In the Works

So much to do, so little time.

We all know the adage, but it has taken on a new meaning for me after the move. The new job is great, the schedule, not so much. Not only did I go from three and four day weekends down to two, but I loose half of the first day off to much needed sleep.

How does this affect you, dear friends? Other than a bit more irritable host, I hope it doesn't. I just have to become, forgive me a disgusted shutter, organized. Not that organized is a naughty word, but come on, we are all creative types here. Schedules and structure are the devil. They are also a necessary evil, now.

The first step in selling my soul is squaring away my work spaces. The goal is a spot for the forge, and a separate home for wood working tools. The writing space, the precious few times it has been utilized, is anywhere I can hunker down with my tablet and keyboard.

So far the lathe has a new locale.

It isn`t much, a vintage Craftsman pipe lathe. Not super precise, it gets the job done. It is mostly for turning tool handles and the occasional magic wand. Yes, magic wands. I would like to get back into tobacco pipe turning at some point. There is already enough on my plate for the time being, though. 

The forge is now nestled in a cozy little spot in the back stall of a little barn.

There was an addition to the family just before the move. She ain`t the prettiest thing in the world, but when I saw her rotting in a back alley I had to make the owner an offer. Thirty bucks later and she is happily back to work.

Still a bit of cleaning up to do, but no real complaints.

I have been tinkering here and there, lately. Made a couple of knives, and a few tools. Production has yet to really ramp up though. I have a decent stockpile of steel, and a ton of ideas, time is the only issue. Story of my life, what else is new.

Once the dreaded physical space organization process is done I need to lay down the law with myself. That means schedules and deadlines.

I now have three long form writing projects that are languishing in the half to three quarter finished stage of first draft. Each time I had a legitimate reason for starting something new, but now it is time to choose one and stay the course. I also have two short stories nearing completion that I am, quite frankly, scared to finish. 

It is an odd feeling. One that I only get about writing. The fear of actually finishing something, maybe simply because I will have to put it out there to be judged? That doesn't make much sense. I don't feel that way about any other form of art. I usually just dive in, do the work, and throw it out of the nest the second it can survive on it's own, off to make it's way in the world. But writing is cerebral, intellectual mixed with creative. The logical mind gets invited to the party, and he is a real downer. Sure he provides tons of facts, and establishes plausibility, but damn. He is always calculating risks, predicting disasters. The hardest part of writing is getting him to provide needed ballast without sinking the ship.

Deadlines should help with this. If I put a proverbial gun to his head, the logical mind is usually too preoccupied with the goal to nay say. Another way to distract him is task focus. Break the job into digestible pieces, and his ADHD becomes less of a problem. The final tine in my three prong approach is incentives. I have resorted to dangling my more physical pursuits in front of my own nose to keep me moving. No forging until you get your writing done young man.

No idea how this will pan out, but we shall see.

So the agenda is:

1. Make an agenda... 

2. Plot out specific goals, tasks, and projects.

3. Fit projects into the schedule.

4. Actually follow said schedule.

Goals:

Long Term

Angel'sKin - Urban Fantasy Novel - 3/4 completed

Oxmaer - Young Adult Fantasy Novel - 1/2 completed

Dark Man - Horror Novella - Nowhere near completed

Medium Term

Flight 666 (working title) - Short Story - 9/10 completed

Hear That Devil Sing - Short Story - 3/4 completed

Forge needed tools - froe, draw knife, tongs, etc...

Short Term

Finish organizing and arranging work spaces

Dig out any tools still packed away

Finish Chapter 1 of joint writing venture

I'm sure there is more, but for now the tally is;

Universe: one bajillion

Me: one 

At least I'm gaining ground, right. Stick around, kiddies. I'm either going to soar, or crash and burn. Either way, it should be a great show. Until next time, go create something.

The Process

I've spent a good bit of time questioning myself about what exactly it is that I'm trying to share with you guys via this blog. It is funny to admit that I'm not completely sure. I'm into things that are interesting, well, because they interest me. I figure that means they'd interest you too, but why consolidate them all here?

