Thread: A Boat Builders Slick

I recently aquired a magazine from the wooden boat store which contains a run down on how to build a boat builders slick using spring steel from a truck leaf spring. Not having any equipment at home that I could adequatly heat the spring steel up with, in order to harden/temper it etc. I thought about just buying some tools steel instead.

More recently, with a little help, I came across a place in town that can provide D2 tool steel for a good price and wondered about using it to make a boat builders slick.

So couple of questions to begin with. Has anyone used a slick before and if so does the handle 'need' to be offset in order to work in deep spaces? Or is this just a nicety...

If I use something like D2 tool steel, after grinding my primary bevel do I need to have it hardened or can I just use it straight away.

What do you think of this design?

Forgive my innocence/ignorance in the art of tool making. I'm having good fun learning all this and enjoying the challenges

Cheers

Simon

Couple more pictures, pdf's, and the original google sketchup document at this page