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Honing a wood working tool

Thanks for that information.
That break is a downer, right at the last, all work lost. That's an attitude check for sure.
Walnut maybe?
Yes Walnut.
So to be clear this was a case of salvaging junk. Last winter I bought some green wood, including a piece of nearly waterlogged walnut. I cut it roughly and then put in the oven to dry out. But as happens it shrank asymmetrically and cracked. So I filled the crack with glue and set it aside. I then picked it up and used it for my practice piece 10 months later. There were a bunch of tiny fissures in the wood so I knew it was high risk, but almost got to the finish line.

I have 3 more blanks lined up that I will work on starting today. Reasonably confident that I will get one through successfully. I learn something each time and the design is continually changing both structurally and aesthetically. From this split I think the main thing I learned is to verify the speed setting before turning the lathe on!
 
I think the only right answer is... "what's the job?". I finish my chisels on all different kind of stones depending on what I'm actually pushing them through.
In this case I’m trying to make a highly engineered hollow shaving brush handle. Wall thickness is 3-5mm so relatively delicate (by my standards). Some American wood and some harder foreign wood.
 
In this case I’m trying to make a highly engineered hollow shaving brush handle. Wall thickness is 3-5mm so relatively delicate (by my standards). Some American wood and some harder foreign wood.
I don't have much experience turning wood but I'd think a finer smoother edge(like a hard ark or charnley) would lower the risk of the tool grabbing the wood and splitting it.
 
Yes Walnut.
So to be clear this was a case of salvaging junk. Last winter I bought some green wood, including a piece of nearly waterlogged walnut. I cut it roughly and then put in the oven to dry out. But as happens it shrank asymmetrically and cracked. So I filled the crack with glue and set it aside. I then picked it up and used it for my practice piece 10 months later. There were a bunch of tiny fissures in the wood so I knew it was high risk, but almost got to the finish line.

I have 3 more blanks lined up that I will work on starting today. Reasonably confident that I will get one through successfully. I learn something each time and the design is continually changing both structurally and aesthetically. From this split I think the main thing I learned is to verify the speed setting before turning the lathe on!
As an amateur self bow maker and former carpenter I've pushed the limits and screwed up in just about every way imaginable and in some ways that are hard to imagine. With bows my intuition usually told me that it wasn't a good idea but I didn't listen. I learned from all of it though and am still learning and screwing things up. It's not time wasted.

Are you planning to turn more after the next three, and are you in the US?
 
As an amateur self bow maker and former carpenter I've pushed the limits and screwed up in just about every way imaginable and in some ways that are hard to imagine. With bows my intuition usually told me that it wasn't a good idea but I didn't listen. I learned from all of it though and am still learning and screwing things up. It's not time wasted.

Are you planning to turn more after the next three, and are you in the US?
Id like to learn how to make long bows. Not a lot of yew trees in Texas AFAIK though..... we used to make bows with hickory trees when I was a kid. They weren't pretty but they'd kill rabbits to roast.
 

Legion

Staff member
Id like to learn how to make long bows. Not a lot of yew trees in Texas AFAIK though..... we used to make bows with hickory trees when I was a kid. They weren't pretty but they'd kill rabbits to roast.
Osage Orange is supposed to be good, and in the US.
 
As an amateur self bow maker and former carpenter I've pushed the limits and screwed up in just about every way imaginable and in some ways that are hard to imagine. With bows my intuition usually told me that it wasn't a good idea but I didn't listen. I learned from all of it though and am still learning and screwing things up. It's not time wasted.

Are you planning to turn more after the next three, and are you in the US?

I am currently optimizing the design, so not sure how many I will make. I was much more successful today.
0E87EF4E-EDEB-43C2-B451-3C786AEEC593.jpeg


The one on the right was made last December (its cherry, which IMO is one of the best materials to turn, both in terms of appearance and ease in turning). The one on the left was made today, its some type of Rosewood. Bought the wood at the same time - the light portion of the Rosewood is much darker now than last winter).

I’ve learned as much about the tools as anything else. I am slowly getting a handle on sharpening the tools. Yesterday I got the skew chisel tuned in and really tried to use it today. My parting tools let me down today, so I finished the day by regrinding and then honing both of them. For some of the tools I needed to go back and regrind them before I could hone them properly. I’m making connections to straight razor honing, but I’ve rarely run across a vintage razor that required a regrind before being honed (Maybe lucky?).

Yes, I am in the US.
 
I am currently optimizing the design, so not sure how many I will make. I was much more successful today.
View attachment 1542209

The one on the right was made last December (its cherry, which IMO is one of the best materials to turn, both in terms of appearance and ease in turning). The one on the left was made today, its some type of Rosewood. Bought the wood at the same time - the light portion of the Rosewood is much darker now than last winter).

I’ve learned as much about the tools as anything else. I am slowly getting a handle on sharpening the tools. Yesterday I got the skew chisel tuned in and really tried to use it today. My parting tools let me down today, so I finished the day by regrinding and then honing both of them. For some of the tools I needed to go back and regrind them before I could hone them properly. I’m making connections to straight razor honing, but I’ve rarely run across a vintage razor that required a regrind before being honed (Maybe lucky?).

Yes, I am in the US.
Very nice!
I asked you them questions because I do work with some nice turning wood and have scrap at times that should be utilized.
Just message me your address and I will see what I have laying about.
 
