Grohmanns Ulu Sheath

[tombear]

'Been a while since I've had a chance to make anything due to all this fantastic weather and not being in much.

Anyroad, looking for something else I stumbled on a firm on the Isle of Man that sells Grohmanns knives from Canada.

https://www.colonialknives.co.uk/

I've been wanting to try a ulu style knife for awhile for food prep and leather working so since I had nearly enough birthday money left (having failed to find a folding reflector oven in the UK).I asked herself to get me the version with a wooden block/stand rather than the sheath, which costs about £15 more.

It arrived two days later (excellent friendly service by the way) and yesterday I made a sheath for it.

I need to add a few more rivets to protect the stitching but have run out. I bodged the placement of the first and had to remove it and only had one left for the critical point in the opening. So I'm calling the bodged one a drain hole and will add more rivets as soon as possible.

By the way can any one advise the cheapest source of 1/8" dia 19 to 20mm long copper rivets with matching washers? The ones I've found on ebay have been extortionate, copper being what 3 or 4 quid a Kg?

Construction is from 5mm veg tan, heavy linen thread, 15mm Prym poppers, All dunked into hot beeswax which was allowed to cure with the ulu in situ. Far from perfect but i can live with it. well that was the last of the side of 5mm I got way back when. The blade is so thin that a spacer between the front and the back would have been pointless.

Incidentally the blade arrived dry shaving sharp and is great for food prep and slices leather lovely. I've been after a lunette/half moon style knife for a while, no second hand ones have tuned up and the new ones I liked were 90 odd quid a pop.

ATB

Tom

 

[bopdude]

Nice job, you'll have to let us know how you get on with it

 

[Robson Valley]

Rivets: I buy copper rivets and washers in a farm store that sells horse tack and parts for harness tack repair.

I hope that you enjoy the Ulu. Very common edge used all across the north.
You have the materials and the skills to make them.
Turn a shallow dish with a radius greater than that of the blade.
You can rock the blade in there to dice with nothing jumping out.

 

[tombear]

Herself has ordered me 50 rivets and washers from eBay so I should be able to finish it this week. at the mo Im keeping it in the wood block.

I've been poking around for a piece of unsplit sycamore big enough to make a turning blank to do a dished chopping board and have had no joy so far. I may have to buy a seasoned piece.

ATB

Tom

 

[Robson Valley]

Business in Alaska called the Ulu Factory. Look at their dishes. I recall most are glue-ups of contrasting wood colors.
I bought sets for all family (which I know they don't use) and never thought to get one for me.

 

[tombear]

We went to the Green Fayre over Upholland way on Saturday and I picked up a couple of slabs of yew and elm from a tree surgeons pitch and a pair of NoS Ericsson (sp?) classic Moras ( the sort with the red painted birch handles) Size 1 and 2 to go in my carving kit. Anyway as i flaked out in the car herself went back and acquired another three pieces. Anyroad it means for once i have some decent wood to make into turning blanks.

Anyroad today I used a jig saw to cut out a blank from the thickest bit of elm and turned a hollowed out cutting board for the Ulu.

It turned lovely and I finished with scraprs and very fine sand paper. It's had a couple of coats of walnut oil and ill pretty much soak it in the stuff before it goes into the kitchen. The grains much prettier in real life. If it doesn't crack ill be delighted, and if it does I'll glue and clamp it!

Incidentally the bit of yew in the front of the first pic is 6 ' 4" long and 4" wide, Herself ( about 5' 2" ) carried it over her shoulder about half a mile, she thought it would be good for turning, suitably cut up. However assuming it doesn't split or warp badly would it be suitable to make a bow stave?

It runs from the bark, sapwood and into the heart wood. I've always fancied making a short hunting style bow or a 11th century type cross bow. Is there anything I should do to make the blanks>. I've painted the ends with paraffin wax and will put it somewhere dry and as cool as possible once I work out where best. Should I cut it up more ? Bind the ends with wire or what or isn't it fit for a bowstave?

ATB

Tom