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The SAK Whittling Club

Smaug · 696 · 72515

gb Offline Pignut71

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #30 on: April 16, 2012, 11:17:19 PM
Well, I saw this last night and thought I would start a spoon when I finished work tonight.

Got in, cooked the kids their tea, gave my super tinker a couple of swipes on the sharpmaker and then popped outside to commence work. All going well, then.......my super tinker bit me......and I'm still bleeding now  :oops:

I'm not giving up though so count me in!

ATB, Jon.


us Offline Smaug

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Getting Started
Reply #31 on: April 16, 2012, 11:21:59 PM
Yesterday, I started off by going branch hunting.

I don't have my Hiker yet, so I brought my Soldier with me. Before breaking out the saw, I check the fallen limbs to make sure they're not too rotten.

This one turned out to be not good:



This one passed the test, so out came the saw:



Today, I started in earnest. I beveled the wrong end of this. I need to keep the straight-ish part for the blade of the spreader. So I consider this a clean slate, as that will all be whittled away anyhow. :)



With lots of rough-cutting, the large blade on my Tinker came in handy. Too bad I did some "amateur welding" on it when I cut into a live cable, or this would have been easier:



After working for at least a solid hour, I started to get two blisters: one at the top of my palm by the pinky, and another one just above the first knuckle of the index finger. A Recruit will almost certainly be the better whittling knife than the Tinker, due to the back springs being flush with the liners on that one. Anyway, this will have to do for today:




I was home with the kid today. Tomorrow, I'm going to pack this in my bag and take it to work. If it isn't terrible outside, I'll whittle during lunch. Maybe I'll get the blade done?

The Hiker and book are due to arrive tonight. I love Amazon Prime and their included 2-day shipping!

I also ordered a Recruit and the twigs and branches whittling book today.
-Jeremy
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us Offline Smaug

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #32 on: April 16, 2012, 11:25:35 PM
...All going well, then.......my super tinker bit me......and I'm still bleeding now  :oops:

I'm not giving up though so count me in!

Yikes, sorry to hear that, Jon.

A tip in one of the books is to wear a glove in the hand that holds the workpiece, and at least wrap the thumb of the carving hand in some duct tape. First layer goes inside out, so you don't end up with the tape glue on your thumb. Next layer goes sticky side down.

Well better luck tomorrow.
-Jeremy
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"Well begun is half done."
-Aristotle


us Offline jerseydevil

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #33 on: April 17, 2012, 12:36:15 AM
I've been reading this thread, which I really shouldn't have.  All of you are evil  :twak::D  I just ordered the book from Amazon, and the local Target has Recruits in stock.  Another excuse for a new SAK......
There's no such thing as "Too pretty to carry".  There's only "Too pretty NOT to carry"...... >:D


us Offline Smaug

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #34 on: April 17, 2012, 12:51:05 AM
I've been reading this thread, which I really shouldn't have.  All of you are evil  :twak::D  I just ordered the book from Amazon, and the local Target has Recruits in stock.  Another excuse for a new SAK......

Well, I for one think it is a good excuse. Finally, we are doing something that will yield more than another SAK for the collection, right?

I just got the book, the Hiker, and a +B Yeoman moments ago. Gee, it is going to be hard to cut into this Hiker. It has that new SAK feel. No scratches, no friction, just mint and shiny...

I may wait until I receive the Recruit before I start re-purposing the Hiker.
-Jeremy
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us Offline gustophersmob

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #35 on: April 17, 2012, 03:06:36 AM
I don't have any pics of any of my balsa whittling done with my recruit, but I have a few of my first whittling foray.

I call it the pseudo-spoon, which was made entirely with the BHK patch-knife shown.

After that I switched to using the SAK and mainly made (poorly  ::)) little animals out of balsa.
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If the trees blew down the wind and no one was around, would the alphabet song really go backwards?


us Offline Smaug

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #36 on: April 17, 2012, 03:52:11 AM
I call it the pseudo-spoon, which was made entirely with the BHK patch-knife shown.

Very cool. What is BHK, and why is it called a 'patch-knife?'



Quote
After that I switched to using the SAK and mainly made (poorly  ::)) little animals out of balsa.

Well, show them! I don't know about anyone else, but I need to see someone else's poorly made stuff, or I'm going to think I'm the only one who makes things poorly.  :rant:
-Jeremy
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ca Offline Syph007

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #37 on: April 17, 2012, 03:56:35 AM
This thread just reminded me I always wanted to carve the chain out of a hunk of wood, where the links are connected and free moving, all from one piece of wood.  My grandparents had a long one hanging in their cabin, I always wanted to figure out how to make one.
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us Offline gustophersmob

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #38 on: April 17, 2012, 04:09:41 AM
BHK stands for blind horse knives, a custom knife company based out of Ohio. I met Dan, one of the guys who runs it at a gun show once, he was a really nice guy. I think that style of blade was originally used to cut cloth patches for muskets, hence the name, but I could be mistaken. I'll try ro get some more whittling pics up tomorrow.
If the trees blew down the wind and no one was around, would the alphabet song really go backwards?


us Offline Smaug

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #39 on: April 17, 2012, 04:17:18 AM
So, my wife got home from work and saw my in-progress spreader.

