Sunday, January 2, 2011

New Year Old Material

Typically we have old things lying around the house that we have held on to for many years , because it had belonged to a relative or someone close to us. Tools of all kinds are a common hand-me-down that are much more of a dust collector than a useful instrument for everyday chores.
Old cross-cut saws are big and hard to show off unless you have a wall big enough or a barn to hang them on. A great alternative to taking up a whole wall is to immortalize that old saw into a true collector item. These old saws are made from high carbon steel that will hold a great edge for a very long time , and are easy to sharpen. The metal can be polished out to a high gloss finish , if that is what you want , or left with the character of the aging patina definition. Handle material is also up to the individual's choice , whether it is antler , bone , or walnut.
Now do not let me limit you to thinking that a saw is the only tool that can be used to make a high quality knife, many other tools have potential.
This fine looking blade was made from a very old framing square. The old framing squares our grandfathers used were made from a high carbon steel , unlike the modern version of today which are made from aluminum or even fiberglass. The bone handle , brass guard , and matching leather sheath finish off the total package.
Please , do not throw away those old tools that my get in the way , or have been taking up space in the garage , make them into a collector piece you will be proud to hand down to future generations. I get great joy and excitment from making new family heirlooms from old items that you may have thought were useless.
If you have a piece you want to find out it's potential , please contact me on the comment line.

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