This isn't meant to be a journal, or a place to show off what I enjoy doing. It isn't just a place for project ideas,  directions, or DIY build-alongs (though there is some aspects of that at play). I had to really think about what I plan to serve up that is unique for your discerning palates.

As I was doing some carving this week, I had to stop to make a new tool. That led to needing a new jig for sharpening, which in turn led to a web search for jigs. That turned up an awesome jig for turning the ends of large stock into tenons for the rustic stools I'm working on. So I made one. Could have bought it, would have been easier. I would have gotten a tool made by a pro that would surely have done an excellent job, but I made one instead.

I could keep going, but you guys are smart enough to recognize the pattern forming. Everything we do creatively is interconnected. It is a process. Though heavily influenced by my ADHD like attention span, it gets the job done. I really only have a few goals with my creative time. First is the actual act of creating something. This one is by far the most mundane goal, and surprisingly the least important to me. Second, is to learn something new. I don't know how masters of a craft can stick with it after the initial stage where everything is exciting and new, with new knowledge gained daily. Next in the reverse hierarchy is the experience itself. I choose my projects based on what the experience will be like. I enjoy cooking more than eating. The trip is more important than where we're going, get it?

The process culminates in the understanding and definition gained. This is different than simple mechanical learning. Once I create something I can step back and reflect on how that affects and applies to so many aspects of myself and the world around me. Bushcraft gets me in touch with the environment, and mankind's place in it far more efficiently than any amount of philosophical introspection. Composing fiction gives me a chance to see things from another perspective, unlike anything my eyes could ever show me. I create in an effort to understand. To understand the project at hand, what it is and how it is made. To understand the job or task the finished product will be used for. And above all, to understand myself.

And that is where it is all heading, understanding. If the goal was learning, then you could just read a book. But we create. If the intention was just needing something, there are far more simple methods of acquisition. But we choose to create. Not to dive too deeply into philosophical babbling, creation is the cornerstone of understanding. It is active participation. It is a method employed to engage the reality we perceive around us.

Creativity is one of the few things that separates us from the beasts. Our most powerful tool for defining, and even redefining our environment. I would offer that you are not what you have, nor what you do, you are what you have created. And what have you created lately?

Holy Hell, We`re Back.

After six months of life changing chaos the waters have settled. I can surface to devour a lung spitting gulp of fresh air. Everything, I mean every single thing, went on hold for a career change. We threw in a new venue just for good measure. It was all by choice, so no tears, just some temporary sacrifice.

Everything is all inclusive. Writing abruptly stopped cold. Forging wasn`t practical, so it halted. The long term nearly abandoned motorcycle project is rotting under a lean to. Most tools and all supplies got packed in a shed, beyond the reach of mortal man. I spent two months in a hotel in Austin for training, followed up by field training (which is going well). Days off were cut back from four to two, technically one and a half when you work a hybrid night and day shift.

The up shot is we are home, back to our roots. We landed on five acres owned my brother and sis-in-law. The forge and all new anvil (pics to come) found a home in one of the barn stalls. The wood lathe has its eye on an open air spot off one of the tool sheds. The other tools are shaking off rust and neglect and slowly crawling out into the light.

What`s coming up?

I have a writing project in the early stages with Kiley (the dude abides), that should help clear out the cobwebs and get the old think box back on track.

Been forging some archery bits for my good buddy John Boudreaux, and their might be some wood bow building in our future.

Made a couple of knifes in the last few weeks, gonna have to do more of that.

I'm also considering putting up a few videos if I can figure this editing software out.

Still have two books in the works, just have to get motivated there. There is a chance at a few short stories emerging, but don't hold me to that just yet. I haven`t written one since Mark Whalberg was Marky Mark.

All told things are great, and getting better. My Pinterest is overflowing with project that need doing, the kids are back in school, and I have Mondays off. Things that need doing will get doing, and Monday posts should become a regular thing. So go make something, and stay tuned. More to follow.