She also saw the book, and Chris' spreader.

Then, she told me: "Honey, I think you might be using the wrong kind of wood, because yours looks really chunky."  :-\

Of course, my only defense was: "Did you see the SIZE of his spreader? That would NEVER reach to the bottom of the mayo jar! Just wait...."  :-[
-Jeremy
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us Offline Thisjk38

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #40 on: April 17, 2012, 12:04:43 PM
I looked through the book but couldn't find anything. Is there a page number?

It wasn't the book I thought. It is on Pg. 2 of Whittling Twigs and Branches, which is available in the free sample.

Sorry for the bad reference.

Ok thanks for the link, really helps a lot, I get the idea now.

Does anyone think the pruning blase on a Pioneer Harvester Knife might be a good candidate to be turned in to a wharnecliiffe blade? I can not  tell if the whole edge curves or not. If it doesn't then just the tip would need to be flattened out, and the back then reshaped. I only ask because I would love to have the saw, and awl on my whittling sak withought any tools on the backside to worry about.


us Offline Smaug

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The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #41 on: April 17, 2012, 02:18:18 PM
Thisjk38: I think it would work well. But it'd be a bit of a shame to take the file to a collectible knife. (I don't think those are produced any more, right?)

Also, the grid pattern on the Alox might get abrasive to your hand after a while. Especially when you're in the material removal phase of a project.
-Jeremy
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"Well begun is half done."
-Aristotle


us Offline Thisjk38

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #42 on: April 17, 2012, 02:39:27 PM
Thisjk38: I think it would work well. But it'd be a bit of a shame to take the file to a collectible knife. (I don't think those are produced any more, right?)

Also, the grid pattern on the Alox might get abrasive to your hand after a while. Especially when you're in the material removal phase of a project.

Its 25 on Amazon, so I guess it still is. I've been carrying around my electrician and using it quite a bit and don't feel the texture as a problem. Then again I haven't used it more than a few minutes at a time. What do others think? Is a the alox to rough to whittling with?


us Offline gustophersmob

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #43 on: April 17, 2012, 03:05:24 PM
Vic makes an electrician plus with the small sheepsfoot blade and a saw. Probably easier than trying to reshape the pruning blade
If the trees blew down the wind and no one was around, would the alphabet song really go backwards?


us Offline Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #44 on: April 17, 2012, 05:16:12 PM
Personally, I don't consider the electrician blade a good option for carving...although it could be used. I has the single-sided grind like a gardener...unlike the pruning blade which has a thinner symmetrical grind like a pen blade.

You won't be able to "wharnecliffe" the pruning blade because the nail nick is too close to the end. There's not enough room to taper the spine down into a point. The best you'd be able to do is straighten the edge into a psuedo sheepsfoot.

The checkering on alox scales is not very aggressive. I don't experience problems with extended handling.
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us Offline 82brutus

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Re: Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #45 on: April 17, 2012, 06:07:55 PM
...All going well, then.......my super tinker bit me......and I'm still bleeding now  :oops:

I'm not giving up though so count me in!

Yikes, sorry to hear that, Jon.

A tip in one of the books is to wear a glove in the hand that holds the workpiece, and at least wrap the thumb of the carving hand in some duct tape. First layer goes inside out, so you don't end up with the tape glue on your thumb. Next layer goes sticky side down.

Well better luck tomorrow.

I definitely agree with the glove and thumb guard.  The glove will only protect against slicing, not stab wounds.  Rotokid has some if you need them. 

The thumb guard on the knife hand actually protects you more from nerve damage from pressing down rather than cuts towards yourself.

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us Offline 82brutus

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Re: Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #46 on: April 17, 2012, 06:10:40 PM
This thread just reminded me I always wanted to carve the chain out of a hunk of wood, where the links are connected and free moving, all from one piece of wood.  My grandparents had a long one hanging in their cabin, I always wanted to figure out how to make one.

It's tricky but not near as tricky as the ball in the box.  I did a three link chain I'll try and post a pic when I get home.

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spam Offline J Mackrel Jones

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #47 on: April 17, 2012, 08:19:25 PM
An old project -
carved chain.jpg
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us Offline captain spaulding

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #48 on: April 17, 2012, 09:45:59 PM
What kind of wood is best for beginners?
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gb Offline Pignut71

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #49 on: April 17, 2012, 09:50:05 PM
I reckon something like pine is pretty good as its nice and soft.

Regards, Jon.


us Offline 82brutus

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #50 on: April 17, 2012, 10:05:23 PM
What kind of wood is best for beginners?

I'd go with basswood.  It has a very nice fine, even grain and it's soft.
“We shall neither fail nor falter; we shall not weaken or tire...give us the tools and we will finish the job.” - Winston Churchill


gr Offline volbu

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #51 on: April 17, 2012, 10:31:38 PM
I am currenty whittling with the small blade (unmodified) on the Spartan and i want to have a woodsaw and get rid of the corkscrew bugging :P
So I am between a hiker and a harvester (have a soft spot for the alox SAKs) do you think that I will be able to get the pruning blade modded as easily as the small blade?
Which of the 2 do you think is the best choice?



us Offline Smaug

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #52 on: April 17, 2012, 11:27:32 PM
I am currenty whittling with the small blade (unmodified) on the Spartan and i want to have a woodsaw and get rid of the corkscrew bugging :P

You could add the eyeglass screwdriver to the corkscrew, and that would probably alleviate the comfort issues with the corkscrew to some extent.


