Big bent knife sycamore dish

[mr dazzler]

Little video showing a bit of internal cllean up of a sycamore dish.

The project started over 2 years ago but stalled because I couldnt get into the depth comfortably with existing tools. But the crook knife has come to the rescue, despite the fact that the sycamore is now bone dry and considerably harder than in its fresh green state. The knife is long enough to reach right into the corners of the dish with power and control. Plus the generous long handle means its possible to brace it against my shoulder so its less prone to waving about wildly...

 

[kodiakjoe]

nice job! very cool, and some nice pics of the knife too in your photobucket album

 

[Baggy]

Very nice

The blade looks like a Haida blade to my inexperienced eye? very flat on the outside of the curve, sharp both sides and a very pointed tip. I have three of Duncans (FGYT) Haida blades and I am growing to love them, very versatile blades. The blades on mine are not as long as yours thoI will try a very long handle on the longest blade.

How does sycamore carve, I have never tried it?

Edit: I have just been looking at more of your videos and will be watching more, nice work. I really like the carving slicks.

ATB
Mark

 

[mr dazzler]

Thanks for looking!
The knife handle in this clip is about 2 foot long, plenty of leverage and control..
The blade is indeed infuenced by the shape of the Haida/Salish/Tlingit/Tsimshian type North West Coast blade forms. This was forged from a piece of billhook steel, its about 2 1/2 mm thick. I made another smaller one from a file but it snapped (bad heat treat ment)
Sycamore carves very nicely when fresh and green, its fine a bit like beech, not stringy or sinewy like chestnut ash or oak...but I find you have to be careful with it drying out as it seems more prone to very quickly get mouldy than other species. Its what a lot of food preparation bowls ladles and dairy equipment was made from because it doesnt taint the food, no resins or tannins in the wood.....

 

[addo]

Looks a cracking tool, something I'm thinking of making unless I get lazy and buy one Good to see how others carve too in your videos.

 

[dancan]

Thanks for posting the video and the other are great to watch as well !

 

[mr dazzler]

Again, thanks for looking guys
I wish I had discovered the tools of North West Coast Native America sooner than I did. Well actually I first saw them at the museum of mankind around 30 years ago, but they never registered with me as "serious" or "proper" . My ignorance, my loss.......Deceptively simple powerful hand tools, glad to be learning about them now.....