delly. I got married around the corner from here, 18-years ago.

Great break

Had a nice vacation in Delaware/Maryland. Did some shooting (.22s, 5-stand) and beach combing.


Cal shooting my Dad's .44 caliber Colt black powder pistol. My wife bought me one for Christmas, lots to work on.


WWII-era watch tower near Cape Henlopen.


Carving "CE" into some driftwood.

The knife I made Dad

Dec 19, 2011

Been shooting

Shot a little on both Saturday and Sunday, Sunday was very nice and the club was busy. I didn't shoot that good, one or two rounds I was in the groove on singles but still struggling with handicap targets.

Started another knife. Spent hours trying to get a mirror finish but I could not got the grind marks out of blade. Finally started over with windex and 400 thru 1500 grit sandpaper and it took them right out.

The buffer will absolutely, as the manual warns, grab whatever (that knife) you are buffing and fling onto the workbench if you are not paying attention. That is why you are suppossed to mount on a pedestal rather than a workbench so it will get spit out onto the floor. I'm not even sure if you need to buff if you hand rub the metal with a really fine sandpaper.

Dec 7, 2011

Been busy, but not shooting

Just finished a third knife. I bought a kit, threw out the blanks that came with it and bought a piece of stabilized maple burl. Got both sides fitted and then shattered one side with a nail and hammer when I tried to start the screw. Dummy. Ordered this nice piece of Afzelia burl, its from Southeast Asia. I figure you might as well spend a few extra bucks on the wood, it takes the same amount of time to finish as a cheap piece of wood and it looks a lot better. You can get spectacular wood for not a lot of money.

I had to peen over nickel silver pins in the bolsters, file, sand and then buff down to where you can't see them. I shaped the scales on a belt sander and then progressively wet sanded down to 2000 grit. Finished the wood off with carnauba wax applied with a loose cotton buffing wheel.

Overall I was happy with how it came out, better than the first folder I did. I did a fixed blade knife for my Dad with exhibition grade Ironwood scales that came out really nice. I'll put some pictures up after Christmas.


Dec 1, 2011

Miss Adventure

My dad made this speedboat out of mahogony planking. We ran it in the gun club pond.