2013 And Not A Post To Be Found

Much has happened since the last posting.  Mostly normal everyday stuff.  There were a few times I was going to set down and write something but have excuses for that. 

Leslie went to Wisconsin for  a Christmas party with her family.  All her brothers and sisters were going to be there and she was surely NOT going to miss it.  She left the day before my last posting.  That left me home alone.  Yeah I really don't get much time alone in the house so I planned on enjoying the solitude for 5 days.  There also was the project I was working on, a Christmas present for Leslie, that had to be finished before she got home.  It was a kitchen island counter top to match our counters.  I had been working on it for a couple weeks when I could.  Luckily my buddy has a wood shop out where I was trapping.  So I would spend some time on it whenever he was around and he helped guide me with the proper sequence of steps in creating the island.  Oh, I also got her three high back stools so we can sit at the counter to eat and chat.  Whew! 



My buddy came by Saturday Dec. 21st to help me get the top ready to install.  We worked and got most of it ready and told him that I'd finish it myself since it was in place and only needed trim and screws to hold it down.  Well I'm working in my shop, the doors are open and it's beautiful outside.  As I'm cutting some trim on the bandsaw I see someone in my driveway and think "What The Heck?"...grab your gun!  Oh No!  It's Bob, my son in law.  He's holding his phone up videoing my reaction.  Where the heck did they come from?  What's going on?  Is this real?  Then I see Jess, my daughter and li'l Bobby.  They surprised the crap out of me!  No idea they were coming down, but I guess she had to get me back for doing the same thing to her the year before at Bobby's first birthday party.  What Goes Around Comes Around.  We enjoyed good times together.  The day Leslie was to return, we had planned Christmas dinner with a spiral cut ham, cheesy hash browns and more food.  Carrie, Hunt and Julian came up in the rain, from Alabama about an hour before Leslie came home.  When she walked in she brought our Marine, Shane with her.  Surprise Again!  Neither I or Carrie knew this was happening.  He had caught a flight to Nashville and waited hours for his moms flight to get in.  It was a wonderful Christmas together.  Oh yeah I got some Bacon Jerky!





 Bob, Jess and Bobby




Carrie, Hunt and Julian

Shane and Leslie

 
I finally finished a Bush Craft knife for myself right at the end of the year.  It was made with Aldo's O1 and a chunk of some beautiful burl wood.  The sheath is a dangler so I can use it a couple different ways.  It's nice to make something for myself every once in a while.

New Year was spent with our friends at Dunmire and everyone had a great time.  Leslie's Irish Cream didn't stand a chance.  There was music, dancing and ceremonial hugging and kissing as the clock struck 12.

The second week of January I hurt myself at work while lifting, moving and twisting with a heavy pump as I was partially bent over.  That kept me from frolicking around like I usually do.  Seems like it takes longer to heal up than it did even a few years ago. 

Even with the pulled abdominal muscle my focus has been on a custom knife.  This knife was designed for the customer and I have been trying to document most of the steps involved with it.  I will post the WIP (work in progress) after the knife is in the customers hand.  This is not going to be a Spoiler Alert for the recipient but I don't think most can visualize what it'll look like just from a picture of the blank below.  I have come to realize that a heck of a lot of effort goes into the creation of a working knife from a blank chunk of steel, a piece of antler and some leather.  The documentation of the steps takes quite a bit of time to photograph and articulate.  All the processes go much faster without stopping to take a pic and think about how to explain it.  Communication with the customer has been a pleasure.  It is nice to deal with nice people.  There have been countless emails and phone texts with pictures and comments, so many, I believe, the customer will be glad to have some peace and quiet when it's all done.  But that's what they wanted so take that Jasmine!

I am looking forward to completing the sheath this week then putting on my makers mark, sharpening it to razor sharp and shipping it out. 

Custom knives take more from a maker in that we must try to visualize what the customer has in their mind. It's not easy and that is why anything custom costs more.  There are so many questions that need to be addressed before we can even start the ball rolling.  If you are looking for a custom knife be prepared to communicate and wait.  Some makers out there have 1-4 year waiting lists, mine is much shorter.