Ulu

[demographic]

Maynard only uses very old saws, usually 40-50 years old. He uses a Beverly shear to cut the saw blades, then grinds/sharpens the edge. He does not heat treat or mess with the temper. So, the quality of a knife you make this way would depend on the quality of the steel and original heat treat.

Old handsaws are pretty much re-sharpenable spring steel are they not?
They are not particularly hard from the ones I have owned.
Labour intensive to re-sharpen though and the price of a modern saw makes it un-economic for me to bother.

I know that the modern handsaws have induction hardened teeth but the rest of them can be used as cabinet scrapers cos we used to do that at college.
We cut them into rectangles on the guillotine then burnished the edge.

Hmm, can't be rocket science can it?

Might have to have a bash sometime.

 

[OldJimbo]

Cutting them out of thin saw steel seems to be the way to go if anyone wants to make their own. Mine are 3/32" not 3/16" as I said - and are finished (bevelled one side, but too steep) - but regrinding a more acute bevel on high speed tool steel from circular blades, isn't going to be easy given today's experience...
If ever I do get them ground, at least I won't have to worry about them wearing out, and they should work fine, even with that initial thickness.

 

[longshot]

i made an ulu a few months ago and they are not that hard to make, once you get the pattern worked out. just cut and grind.


dean

 

[OldJimbo]

I'm interested to know what you used to cut out the shape. Would a Dremel with cutting discs work?

I'm curious about edge holding too, since most people will use an ulu with a cutting board rather than butchering seals or filleting fish. Would people see any advantage to steels with more wear resistance, or being simply harder?

 

[longshot]

ok heres what i did, i cut the shape with an angle grinder, a dremmel would work but will take longer. i did the bevel with a belt sander just keep the steel cold when you cant hold it in your bare hand dip it in water to cool it. attach a handle of your choice and enjoy. i used an old circular saw blade for my stock as these seem to give a good cross of edge holding and ease of sharpening, i use a steel just a few strokes and im back in business..

i'll post a pic when i get the camera working again.


dean
just to add i have used this one on the cutting board with no problems and on wood when out in the bush still no problems. jst use the approperate blade for the task.

 

[OldJimbo]

That sounds like something I'll want to try! Did you just grind off the teeth or completely reshape?

 

[Feral]

At the present time I am using Leatherworker round knife, but the idea of using saw blade has tweaked my interest, so of to the local second hand dealer I go.

 

[longshot]

That sounds like something I'll want to try! Did you just grind off the teeth or completely reshape?

what i did was i drew the pattern on paper and cut it out. i then taped the pattern to the steel and traced it with a marker and cut that out. then i cleaned up th e edges and did the grinding. the teeth were excess and i may use them for someting else just can't think of what to use them for right now

dean

 

[demographic]

Just as a matter of interest, how thick are the blades on the proper Ulu's?

I have measured three handsaws I have lying around with a micrometer (I have one for measuring bike bits) and it looks like they are much of a muchness size wise but I don't have the foggiest notion what steels are used to make them other than it's not stainless and its pretty springy.


Stanley Jetcut*1
0.86mm

Spear & Jackson Predator
0.91mm

Spear & Jackson re-sharpenable panel saw*2
0.92mm















*1 Spit and wash my mouth with soap for even mentioning it.
*2 That I have no intention whatsoever of cutting up anyway.

 

[longshot]

demographic, the steel in any of those should be good for the kind of knives that i make. as you chose to chop and grind what i use is circular saw blades, like from "skill" saws and from table and chop saws, if you have a wood working shop near by or if you or your mates do any amount of wood working you will probably be able to get used out ones, i find that most people are like me and my dad, we wear them out or hit the odd nail or three and the blade just goes on a nail or hook on the wall of the shop and as the nail/hook getts full, we start a new hook/nail. so if you can make use of junk all the better.

as to your orginal question the thickness of the stock varied with the available materials from what i understand from talking to family and friends who have lived in the north for decades. thicker, but not too thick was the prefered i think. my baldes are usually about 1/32 " thick or there abouts.


dean

 

[Schwert]

Well I am back from holiday and was hoping to see a pileup of ulus attached to this thread. Anyone make or order one?

I do not have a micrometer but all my Linder ulus are 1mm or less thick. My Linder knife was made from bandsaw blade and again is very thin compared to most knives.

The ulu steel is definately not super hard, it very easily strops to a fine edge on a green compound loaded leather strop. It does not easily dull in use but I do strop it after every session....sometimes more to make the convex shine than any other reason.

Hoodoo did an article on Maynard Linder in the recent Tactical Knives magazine. I have not seen this yet but will go out looking for it soon.

Linder is one of those makers that I always am glad to have found. His work is authentic historically, well executed and exceptional to use. Most ulus sell to the tourist market and are not really meant as tools....his sell to tourists too, but are meant as tools first and foremost.

I found cheap (less than $1) ulus for sale in SE Alaska....pure junk but selling like hotcakes to the big tour boat traffic. Linder's work and another fellows work sold in better, more gallery like stores. I bet many of these ulus (the good and the bad) end up as shelf displays rather than in the kitchen drawer....really too bad for such excellent tools.

I purchased an Inuit made ulu off of ebay with Walrus ivory a few months back...sort of a Fish River varient. It is very nicely made in the traditional manner with packed hair and some other compound used as "glue". However due to its assymetric handle it is no where near as comfortable to use as my Linder Fish River. It is sharped on one side only and likely served as a skin scraper more than a fish processor.

Also do not forget about his excellent smaller ulus...this is my large sewing ulu with seacow bone along with some repair kit. Dannyboy made the otter skin bag for me and the ulu sheath. Probably my favorite kit bits.

Good luck to anyone buying an ulu. You will not be dissapointed with a Linder.

 

[BorderReiver]

http://www.brisa.fi/start3.html

A nice cheap way to see if you can get on with one.

Go to japanese knives section and scroll down.Only 10 euro.