Quote from: volbu
So I am between a hiker and a harvester (have a soft spot for the alox SAKs) do you think that I will be able to get the pruning blade modded as easily as the small blade?
Yes.


Quote from: volbu
Which of the 2 do you think is the best choice?
(edited) That's a tough call. The Harvester has the smooth backsprings, which is a real plus, and the inline awl, which is better. But I feel like the more textured scales may rub your hand raw during the stock removal periods of whittling.

Get the Harvester, and wear gloves when you're doing the stock removal. ;)

Or get a Recruit, and forget the awl. Or grind one of the openers into an inline awl. :)
« Last Edit: April 17, 2012, 11:30:07 PM by Smaug »
-Jeremy
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-Aristotle


us Offline Smaug

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #53 on: April 17, 2012, 11:33:08 PM
I reckon something like pine is pretty good as its nice and soft.

One has to watch out for sap/pitch with pine, also knots.

I know from woodworking, the problem with pine is that I can select a piece that looks clear, and only after cutting into it do I find out there's a pocket of sap. It's bad enough to find that after table-sawing it, and having to clean it off each of the teeth after it burns on. But to spend hours whittling, then finding a hole in the middle of the workpiece that makes completion impossible....  :rant:
-Jeremy
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us Offline gustophersmob

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #54 on: April 18, 2012, 12:49:38 AM
Personally, I don't consider the electrician blade a good option for carving...although it could be used. I has the single-sided grind like a gardener...unlike the pruning blade which has a thinner symmetrical grind like a pen blade.

You won't be able to "wharnecliffe" the pruning blade because the nail nick is too close to the end. There's not enough room to taper the spine down into a point. The best you'd be able to do is straighten the edge into a psuedo sheepsfoot.

The checkering on alox scales is not very aggressive. I don't experience problems with extended handling.

Ahh, I'd forgotten that the electrician's blade had a chisel grind.
If the trees blew down the wind and no one was around, would the alphabet song really go backwards?


us Offline Smaug

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #55 on: April 18, 2012, 10:30:46 PM
Almost done with the spreader.

Here's where I whittled yesterday during lunch at work:



I got the Recruit in the mail today. It is indeed more comfortable than the Hiker or Tinker, on account of the smooth back and scales.

I dremeled the small blade into a Wharnecliffe shape, and spent probably 2 hours sharpening it again. First, I used one of those carbide "V" sharpeners to remove some metal fast and get it resembling an edge again. Then, I used the coarse diamond stones on my Sharpmaker and ground it at 30 degrees. It's not that durable, I could see where the edge was bent over just from whittling on Whew, that was a lot of work.

I decided to get a little tricky with the can opener. I ground off the screwdriver tip, then ground the 1/4 circle nice and sharp. Then, I figured: "I will cut off the can opener hook and grind the bottom sharp too, to use as a draw knife, like the orange peeler on the MiniChamp."

Little did I know that the blade stops closing by indexing on that can opener hook. So when I closed the newly-modded can opener, it went clear into the knife handle and tools would need to be used to get it out now. Not only that, but the bottle opener goes too far in now too. So don't do that, if you decide to get tricky and re-purpose the can-opener.

Looks good so far, right?



Wrong. :(




So this knife is pretty much ruined for anything but whittling now. I'm glad they're only twenty bones.

The spreader's done now, except for the final sanding. Nevertheless, I had to give it a "field test" to spread mayo and mustard on some open face crisp bread sandwiches:






Just got another Tinker and a Sportsman in the mail. The Tinker replaces the one I did some "amateur welding" on the blade years ago.

The Sportsman, I'll talk about in the "What's your latest SAK" thread.
-Jeremy
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"Well begun is half done."
-Aristotle


us Offline Corso

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #56 on: April 19, 2012, 12:21:27 AM
Neat spreader!


us Offline ICanFixThat

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #57 on: April 19, 2012, 02:22:40 AM
Ooops... a thread on here or on SOSAK mentions that issue of the opener dropping into to the scale like that.  If I remember correctly there is a way to avoid it on the Recruit or one of the knives, but not on the majority of models. 


us Offline Thisjk38

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Re: The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #58 on: April 19, 2012, 10:28:28 PM
Hey Smaug do you have a pic of how your smelly blade came out?


us Offline Smaug

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The SAK Whittling Club
Reply #59 on: April 19, 2012, 10:50:07 PM
Hey Smaug do you have a pic of how your smelly blade came out?

Other than those above, no. I'll take another one once I sand it.

I started the poker today. I'm going to try using that for mixed drinks. We'll see if it lends a little "flavor" from soaking in alcohol, hehehe.
-Jeremy
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"Well begun is half done."
-Aristotle


 

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