Show Rob Some Love.

Hey guys, I'm just stopping by real quick to ask a quick favor. If you are into quality young adult fiction, consider buying a copy of one of these titles by Robison Wells.

Why should you do this? Other than the fact he is a damn fine author, he is just a swell guy who has been dealing with a lot of rough stuff. I first ran across Robison when he appeared on Writing Excuses, my favorite writing podcast, speaking about mental illness. We all know how many writers have been, and are now, fighting this fight. He openly speaks of how his closet full of mental diseases has affected him, his family, and his efforts at writing for a living. If you are dealing with a mental illness I'd highly recommend giving Rob's guest podcast on writing and mental health a listen, here. Since I have been following him on social media I have been touched by his stories, his humor, and his struggles. Currently he is dealing with the very real possibility of having cancer. His short plea for help can be found here, on his website.

Some others are organizing benefits, give-a-ways, and the like around the blogosphere. Here is one last link to Luisa Perkins' site with info on how to participate, or donate if you'd prefer. If nothing else toss a share or like his way, mostly so you can keep your eye on a young adult sci-fi author worthy of paying attention to. And please, keep Rob and his family in your thoughts and prayers during his time of struggle.

New Year Update, Kindle/Keyboard Review

Happy Belated New Year.

So much has been going on in the virtual eternity since last we met here. Quick recap, November NaNoWriMo was a huge soul crushing failure. I wrote fewer words in that month than any since I decided to throw myself into this novel writing thing. Writing by the seat of the pants is apparently not my method. December was almost as bad. Here in North Texas we were hit by a good size ice storm that resulted in a lot of broken trees. I lost a few days to the clean up only to be hit by the flu followed by an ear infection over Christmas. Stir in A quick trip home for the holidays, and yeah, not much was done in December. The silver lining, I have enough project wood to last a decade.

My lovely wife ordered me a Kindle Fire HD ($99 Black Friday special). Anyone who slums Facebook in my neck of the woods probably knows I intend to use it for writing on the go. I finally got my bluetooth keyboard in, and gang, super excited. Currently having my first go at getting some words bashed into this poor little sub-tablet. I have been reserving judgment on the practicality of doing real writing on this set up until now. I am impressed so far, but there are some concerns.

Room for Improvement

The default dictionary is a joke. Turn autocorrect off. Not a big deal during rough draft. In fact it helps. It does present the challenge of learning to spell, though. Not my strong point.

Selecting/highlighting text is difficult on the touch screen. Single words are no problem, but this thing ain't doing edits. The keyboard didn't help on this. Some of the editing shortcuts are available, but not all of them.

Cursor placement could be easier. Nevermind the fact that my huge calloused hands are more suited to holding a hammer than fine electronic manipulation. Seriously, it is like trying to play operation with a lead pipe. The arrow keys on the new keyboard are a massive improvement.

On the Positive Side

There are quite a few serviceable note taking apps out there. Evernote has impressed me with the cross platform integration. Every device I touch now has a copy. Outlining, research, inspiration, and even whole scenes are fed into notes where they are sorted, tagged, and released into the cloud.

For. Free.

I'm playing around with a few other programs that are closer to a traditional word processor, but so far I'm happy with Evernote. Most of the programs require you to transfer or email yourself each note individually. As each scene gets it's own note, they have to be compiled in your word processor before layout can be done.

I chose the cheapest micro keyboard available, because as you may have ascertained, I don't like spending money. I prefer to barter whenever possible (as I have an aversion to over quantify, classify, deify, and objectify "stuff"). I ended up going with the Fintie 7" mini keyboard off Amazon. Currently $15.99, and it does the job. Again my hobby scared meat hooks present a problem with the compact layout of the keyboard, but I haven't bothered with the home keys since my 6th grade typing class. It has not slowed me down, if such a thing were even possible. I drop a keystroke here and there, but that seems to be user error. If you're interested in one you can check it out here.

