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Beautiful, gorgeous, stunning! All inadequate words. The concept of a live edge on a tool kind of warped my mind a little.
Hope this is not the last saw you build this year.
Thanks, Curt
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"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
-- Soren Kierkegaard
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Isaac,
That's amazing. I would never think of a live edge handle, but it is stunning. I want one!
Thanks for posting.
Steve
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Man, it has to be painful to send that saw off, not being able to keep it. That is truly outstanding and one of the best I've seen.
- Mark
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That's a sweet saw. Artfully done.
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Location: South Alabama
It's not every day we see a true artistic innovation, but a live edge on a tool handle is definitely a new one for me. And my oh my does it work!
Steve S.
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Tradition cannot be inherited, and if you want it you must obtain it by great labour.
- T. S. Eliot
Tutorials and Build-Alongs at
The Literary Workshop
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I've nicknamed this thread the Yo-Yo thread on account of the fact that I can't help scrolling up and down.
I love it and the fact that it is left-handed makes it all the more desirable.
-- Andy -- Old Chinese proverb say: If you think something can't be done, don't interrupt man who is doing it.
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Isaac - What was the reason you decided to use carnauba wax instead of Tru-oil? Customer preference? To keep the wood light? You just like the smell? Just curious.
-- Andy -- Old Chinese proverb say: If you think something can't be done, don't interrupt man who is doing it.
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What a beauty. If I ever will have a saw from a current maker it will be a blackburn!
Cheers
Pedder
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Location: Connecticut
It seems to me it should be called "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" saw.
Although Mr Hyde does most of my dovetails, I wish Dr. Jekyll did. I think he would be more precise.
Can't wait to see and use it Isaac. Also want to see how you use the leftovers.
Thank you,
Rick
"You can't always get what you want"
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Thanks to everyone for the compliments.
Andy, I had a lot of trouble with finishes on this piece of wood. And I really thank Rick for his patience through multiple failed experiments.
Tru-Oil did not absorb evenly, and took forever to dry (days, compared to the usual hours on nicely behaved wood). I tried shellac, which showed some promise. Unfortunately, my French polishing skills were overwhelmed by this task. There were just too many corners and surfaces for me to work evenly.
I tried a seal coat of shellac, followed by Tru-Oil topcoats. That was almost good enough, but it didn't quite come out to an even sheen, and I had some concerns over the long term durability of it.
In the end, buffing the raw wood with carnauba wax looked best. It doesn't have the "shininess" of a film finish, but it has its own beauty. And the feel of it in my hand was second to none.
Ron Brese first brought wax to my attention, and I have used it on several woods since then. Ebonies, desert ironwood, and other dense or oily woods seem to really respond well to it.
I honestly didn't notice any smell, so couldn't tell you if it is good, bad, or nonexistent.
Rick, Jekyll and Hyde is a good name for that wood. Here's hoping that it is the good doctor in your hands.
