Thread: My weekends efforts

This is a little project that I have been cooking up for ages and this weekend I made some progress and I wanted to share.

The first item is a chip knife, the handle is made from mulga on the outside and spotted gum running through the centre. All parts were sawn, square and planed by hand. I laminated the spotted gum to one piece of mulga, then I mortice a recess for the tang of the knife, which flared like a dovetail. The knife is a piece of O1 that I got from Bobl O1 order from the U.S.

The knife was cut according the plans attached as a pdf. I used a hacksaw, and bench grinder (the only power tools used) to get the bulk of the waste away and finished the shaping using metal files.

I used a LPG gas to heat treat the O1, to cheery red. The large circular object under the blade is a magnet . I keep heating the O1 until it demagnetizes and moves freely away from the magnet, after I few minutes soaking, I dunk the blade in a can of old cooking oil.

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Photos 3 and 4 illustrate that you need to be in a dimmed light to see the cherry red. Photo two is with the flash and photo three is without, taken only moments apart.

After flattening the back, I placed the blade tang into the mortice. I then planed the spotted gum centre until it was flush with the side of the tang. I then glued up the other side of the handle with the second piece of mulga.

To shape the handle, I used a copy saw to get the base shape. I then refined the shape using a wrasp, files and finished with sandpaper. The handles is comfortable with various grips.

The finish is two coats of U-BEAUT shellac as a sealant followed by U-BEAUT Traditional Wax. I hope to make a complete set of 5 in assorted knive shapes.

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This the second item, a spoon a carved from a scrap piece of Celery Top Pine using my newly made tool.

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I must say a thank you to Kevjed who's advice made the heat treating possible.

Sharpening was a challenge, but a flat back is critical. It took a little practice but the blade is nice and sharp.