Overall the combination I'm going with is working. I can't complain about the speed or responsiveness. The whole package is super portable. One of my favorite places to catch a few words is while stuck in the line to pick the kids up from school. It was quite a feat with the laptop, but now I toss the Kindle on the dashboard and all I have to wrestle with is the tiny little keyboard. I can even hold it up and text type using my thumbs, which is rather handy.

As a bonus it also pairs with my computers. With the word processor open on the desk monitor, I can pace around and thumb type in those ADHD fueled moments when "butt in chair" is much less likely than "hands on keyboard".

Where I Stand

This is a solid option for another way to get words on the page. I don't consider it to be a stand alone option, though. For the author on the go, you can't beat the packability. I'll likely do the majority of my composing with this set up, but it still requires an umbilical cord to the mother ship.

One last note, The Kindle Fire HD  is wifi only. Fine with me, Evernote saves my place and syncs itself whenever connected. I don't foresee any situation where I stand to loose large amounts of data do to lack of connection. Plus, who really needs another data plan in there life?

As always any questions are welcomed, as is any advice. Have a favorite app or alternate set up, the rest of the class would be happy to hear about it. With new these new toys... I mean tools, I have no good excuse for not getting back on track in 2014. There are a few carving/smithing/bushcraft projects in progress, so expect updates soon. In the meantime, go make something.

-CrescentSon

Forged Bowl Carvers Adze

Up until quite recently the bulk of my carving experience has been either extremely small scale or smooth surfaced basic shapes such as spoons, bowls, and the occasional magic wand. As it tends to happen I decided for no rational reason whatsoever that I wanted to carve things that were as detailed as my smaller work, but on a larger scale.

The first step in any new obsession is gathering intel. I researched Japanese Noh masks, antique signage, and creepy puppets. I filled a Pinterest board with things I wanted to carve. Hours were spent pouring through Google images. Ideas were forged, techniques analyzed. Plans emerged.

I needed tools. Something larger than the micro chisels I forged for carving Nestuke (previous obsession, groovy stuff, google it). This is why I initially made the mini-forge. Firing up the full sized charcoal burner was both expensive and a complete pain. I had basic carving knives, but the type of work coming next called for all kinds of fan tail chisels, spoon gouges, and adzes. Goody.


The first tool that grabbed my fancy was a miniature adze found on knivesbynick.co.uk. I fancied it for several reasons. It was designed with interchangeable blades, the blades could be made from flat stock, and it was fairly primitive. I like to keep things simple.

As simple as making stuff from scratch can be.

Luckily, there just happens to be a large number of L6 flat stock pieces on hand. I have been hoarding sawzall blades for just such an occasion.

This one should do nicely.

 Cut to size with an angle grinder.

And the bit that has a date with the flame.

One piece of advice, if you aren't familiar with the metal you are going to use you may want to take a minute to figure some things out. With saw blades you have to consider what it was used for. Reciprocating saw blades are designed to be heat hardy, their strength can't rely too heavily on the heat treat alone, so none of them are composed of simple carbon steel. The other metals in the alloy can make you project piece react in interesting and unpredictable ways when forged and heat treated. 

Some blades are bi-metal. This means that two metals were chosen for different properties, then married together in some configuration. Usually the cutting edge is a harder, more brittle metal. The body and the bulk of the blade is made out of a tougher or springier alloy. These blades are useless for making a cutting tool. The teeth are the only bit that can hold an edge when hardened, and the alloys are usually to complex to be effectively hardened in the home forge. 

If the blade you choose has no markings left to indicate that it is bi-metal you can lay the blade flat and take some 120 grit sand paper to it. Rough polish a small section of the side taking care to expose both the side of the blade body and a few teeth. Dunk the blade in vinegar for a few minutes to etch the metal. Different alloys react in different ways to the acid in the vinegar. If it is a bi-metal blade you will see a clear line where the two metals have been welded together just above the cutting surface. Sometimes the vinegar is overkill, just a quick polishing will reveal the line.

