A few of my current projects! *watch this space.*

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Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Thank you for the kind words!

I must find time to finish some of the others up. :)
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Loving this thread,and very inspirational.
More on my to do list��

Thanks :)



And two more for the table! A nice vintage kindling chopper/froe knife and a beet' knife. Someone painted ithe beet' knife black for decoration but it only cost £2!! Totally worth fixing up, it was in a box of black painted fireplace tools/ornaments at a local antique shop. The other was an online buy.



Both will be rehandled as they are rotted to powder and cracked. Might zazz the vintage one up a little like my previous one (still unfinished lol) and just make the beetroot knife a nice user.

Stay tuned!
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
I removed that paint from the beet knife while doing another project and cleaned up the egdes and steel.




I'll figure out what sort of handle a little later while I crack on getting my shopping list of bits completed. :D

Stay tuned!
 
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Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
While I wait for a stock of handle material I couldn't help wanting to do something earlier and I do have quite a few machetes, one of them being rather unused since I acquired it and it was begging to be reshaped and tarted up a little.

The handle was an aboslute pig to get off, had to get the angle grinder out.. and do lots of hammering.

Before, not the big one..



after..



And with the designed penned on, ready for cutting, grinding and re-edging!

I didn't want the blade too long as really long machetes are better suited to clearing jobs, rather than hobbies, camping etc.

I'm gona tart the blade up after and make it shiny once It's all cut and shaped how I like it. Then time for handles. :D
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!


Wee update on the machete. Much more handy now, was a tad wild before.

Still need wood though..
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
I now have some handle wood on order! Ha, atleast one project will be finished lol.

Anywhoo, I gathered more treasure today, one Gem axe head, one 600gram axe head, one sledge hammer head (my new anvil!) , a small plane and a cute little vice made by Paramo Ace 1. Never heard of that brand before but it's old and English, so can't be too bad. :)



I've got a spare handle so Firstly the Gem will get a revamp. Got another axe to handle alsoso may aswell do both at once.
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Sunny day, hand over and nothing to do..BINGO!

Time to crack on with this minger. Hammer off the handle, cut off the pins, tried a caustic soda paint strip - total failure btw, reshaped the stupid handle and ready for the real paint remover and some minor cosmetic tart ups and finally a handle, which I do have wood for! ;)






I also reshaped the blade and tang somewhat on one of the vintage kindling choppers, gave it a new bevel and a rough sharpen. Reshaped and semi cleaned the head of the old 500 gram no brander axe head. And reshaped and ground a double bit axe off cut I was given by a member here, it will be a heavy duty cane topper for badger beating and dog walking.



Finally I eye balled an old gas barrel I was given a while back for so long I had to cut it up. I had sever ideas, camping stove, bbq, forge etc. But I think I'll make footed bbq with a hinge lid for smoking but! it'll also double up as a forge with some improvised air tubes and air blower attachments. ;)




I used a bit of string to get the lines straint, penned the cut line and cut away. Scary momen when I realised there was a little gas left in the bottle and it started hissing lol.


Stay tuned for more! :D
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
More sun, more fun. ;)

Did some polishing on the axe head and ground in the edge profile as after I reshaped it it was blunt and 3mm thick.. not good for cutting I believe. :rolleyes:

The handle was also very fat and bulky otb, and kind of ugly. So I reshaped it so the curves were more pronounced and the overall meatiness was less, although it might not look like it, I did take off alot with a knife and sander. Also used some scrap crossbow bolt that I broke a while back as a lanyard tube.

Gave the edge a nice polish and the handle a quick run with the blow torch to expand the grain, some linseed oil, some wax and linseed oil mix, another blow torching but not enough to blacken the handle as the grain was pretty. And finally a solid bees wax rub and polish with tissue to remove excess.


Before I tarted up the handle but just after the edge was made.



Once tarted up..



And some up close shine. :)



Thanks for readings! (I'm gona crack on with handle jobs soonish)
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!



Fitted a brass pommel, blackened the handle, varnished the handle and all it needs now is a proper polish on the brass and a sand on the handle to make it smooth.

Bit tired though so need to charge my dremel tool thing and get some quick polishing done tomorrow.

Started on the Gem brand axe head too. Removed some of the muck and rust and trued the edge shape. Might just put an edge and handle on it and call it done.. unless any of you would like to see it become a whole new beast? I was thinking sharp Viking bearded style with brass studs in the handle..
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Had a bit of time spare so cracked on with the Gem axe head. I decided to tart it up and make it bit more special as there are plenty of kent pattern heads out there already.





Still plenty of shaping to go, so bare with me on this one as it will look nice! :)
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Got bored again..



From a 4mm solid edge to a nice sharp one! Only used the drill pad and some sanding drums for the curves. Still plenty to do though, gonna reshape the hammer poll and square up all the lines, smooth them down and polish the edge. I'll leave the body semi polished and pitted as it looks cool and I'd need to remove so much material to get them all out. It is also hand forged so it's not a symetrical head anyway!

Need some darn wet n dry paper and a handle..
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Finished off that axe today. Did some planing to the boring handle to remove bulk and shaped the contours so they were more pronounced. Linseed oil didn't bring out much grain detail so a gentle blast of fire did the job and finished it with plenty of oil and wax.





Hope you guys like it, cuz now I have sun burn.. lol. :D
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
17
Scotland
The sunburn was worth it Samon, you've done yourself proud there.
Crackin' job mate.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
 

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