Scottish newbie saying hi

[Drumgerry]

Hi all

Just saying hello. I'm Gerry Thompson and I live in Aberdeenshire

I am a newbie at this knifemaking thing in every way. I have been reading and been enthralled by all of your posts for the last week and thought I should step out of the shadows so to speak. I have made a few guitars so my background is in woodworking - given that up cos I don't have the time with family commitments. But I love carving and always enjoyed shaping the necks of the guitars best - knife handles look like fun.

I am awaiting an order from Brisa with which I'm going to make a semblance of a puukko (is that the right spelling? Doh!). I have a Hankala blade and some amboyna as well as various other bits and bobs coming.

I am amazed that some of you guys forge your own blades. It seems like such a black art - most metal work I've done has been fitting and filing/polishing frets. BTW - do any of you use microplanes for carving/ micromesh for sanding/polishing or tru-oil for finishing? These are things I swear by from the old geetar days.

Anyway enough from me. This is such a fabulous resource!

Gerry

[trojanargus]

Gerry
welcome to the forum

[ANDYLASER]

Welcome Gerry, let the addiction commence. I have heard of tru-oil mentioned by quite a few people, I therefore think it is used quite often.

[mojofilter]

Hi Gerry and welcome from a fellow Scot!

I play guitar and would really like to see photos of some of your creations!

stuarty

[lemoneyewash]

Welcome Gerry!!!

[Hellz]

Welcome!

As you say, this place is a great resource and also a great place to hang out, enjoy

Hellz

[Basemetal]

Hi Gerry,
Welcome Aboard...you'll have noticed it's a pretty friendly place and surprisingly "international" - - -we even have some English people posting here!
Whereabouts in Aberdeenshire? I'm in Fyvie.
Danny

[Drumgerry]

Quick replies guys! I am impressed!

Thanks for the welcome everyone. It does seem pretty friendly around here and in my reading of the archives I haven't found a flame war yet - unlike some of the other message boards I participate in.

Basemetal - I live near Castle Fraser but my place is for sale and I'm moving to Moray/Highland soon. Not too far from you though eh? The international thing is cool - I am particularly enjoying all the Scandinavian stuff.

Mojofilter - I have made just a few and I don't have a digital camera or scanner to upload or email any images. FWIW my latest unfinished (hopefully to be put right in the next year!) project is a OO size with walnut back and sides, WR cedar top, mahogany neck and abalone soundhole inlay.

Thanks again everyone and see you on the main boards when I'm asking the many questions that I will have once I get started.

Gerry :thanks:

[Chux]

Welcome to the forum. Would love to see photos of your work.

[Sajuma]

Welcome to this funny farm. Nice to notice that you want to start with Finnish Puukko. Mr. Hankala's blades are top of the line and he is one of the best smith's on Finland, I'm a big fan of his work.
Have fun and please send us some pic's if you can.

Juha

[JC]

Gerry,

Welcome. I look forward to seeing your work.

JC

[Underhay]

Welcome to the forum
If you make guitars, I would have thought you'd have no trouble with knife handles, but you'll learn to hate fitting the guard to the blade.
I look forward to seeing your work.

Go on have a go at forging a blade, you know it makes sense

Regards
Duncan

[Drumgerry]

There's a job in guitar making which I loathed but which the success of the instrument completely depends on and that's accurately fitting the neck to the body. It's the sort of job where you shave a bit here, try it out, shave a bit there, and try it out. The problem I found was that my shave a bit here/there usually led to here/there having gone too much the one way - sorry if my explanation is clear as mud. After many attempts things ended up ok but it sure was a pain in the a***.

Fitting the guard/bolster/ferrule looks to be a similar sort of deal if on a smaller scale.

To keep myself going until the Brisa order arrives - hopefully tomorrow - I have dug out an old army machete I found in the garage and I have had a few goes at grinding a new edge with the dremel as well as grinding off all the rust. I've ditched the old plastic handle and may use some cocobolo I have sitting around to make a new handle. I guess I'd have to use rivets to put the handle on - the original was attached only by some old rusty screws. Anyone have any experience doing something similar and words of wisdom to share??

All the best

Gerry

[Underhay]

There are plenty more experienced people out there than me, but I've found that the problem with riviting wood is that it's easy to split. There are two options I have used to avoid this:
You can just drill tight holes for brass rod pins and epoxy it all together, or you can drill through for a threaded rod and tap threads inside circular brass nuts which go into countersinks on each side. The nuts are tightened by cutting a slot in the top. Once it is all solid you cut off the excess rod/brass and smooth it off. If it is all one metal it will look like a rivit, but is less risky. I think you can buy these fastenings somewhere, but I don't have the link.

Have fun.

Duncan

[narsil]

Hi and welcome to the forum

As a luthier I'm sure your knowledge and experience will be a great help in your knifemaking and a great assest to the forum.

Welcome aboard!