Tag Archives: fabricated

Press-Forming Adventures Part 1

Posted on June 24, 2013 by metal_musings

Above images courtesy of BladeGallery.com And a work-in-progress image of my own. In the past I’ve experimented with carving bird skulls from antler, and some with small helmets.  While they proved popular, all of the above works were terribly labor … Continue reading →

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Mammoth Ivory and Stone Knife

Posted on June 7, 2013 by metal_musings

Well, while I was on a roll with the knapped steel knife, I got a wild hair to make a miniature stone bladed knife.  I had a few chips of lovely chalcedony I collected from what I call “The Nevada … Continue reading →

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Knapped Steel Petroglyph Knife

Posted on May 28, 2013 by metal_musings

Another of my signature “Knapped Steel” knives.  I had so much fun playing with the antler and potassium permanganate from you kagamibuta adventure, I decided to make a knife handle. Above is the knife I “carved” prior to heat treatment. … Continue reading →

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Making a Kagamibuta Netsuke Bowl Part 4

Posted on May 20, 2013 by metal_musings

Now it’s time to color our antler kagamibuta bowl.  I’ll be soaking the antler first in a hot, but relatively weak solution of potassium permanganate (KMnO4), then polishing to remove much of the color.  I’ll repeat this a number of … Continue reading →

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Making a Kagamibuta Netsuke Bowl Part 3

Posted on May 20, 2013 by metal_musings

Above, I’ve installed the hand turning tool rest on the cross slide of the lathe, and begun establishing the outer curve of the bowl with small hand turning tools.  I repeatedly STOP the lathe and hold the original ivory bowl … Continue reading →

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Making a Kagamibuta Netsuke Bowl Part 2

Posted on May 18, 2013 by metal_musings

Above, I’ve drilled the proper sized hole through the antler cylinder.  The cord that connects to the lid will eventually pass through here.  Incidentally, using a metal-cutting lathe for these parts of the bowl-turning process really helps with accuracy and … Continue reading →

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Making a Kagamibuta Netsuke Bowl Part 1

Posted on May 17, 2013 by metal_musings

I was approached by a client to turn a replacement bowl for a lovely kagamibuta netsuke that had a cracked original ivory bowl.  In my life with netsuke, I’ve found that cracked ivory, especially kagamibuta netsuke bowls, is very common. … Continue reading →

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Blacksmith Caterpillar Knife – Part 4

Posted on April 19, 2013 by metal_musings

Since the last post I hardened and tempered the little knife, and spent some time getting the scale and crud from the heat treating process off of it. Now it’s time to add some gold highlights.  Above, I’ve engraved a … Continue reading →

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Blacksmith Caterpillar Knife – Part 3

Posted on April 19, 2013 by metal_musings

Now that I’ve removed the knife from it’s holding medium, I notice the caterpillar has a bad case of the “squares.”  I need to round it’s top edges over a little more. There, that’s better.  Now for the other side. … Continue reading →

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Blacksmith Caterpillar Knife – Part 2

Posted on April 13, 2013 by metal_musings

Above is the caterpillar after initial carving with small carbide burrs.   And here, I’ve used small punches to smooth over all the hills and valleys of the caterpillar’s side.  I’ve also done a preliminary darkening of the steel just … Continue reading →

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