Collins camp/pack hatchet - keeping the balance

Just finished the farewell hone and polish on this collins camp/pack hatchet.

will be shipping of to the East Coast.

this is a 5"x3" head, so a bit smaller than i am use to

but

i was able to find an 18 inch hickory helve that had great orientation and yet was very light weight for the quality. it is important to keep the balance of the tool so such paring are essential.

a good stock of handles on hand to pick from is a huge plus. this affords the hanger to pick the best option for the head.

i have always been an advocate of the longer handle; for reach or for leverage.

when doing detail work (which this tool will be very good for) just choke up.

this lighter handle will be safer (because it is balanced) and yet very sound.

the more versatile the tool, the more useful.

Length of shower - INVASION

Beer in the shower is as essential as the soap and water. 

in fact, soap is really an elective and ranks 3rd.

it was late and i am not afraid to say that i don't like to sleep in a bed dirty, so i go to basement shower and WHAM! 

wifey moved all of these health and beauty items into the dirty pigs, mac (oldest son) and my, shower. 

just so there is no concerns, i relegated one health and hygiene bottle and replaced it with another (heavy horse scottish ale).

heavy horse scottish ale from big sky brewing company is one of my favorite fall seasonals. 

this beer's octane qualifies it as a wee heavy, but is so smooth that it tastes more like an 80 shilling.

 

from the big sky website:

Collins single bit axe and a passing idea

Finished up this collins single bit and will try to get it posted tomorrow before work.

collins single bit. 

i take great satisfaction in getting others excited about restoring their own tools, especially when someone is able to do some of the work for themselves. there is something to a tool when their own hand was in the restoration process (or the entire process).

 the one variable that i keep constant, is that if the person does not have enough experience then i am there during the final hanging. this affords me first-hand inspection and guarantees that the tool will be safe and reliable.

i briefly played with the idea of offering kits for others who may want to tackle some of the different levels of restoration. there could be a kit where they get a completely restored head and an unfitted helve and they do the entire hanging.

or 

a kit with a completely restored head and a dry fit helve. the new owner just needs to put the final whacks on hanging and do the wedge work.

in the end i talked myself out of it. 

the "kit" idea would take me too far from the individual tackling the project. this restoration process is about being able to be there, constantly evaluating the soundness of the tools parts and the skill of the restorer. without that fist hand accountability to make sure all was safe and sound, i felt the idea to be not responsible. 

it was still entertaining to play with the notion of different kit offerings.

2 hatchets and 1 axe crate

Finishing up the final gluing of crate flash to 2 hatchets and one axe crate.

Spinning tops

The notion of spinning circles to express notions of physical or mental decay & destruction

(the tornado effect)

have always been a personal source of inquiry for me.

this time of the year here has opened up the weather for some moments of foul weather, the sort of weather that spawns spinning circles.

i will use this time to pursue a series of bordered spinning tops.

Vaughan carpenter's hatchet and a new sheath

We have hatchets EVERYWHERE at our house.

in the camper we have a vaughan carpenter's hatchet that was needing a sheath.

trimmed from the larger sheet of leather and then laid out the thread roller. 

these wheels make quick and consistent marks for where to drill or awl (whatever your persuasion).

the sheath is three layers thick on the bottom & front and 5 layers thick on the top.

starting leather hatchet sheath

waxed thread will help keep the cemented leather well sandwiched.

i am partial to the design it leaves on the leather too.

(may work with embellishing that effect later) 

sewn in the waxed thread to keep the cemented leather  sandwiched

from the designs (in the notebook) to the final piece.

i usually prefer take the strap under the hammer poll, but in this case i took a different approach. 

vaughan carpenter's hatchet strapped

polished and then burnished the ends.

ready to go back in the camper. 

vuaghan carpenter's hatchet burnished and polished

Clipboards and a quick bit on my benefits/problems with instagram

Clipboards finished:

clips and boards (wine crate lids) attached with copper rivets

the copper nails arrived and i had a moment to quickly attach the clip mechanism to the board. i was in a hurry to get to work so i took a quick shot of it (i was pleased with the final result) on instagram and then bolted out the door. 

this was 4 days ago.

the benefit: instagram has been a great source of entertainment. i am very keen on an image with a simple caption, i find myself to be more visually oriented, so it fits well with me. i often use it for an immediate fix to present.

problem with: embarrassing as it is, i had intended to write about it here. work became absurdly busy. time went by and because i hadn't really made anything in a few days i was onto the next. completely forgetting about my original intent on posting here. this seems to happen way too frequently.

i will need to stay more focused and remember not to mix up the two means of expression.