Fortified by a fried egg and bacon sandwich and finally on a machine that lets me log into BCUK ( no idea why the ipad wont apart from it's ancient) I can now reply to your sage advice!
The wrecking knife idea looks like a good starting point. I'd have to do a new handle as the feel of plastic does nowt for me but thats no biggy. I saw one in Clas Ohlsons in the Arndale in Manchester last month for £9.99
https://www.clasohlson.com/uk/Morakniv-Chisel-Knife/40-9462
Looking at the stats it only has a 3 inch blade which is a bit short for the sort of slicing action I want to use, 4 or 5 would be much better so perhaps the wrecking knives would be a better starting point. Either way Id have to modify them into some thing like a Wharncliffe or broken back seax shape to get a fine point.
Its definitely a straight blade 'm thinking of. Ive a couple of spoon knives (see below) and I have never got on with them. I've managed to get a few bent neck gouges on carboots and I find they do a much better job, either with the wood clamped down and the gouge struck with a mallet or with the job in your left hand and houlding the blade of the gouge choked up near the cutting edge. (Im fine with using kevlar or chain mail gloves on my off hand, I know a lot of folk do not get on with them). Somewhere I have a hoof knife got dirt cheap in a farm supply shop in Abergavenny. but again I never got on with it or got around to modding it as some folk recommend.
Stew I'd absolutely love to have one made but until I can shift some unwanted tools and other kit on ebay I'm broke! I've tapped the bank of herself more than I believed possible recently and am in the hole for two birthdays and one xmas already! thats the joy of being a house husband, loads of time to do stuff but no reliable income to feed my habits! I keep drooling over clog knives but short of stumbling over one on a boot I'll have to keep drooling!
Ive a few sloyd type knives, see below and love them to bits. They are only so shiny in the pic as I had a beeeg cleaning and sharpening session a week or so back. Repeated rapid hand sharpening had left most of them in a right state so apart from the third from the left which is brand new from the Clas Ohlson mentioned above ( again very cheap) and the tiny thing third from right which is a littl too small handled for my paw I flattened the beveled and stropped them to death. You can wet shave with them anyway, dry not so much which is as sharp as I want them.
I've a bunch of draw knives ( still looking for a curved one ) and a two handed scorp and even have a shave horse although that's had to go outside as it was getting in the way in the shed. but sometimes I like to work away from myself, especially if I would have to fold myself over to see where I was going say where there's a big overhang. For really fine light work I like to work away from myself as well. Horses for courses
The piece of chain in the pic above was knitted together by my eldest son from hardware shop split washers after her saw me using a draw knife, I still need to back it with thick leather to stop it flopping around or pulling the buttons off my shirts and rig a wide neck strap and chest/belly strap. To be honest I could get on with that today as with all this fine weather we have been having its been ideal for working on the draw horse out back.
Cheers for all your input folks!
ATB
Tom
