Getting Down to Business.

Sometimes, to do the work, you have to make the tool that can do the work. In making rustic furniture, or wood art, a cleaver of sorts, and a maul to strike it with, come in handy. With such a tool you can hack away at a limb or a pole, or a plank as you might with a hatchet. Or, you can carefully place the blade to the wood and strike the blade with a maul to make a calculated cut. You need good steel for the tool. The old two-man crosscut saw makes a good starting place here.

This is a blade of my own design. I laid it out, but Whidler was the one to take it from there.

The blade must be hardened and tempered to endure the abuse it will be put to. The discoloration here is from heating and cooling in an exact way, it is an art itself.

Once you have the tool, you have to give it the perfect edge.

Finshed! A hand carved walnut handle is attached with adhesive and brass rivets. I still have this blade, and still use it. Thanks, Whidler!

Another blade in the works. Machete-like. Tempered.

No sign of light. That is what you are looking for when filing and then stone honing a blade. If you hold the edge of the blade to your eye, and it reflects light, you have more honing to do. A razor's edge reflects no light.

Finished blade. Ready to go to work.