Once I know the piece is homogeneous I usually do a hardening/file test. Cut off a smallish piece of the blade from a place destined for scrap. Heat it to critical temp, the point at which a magnet no longer attracts the metal, about bright orange. Let it cool slowly. Sticking it in sand or laying it on the edge of the forge slows the cooling process. This is called annealing. It takes the metal from a hardened and heat treated state back to its natural state. A file should readily cut into the edge after the metal has cooled. 

Heat it back to critical, then plunge it into oil. This is hardening. I mentioned this briefly last time, but I'll go into slightly more detail here without attempting to fully explain the dark and terrible forces involved. It is important to have a basic understanding of what is going on. When the metal is brought to critical the molecular harmony in the steel responsible for its magnetic properties is thrown into chaos. As the atoms spin around the micro magnetic poles are thrown out of alignment making the mass nonmagnetic on a micro scale. Once brought into this relatively free state the carbon in the steel begins to spontaneously form the crystalline structures responsible for the steel's final hardness. When the piece is flash cooled in the oil, the crystals are literally frozen in that structure. Once hardened, take the file back to the steel. If it skates across the edge without cutting in, congratulations, you have a hadenable piece of stock near its hardest possible state. If you were to hit with a hammer at this point, without tempering, the crystals would likely shatter and the metal would fail. More on that in a bit. 

This is an incredibly simple bit of forging once you are pleased with your metal. There are really only two concerns with this project. If you hammer on the metal after it is too cool you can crack it. If you heat it too much past past bright orange you'll burn the steel. Burning the steel just means it has become so hot that it begins to melt. The carbon in the steel is boiled to the surface and lost. Take the carbon content down too far, and it won't hold an edge. L6 is a pretty forgiving metal for both of these concerns. Just watch the temp, don't work the metal higher than bright orange or lower than a cherry red.

The image above shows the heat progression from the bright orange toward the tip, and the cherry red toward the tail. My anvil for this piece is just a rail spike stake that I ground into a small horn shape and set into an oak 4x4. It could just as easily be set directly into a stump, or held in a vice.

Working the piece is the exciting part when you are doing it, but the boring part in explanation. Suffice to say that I hit it with a hammer until it was at the correct radius. Any hammer will work for this thin stock, so use what you have available.

There is a choice to make at this point. You can shape the cutting edge, while the steel is relatively soft, using files and stones. This is easier than shaping after the steel is at finished hardness, but the thinner the edge, the more likely it is to burn off during the hardening process. I choose to heat treat prior to shaping because I have a belt sander that will do the majority of the work on a hardened blade.

The finished piece is heated to critical and cooled in a pre-warmed mixture of recycled vegetable oil and used motor oil. No special reason, just what I had. There is science type stuff involved in choosing a quenching bath to match the steel, but L6 works good with oil. Water and salt water baths quench the steel faster, locking it in a harder state, but quench a really carbon heavy object too quickly and it will end bad. High carbon steel, like recycled file knives, will crack when cooled in water. L6 and most spring steel will quench super hard in water, but warps pretty badly without really knowing what you're doing. Oil is by far the safest route for a beginner.

When quenching a blade it is important to dip the blade in quickly, cutting edge first. Move it around while holding the piece suspended in the oil for thirty seconds or so. If you don't keep the blade moving small pockets of air will form next to the surface of the blade. The steel in contact with these pockets will cool at a different rate. The expansion and contraction forces inherent in heating and cooling steel can cause the finished product to twist and warp in undesirable ways. Let's keep that to a minimum, m'kay.