Osage orange is a beautiful wood. I’ve heard its good for bows, I’ve only used for scales. It seems to me that a wood that works for bows should be excellent for scales. :)
View attachment 1542214
You do really nice work, I'm impressed.
Black, honey locust and Mulberry can have a similar appearance. They are not as hard or durable though.

Some turners don't like the ring porous hardwoods as well or the photo sensitive nature of the Osage. From the yellow color that they initially like to the rich chocolate brown as it ages. Not sure it ever really stops getting darker, I quite like it myself.

Some years ago there was a turner that set up at our local farmers market. I gave him some wood to try out and this is is one of the items he made. A wine stopper of yew. I think that was the wood he enjoyed the most, it's also my personal favorite. All parts of the yew are poisonous except supposedly fleshy part of the berry's. I work it with out a mask with hand tools but mask up when I sand it, outside.

 
Id like to learn how to make long bows. Not a lot of yew trees in Texas AFAIK though..... we used to make bows with hickory trees when I was a kid. They weren't pretty but they'd kill rabbits to roast.
Honestly it's not that difficult, but can be time consuming, they have been made with stone tools for thousands of years. A hickory bow is a great choice for your first bow or two, success is almost guaranteed. The Osage though can make a great bow, and you probably have some or it's not that far away from where you live, it's much harder to work and presents many more challenges. It simply doesn't grow straight, so stave selection(tree to cut down) is really critical, most trees will not have a bow in them.

If you have any questions feel free to message me.
 
Honestly it's not that difficult, but can be time consuming, they have been made with stone tools for thousands of years. A hickory bow is a great choice for your first bow or two, success is almost guaranteed. The Osage though can make a great bow, and you probably have some or it's not that far away from where you live, it's much harder to work and presents many more challenges. It simply doesn't grow straight, so stave selection(tree to cut down) is really critical, most trees will not have a bow in them.

If you have any questions feel free to message me.
Thanks again! I need to pike around and find an old draw knife. That's an essential tool for backwoods living that I actually don't have. I always improvised with a big bowie and a leather glove.... probably should get a draw knife or ill be missing more fingers.
 
@Bowmaker i need to wander around on my land some more and see what's out there. There's a decent amount of cedar
And pecan but there's also a 70 pound Doberman belonging to one of my neighbors that thinks my land is hers and she's come after me and my before. I though she was gone cause it's been a long time but she popped up again lat weekend. I'd hate to have to shoot a dog to walk around my place but that's how it's beginning to look. I like dogs, I don't want to have to hurt one because of crappy owners.
 
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@Bowmaker i need to wander around on my land some more and see what's out there. There's a decent amount of cedar
And pecan but there's also a 70 pound Doberman belonging to one of my neighbors that thinks my land is hers and she's come after me and my before. I though she was gone cause it's been a long time but she popped up again lat weekend. I'd hate to have to shoot a dog to walk around my place but that's how it's beginning to look. I like dogs, I don't want to have to hurt one because of crappy owners.
Ya, dogs do what they do and owners are at fault. The three S's, shoot, shovel and shut up is bad business and might even bring a felony charge today. I would probably go with treats backed up with pepper spray or a gun. That dog might hold a grudge if sprayed though, and never except that you belong there.
I hope it works out for the better.

I'm all out of dogs for now, but I had a couple that would kill anything that came into the yard. They weren't bad dogs they just had a high prey drive and viewed anything with fur or feathers as prey. Despite warning neighbors multiple times that my fence keeps my dogs in, not their pets out, they just didn't get it. I have a pet cemetery in my back yard, missing pets buried here and there at random. When they went looking for Fluffy, I never seen a thing....
 
Ya, dogs do what they do and owners are at fault. The three S's, shoot, shovel and shut up is bad business and might even bring a felony charge today. I would probably go with treats backed up with pepper spray or a gun. That dog might hold a grudge if sprayed though, and never except that you belong there.
I hope it works out for the better.

I'm all out of dogs for now, but I had a couple that would kill anything that came into the yard. They weren't bad dogs they just had a high prey drive and viewed anything with fur or feathers as prey. Despite warning neighbors multiple times that my fence keeps my dogs in, not their pets out, they just didn't get it. I have a pet cemetery in my back yard, missing pets buried here and there at random. When they went looking for Fluffy, I never seen a thing....
When she came after us last time I drew on her and she froze in her tracks, not another step forward but you could tell she wanted to buy she knows what guns are. She was standing about 5 yards from a 500 pound propane tank but in no fool. She may end up with a xylitol steak to keep the county away. If I shoot her I'll let the sheriff's department deal with the owners, deputies won't give me any trouble. In Texas a purple spot painted on a fence post is the same as a "no trespassing" sign and every other post i have is painted purple. Once the leaves fall and I've got a visual at a distance it won't matter.
 
Thanks again! I need to pike around and find an old draw knife. That's an essential tool for backwoods living that I actually don't have. I always improvised with a big bowie and a leather glove.... probably should get a draw knife or ill be missing more fingers.
My favorite draw knife is a plain Jane straight blade Greenlee. Nothing fancy, no folding or adjustable handles or any of that, but it is slightly hollow ground front and back. That makes sharpening a breeze in comparison to all the others I have tried.
 
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