I am a woodworker/woodcarver. I own several carving knives but the best ones I own I make. I used hacksaw blades and hollow-ground the shapes. I used a steel epoxy and aluminum rivets, if necessary. I use whatever wood I have laying around the shop. This time it happened to be oak. I wanted a blade that was strong and would not bend. The detail knife is used for carving santas and as a marking knife. It is 6″ long. I have also used it to cut grids into a 19 x 19 Go game that I am making. If it is possible to love an inanimate object it would be this one. I have been using it for five years now.
The other knife is used for chip carving. It has a thicker blade and is heavier than the detail knife. I most often use it with two hands. This knife is 7″ long.
I find that making the knives is as much fun as using them. Eventually I would like to get into forging my knives so that I can make a crooked knife since I carve totem poles and masks.
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- Stock removal was poor - Dust collection was near the bottom without a vacuum, but very solid with one - Roomy waist leaves plenty of options for gripping
Spacing: Fixed Stock width (max.): 11 in. Stock thickness: 1/2 in. to 3/4 in. for through-dovetails (pins board can be up to 1-1/8 in. thick); 1/2 in. to 3/4 in. for half-blinds Half-blind depth: 5/16 in.
These chisels are well balanced, with a light-weight handle that makes gripping them down by the edge during chopping less fatiguing than many other chisels. Each chisel only requires a few minutes of work before its back is polished and ready to go. Similarly, the bevels all have a consistent grind that is quick to hone to razor sharpness. The smartly shaped beveled edges give the tool good mass, but with a very fine, consistent land (the flat between the side bevel and back) that won’t interfere with working in confined spaces.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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Comments
Nice work Mike.
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