Knife Making Options

[Caveman]

Chris, I am going to finish the mod on the trommel barrel, and turn the bottom hopper around to see if that helps keep it clear. I am also going to add a "Jet Dry" dishwasher
rinse aid solid to the intake screen on the foot valve of the pump. Should have interesting results. If you will have me, I'd like to come up at least once this year and give it
a go.

[Caveman]

Dang it all - got so wrapped up in thinking about the trommel - I forgot to comment on your AWESOME skills! Great work on both the knife and the sheath.
Mad skills, very mad skills!

[swizz]

Hell ya! You're always welcome at the claims. That sounds like an interesting trommel mod!

[Caveman]

Thanks, Chris! I REALLY want to try the trommel up there! Now I just need to get a 2 wheel wheelbarrow to carry dirt.... Need a good pile of dirt to feed the monster - it
gets really hungry!

The holes in the barrel are being drilled out to a little under 1/2", and turning the hopper around will put the long angle under most of the force of the water, so it should wash
out better. The short angle will still pile up with some gravel, but since it is much shorter and steeper than the long angle, it will not hold as much or take as long to wash it
out with the hose. I just need to open up one of the holes in the brackets a bit, and it will sit just fine. I just need to find the time to finish now that I have a new drill. I can
actually fit the jet dry solid inside the foot valve screen, I just need to run a piece of coat hanger through it for the basket to attach to. The solid is designed to dissolve under
hot moving water, but will do the same in cold water, just much more slowly. We shall see how that works.

I intend to try it out at Point Bar with a test run of about a yard or so this Spring, or possibly up in Denver where there are consistent fines. I hope in mid April. I just have
to get somebody to watch the animals for a day. I want to find out how fast I can shovel in material before the sluice box is overwhelmed as the barrel will be opened up.
I also want to see how well the Jet Dry will work. It should be an interesting (and fun) experiment. Ok, enough of the high-jacking of this thread - we want to see more of
your projects here - not my mods!

[swizz]

I don't mind the highjacking, leather-working a little today since I'm pretty well snowed-in.
Just dying the sheath parts today and I ordered some police-grade Herman Oak belt leather to try and make myself a nice belt next.
For the claims.... I think we might do well to set that trommel at the upper pond and dig just upstream from there. I'm itchin to sample it and you wouldn't have to move material far at all. The upper pond is smaller but deeper. My only concern would be the discharge would muddy it up real fast which might effect recovery rate.
We could continue this discussion in one of the claim threads in the Protected Forum if ya want. I have pics of the upper and lower ponds I could post there. Dan has some ideas on how to remedy the settling pond issue, we talked about that recently. With this year's snowpack I'm hoping for a healthier creek flow than last year, hell... Ghost Creek on Woody's old claim might even come back to life.

[swizz]

Ok.... I dyed all of my sheath pieces. I used Fiebings Pro Oil Dye, Mahogany.
It'll take most of the day to dry, the dark areas are still wet. Once dry I will hand buff them and the color will deepen and be a little darker. Then I'll buff on several coats of Carnuba wax.
This has to be done prior to sewing for obvious reasons.

[swizz]

oooooo, almost forgot to mention...
I used a hand tool called a "skiver" or "skiving tool" to shave the blunt (square) end of the big piece to a point.
This is because that end will be folded over to create a belt loop and that pointy termination will be tucked in (between the other pieces) all nice and flush. Hard to explain but you'll see why later.

[swizz]

I would also like to reiterate to anyone following this that might be interested in trying. DO IT!
Really not that difficult to learn and not a huge investment in craft tools.
If it interests you then definitely give it a try. Not just knife sheaths... many things can be crafted from mother nature's leather.
I recommend Ian Atkinson's youtube videos, they are my primary source for instructional tutorials. He even has a short vid explaining what tools are needed to just get started.
The tutorial of his that I'm currently using for this dagger-style sheath is the one for the Rat Cutlery knife which is a similar shaped knife to this Arctic Hunter.
Anyway, if you're interested in learning leather craft definitely check out his vids! His accent is a little difficult at first but you get used to it.
Link: Ian Atkinson

[russau]

Chriss this sounds like a perfect hobby for you. being snowed in should be the perfect time to get it done.ive got a 1 car garage out back for my shop and its full of tools and material(yes full!) and theres not enough time or energy in the day to do all i want to do out there(snow or shine!)

[swizz]

.... and theres not enough time or energy in the day to do all i want to do out there(snow or shine!)

Sounds like you're really busy, what ya got goin on?

[fenixsmom]

You should sell your knives and sheaths. You are extremely talented! You had me with vines and wolf stamp! Speaking of pretty things, that is a gorgeous laker on your wall. How big was he?

[swizz]

Thanks! I'd like to sell custom knives with sheaths at some point but still trying to perfect these things and can't go into knife production again until I can afford a 2X72 belt grinder (about $1K). I struggle with justifying saving for either a belt grinder.... or a trommel or banker for the claims. I'd like to incorporate lapidary into the knives at some point too... just not quite there yet.
The Laker is about a 3 footer from Lake Granby, not super huge but a fairly good specimen.

[fenixsmom]

Not bad at all from Granby! Most of them now look like snakes. So thin . Ooo tough choice! Sander or trommel.... I would buy the trommel first & belt sander in the late summer. At least you'll have something to do in the next winter.

[Caveman]

Chris - if it helps, I'll loan the trommel to you for the summer after I bring it up there. I would like to see you get into knife production sooner rather than later - faster
and higher returns on your investment. You will have to supply a pump, though - I will be using mine. Let me know if you are interested.

[swizz]

Scott, I appreciate that extremely generous offer! Can't do it though.... just wouldn't feel right. Plus I still have a lot of work to do on my damn dams. I believe I will get the belt grinder first though. It will yield a return faster than the trommel and produce throughout the winter months. I might have a killer spring for my business and be able to get both.
You are too cool for offering that Scott.
I want you up there using it.