Bushcraft and Spoon carving knives.

My bladesmith, Chris Grant, has been busy recently.

He's been making a few 'Specials' for clients over in the States.

Pictured here is a client set of MaChris bushcraft knife along with a MiniMac carving knife.

The two knives compliment each other, allowing the user to tackle most carving and bushcraft situations.

The knives shown here have been made with hi tech steel.

52100 alloy steel.

Stabilized bog oak handles (aged 4000 years)
Oxhide leather sheaths.
Design by Jon Mac © 2014
Wood stabilization by Crandart Knives.

Tech spec and details can be found here...

(MaChris bushcraft knife tech spec and history)

Chris has a batch of these superb knives ready for handling with the wood of your choice.

To order your MaChris bushcraft knife or MiniMac carving/utility knife please contact Chris Grant directly at...

scone-boy@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you.

Enjoy.

J.
©MaChris and ©MiniMac knives.
Designed by Jon Mac.
Created by Chris Grant.

Cleave using a knife.

Hey now it's the Sun! And it makes me smile.

This song has been rattling round my head for some time now.

I recently read the lamentations of a chap who had used his knife to batten through a three or four inch piece of branch.

The knife broke !

Personally I would not countenance the use of a knife to split wood.

I would, however, let the sun do some work for us if we ever needed to split timber when we have only a knife to hand.

As most of you know by now, a piece of prized timber, left out in the elements, will, as quick as you can say 'Jack Robinson', split.

So why not use this to your advantage and save the chance of breaking your prized knife?

I was out in the forest yesterday, and came across a pile of recently trimmed Hazel.

I picked out a length and carried it up to my camp spot.

I scouted around and found a thin, seasoned branch from a birch tree.

Not the toughest of wood, but I believed it would get the job done.

To truncate a piece of wood like this, I become a Beaver.

Working round the branch with ever deepening 'V' cuts.

Once my chosen piece was shortened,

I fashioned a wedge shape at the end.

After a short time, job done.

The Hazel.

You can see in these photos that the sun has done a good job and has started the cleave for me.

These splits are just big enough for my newly carved 'Glut' or wedge.

I pop the wedge in the split.

A few taps with a lump of wood...

And there you have it !

My morning was disturbed for a short time whilst a Ladies shoot came through.

I sat with the folk manning the traps, out of the way of the 'Guns'.

The ladies had a great time.

Away to the pub for a well earned pint.

The 'Gaffer' at the back with a bucket load of spent cartridges.

Nicely tidied away.

Excitement over, I headed back to my camp.

So, back to the problem of cleaving wood without an Axe or breaking ones knife.

If a saw is available, try cutting through the timber to the depth of wood required for the job.

Here I wanted a thin sliver for a spoon.

Once cut, 

I tap the timber onto a stump or rock, making sure the cut is uppermost.

The elastic shock through the length of timber is enough to open it like a clam.

There. All done, and no tears.

Now the timber is in more manageable pieces I can use my knife to shorten them.

All done !

One spoon, or whatever it was you needed the split wood for, on it's way.

I think it needs shortening.

Here we go again.....

I took some nice seasoned Apple with me and spent the rest of the day cutting blanks.

WITH AN AXE !

'smiles'

Hammock time !

Enjoy.

J.

I also have a photo blog at...

http://spooncarvingfirststeps.tumblr.com

See you there....

The Woodcarvers Gazette.

Sarah and I have had some time to ourselves here on Dartmoor.

We've had some super weather, a welcome change after the constant wind and rain of the previous three months.

We've taken time out to visit some of our favourite places both here in Devon and further west into Cornwall.

Just before our break I was contacted by Jason Townsend, editor of 

THE WOODCARVERS GAZETTE.

Jason was interested in interviewing me and finding out a little more about my carving and the ongoing MaChris/MiniMac carving and bushcraft knife project I am involved in with 

CHRIS GRANT.

Inside this spring issue you'll find a five page spread highlighting our work.

It was a pleasure to work with Jason and he did a wonderful job putting it all together.

And a big thank you to Chris Grant.

We're working on another project at the moment.

I'll have a working prototype very soon.

I'll keep you informed.

Enjoy.

J.

Sharp spoon carving knife.

In this post I thought I might point out a way of using light to help tell if your spoon carving knife is nice and sharp.

As a user of the 'Scandinavian' type of bevel you'll understand that the two bevels on your knife need to be nice and flat across the grind, culminating with a good sharp cutting edge.

Now, in an ideal world our sharpening stones, whatever your choice, will be absolutely flat.

Mine aren't.

However, we carry on reguardless.

If I look at my bevel, in the sunshine, prior to sharpening, it has a uniform shine from tip to handle and from cutting edge to sholder.

It has a polished look about it.

When sharpening, starting with a course stone (1200 grit), the flat ground face or bevel is presented to the stone and held as flat as possible onto the sharpening stone during the sweep from one end of the stone to the other.

When a few sweeps are completed, I have found it worthwhile to wipe the blade and flash the blade under a lamp, or in sunshine.

You'll notice the shiny surface has been replaced by a duller, scratched surface.

You can use this affect to tell if you have managed to keep the bevel flat. Have a look across the bevel length from tip to handle. What I look for is a uniform replacement of the shiny surface with a dull surface.

If any shine is left, then it indicates that I have not been successful in keeping the bevel flat.

This next photo shows a slight shine at the cutting edge toward the halfway point from the handle end.

This can be rectified by paying closer attention to the sharpening process at this point.

This next photo shows a nice uniform dull surface.

The whole bevel has received the attention of the stone.

The polishing process on your finer stone (6000 grit) is the same, but reversed.

Moving from a uniform dull surface, to a uniform polished surface.

If you're inclined, a little light strop will give it a keen edge.

And were back to sharp once more.

I hope this little top tip will help some of you who are newer to the whole sharpening process.

You can find a whole raft of sharpening tips if you follow the link below.

SHARPENING

Enjoy.

J