What Did You Do Today?

[Cameroo]

I finally finished off my gifts for the Christmas exchange, I just have to put an edge on the knife and throw it in the mail.

The sheath is veg-tanned cowhide covered with deer rawhide from the doe I got this fall.  I hope my guy has some patience because I know I should have finished this a month ago.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Nice work Cam.

[Keenan]

 Nice looking area Greg, What part of the country? Looks allot like Kentucky.

Early Congratulations Sterling, keep us posted when she's close.

Very nice knife Cam.

Pat we definitely are in the deep freeze. -5 here this morning. Forgot to drip the faucets and froze up this morning. got the heaters on quickly and no damage.

[Stringman]

I walked to the wood pile stuck my hand in and pull out this snakey thing I had forgot I even had. Might be a nice bow here somewhere. Did a little heat correcting first then see where we are.




Scott

[skyarrow]

Nice cam looks good

Will do keenan there projecting between feb 1 to feb 18 so some time in those dates. Who nows itl be cool of he shares the same day as me and cam feb 1 hehe

[osage outlaw]

Stringman, that's going to make one fine lookin' bow.

[Stoker]

Pike fishing on saturday caught 5 biggest one around 30". Watched them hit using underwater camara. It was awesome.
Worked on the forge Sunday afternoon. Just about ready.

[Stoker]

1st pic - inside of forge
2nd pic - torch just burning propane
3rd pic - adding air
4th pic - front veiw of forge
5th pic - back veiw with torch
6th - torch with air hookup
Forge was built out of a 30lb propane tank. Lined with insulation and refractory cement. Using a tiger torch for a burner and spliced in a air line that connects to my air compessor. There is a quarter turn ball valve to control the air.
More pics
Tools I made to smear the cement
Pike
Things I learned -
When working with refractory cement wear gloves and clothes you may never want to wear again.
Thanks Leroy

[Keenan]

Wow, that is looking great Leroy. Thanks for the info. been thinking of making a propane one as well. Did you save the skins on the pike? Looks like some great bow backing there.

Nice snakey stave Scott, Great pictures of your caul form

[Badly Bent]

Real fine knife there Cameroo and the sheath is cool too.
Thats a cool stave Stringman, should make an interesting bow.
keenan, that area we were hiking in is in Northern Illinois along the Illinois river bluff. Starved Rock area has a rich native american history and beautiful rock walled canyons.

[Stringman]

None of these pics really show it, but this stave has a natural deflex to the handle and now the limbs are reflexed equally.





Gonna be a light draw bow unless I pike it a bit. Still considering flipping the tips before going further. Either way this bow is gonna get skinned, no question.

Scott

[Stoker]

Keenan- Didn't save the skins. Fish were a tad bit frozen when i filleted them and butchered the skins. They're are more of them I'll be better prepared. They would be great on a bow or knife sheath.
Stringman- That's gonna be nice.
Caneroo- Nice knife and sheath
Thanks Leroy

[Keenan]

 When you go to dry the skins Leroy give a shout if you have any questions. If they are very thin skins you can use cardboard but if they are like sturgeon its best to staple down to a piece of plywood. I used my air stapler, works great

[PEARL DRUMS]

I was told pike skins loose all their color when the scales come off. My nephew tried some on an elm bow we built for him. He ended up peeling them off.

[Stoker]

Hopefully next weekend sitting on the ice again. Ifin the fish cooperate. If I run into any problems I'll be sure to pm you Keenan. Thanks for the offer.
PD- That's interesting to know. I'll have to do a test run on leather and wood what could go wrong  Outta curiousity what kind of glue did you use?
Thanks Leroy