Back to this with a new one

Over the past months I have neglected this blog, having nearly forgotten about it I'm back intending to stay. I haven't stopped making or pursuing traditional craft.

Over the next few weeks I intend to backlog some of the things that have come out of my shop.

 

Now that I've said that here is my latest piece, and integral bolster knife inspired by Hloh and Petr Florianek. Made of shear steel with antler and mahogany.

Petr Florianek- http://gullinburstiblog.blogspot.cz/

 

Hloh- http://knivesbyhloh.blogspot.com/

Toolmaker

One of my favorite things about blacksmithing is the fact that using steel to shape steel gives the ability to make tools. There is something immensely satisfying about using a handmade tool especially if it is a tool that you have made yourself.

Here are a couple bowl carving tool fresh from the shop, a bowl adze and a dog leg gouge.

and just for good measure a nessmuk style knife I just finished.

trade style knife and how things come together

Here is a new one in the style of fur trade era trade knives.

Some projects you go into with a set design laid out, and you know just what you want at the end. Other times you just start with no idea and just go wild, and there's no telling what you'll end up with. My favorite are the projects you start with a general idea and let the design flow within that idea, it frees up the design process to work freely within your general set idea. its like the difference between deciding to paint a picture and deciding to paint a picture of the ocean, you haven't limited your creativity you've just directed it.