As I mentioned earlier, a hardened blade is pretty brittle. The answer to that problem is tempering. When you temper a blade, what you are doing is heating it to a certain temp and holding it there to soften the metal. The overall hardness goes down, but the toughness is increased. There are a ton of methods on how to do this, but for utter simplicity I'll stick to the basics for now. I use my electric oven for tempering. Even if you scrub the blade this results in some smoke and the odor of burning oil. You've been warned. I want this to be a reasonably soft blade for wood carving involving a leveraged prying force imparted by the handle. A super hard blade is too brittle for this tool, especially with a blade this thin. For those in the know, that is toward the blue end of the color tempering spectrum, or about 450* F for 30 to 45 minutes in my oven. Ovens vary, so some experimentation is needed. Polish the cutting edge of the blade, and put it in the oven on a cookie sheet, or on some foil. Start about 400 degrees for 30 minutes. If the polished area has already turned to a medium to dark blue turn off the oven and pull out your finished blade. If the polished area has turned a straw yellow to brown color without getting any darker you're on the right track. Turn up the heat 10*, leave the blade for 10 more minutes, and check the color again. Repeat until you get a lovely royal blue.

Once my blade was finished I carved up a quick handle, and drilled a hole slightly smaller than the blade. I used a flat chisel made from a straightened out spring to square the edges of the round hole to fit the blade. You could heat the tang/tail end of the blade prior to heat treating and burn out the corners of the square hole if you prefer. Up to you, your tools, and your supplies. I carved a quick tapered wedge from osage orange to hold the blade in place, and the rig was complete.

It is way too light for chopping strokes, but the leverage in an underhand push stroke is amazing. The amount of wood that can be removed in a single stroke speeds up reducing processes dramatically. It also affords the hand a lot of control in detailed carving and planing. It isn't as practical for spoon bowl carving as I had hoped, but that might have more to do with the angle of the blade, and the bevel of the cutting edge than anything else. Since this little guy was completed I have churned out a couple more blades to fit this handle, and the plan is to make a few handles with different angles to make a versatile carving system for my travel and bushcraft kit.

This thing has been a blast to carve with, and has inspired a few more tools that will be coming along shortly. I've been working on some finer detailed carvings, like these masks, that are creeping ever closer to completion. The demon mask, pictured here with the latest carving tools, is going to be a long term project. It keeps forcing me to make new tools that I didn't know I needed until I needed them. His write up is in the works, but still a long way off. Info on the tools, however, is just around the bend. I'm also compiling a bunch of realizations that have flowed out of my journey back into writing that have informed my process. Hopefully I will be able to share something on that front in the near future. In the mean time if I can offer any assistance, clarification, or just words of encouragement let me know. Until we meet again, go make something.

Desk Top Forging

The art of the blacksmith is often viewed as some kind of dark art. Like an alchemist the smith bends the elements to his will, creating something useful or beautiful out of little more than fire and a lump of refined earth. The idea conjures up images of some massive brute of a man pounding away at white hot steel surrounded by a shower of sparks while the fires of hell blaze at his back.

During extreme operations that might not be too much of a construction of fancy. More often than not, my experience is a small controlled flame and a cherry red blob being coaxed into a pleasing and practical shape. It is a relaxing and rewarding - although often dirty - experience that yields a large gain with little expenditure.

Ready to get started?

Metallurgy is an incredibly precise applied science, and forging is intimately tied to it.  The process deals with the microscopic effects of physical and chemical properties of the metal and the flame. The good news is you don't need to completely understand it to benefit from it.

The act of heating and physically refining the grain structure of a piece of metal can be achieved with little experience or knowledge, but a basic comprehension is worth the extra effort.

All you really need to start a small forge is fire, an air source, something to hit with, something to bang on, and something to forge. Most of my work is to make tooling for other projects, useful implements, or decorative items. Because of the small scale, the required elements can be gathered easily enough.

Fire and Air.
I run a charcoal/wood forge for my small jobs.

This little guy is as basic as it comes. It has everything you might need in a small forge. There is welding involved in the design, but that isn't required.

Basically you need something to hold the hot embers on top of a tube that feeds from the air source below.

Mine is a mitered piece of angle iron welded along the edges fitted into some "black iron" gas pipe. What i started with was even simpler. My first micro-forge was just a cast iron pan with holes drilled in the bottom. That sits on top of a "T" created by cobbling together pre-threaded  pipe pieces from the hardware store.

The whole rig is pretty simple. To build one here's what you'll need:

1 - Cast Iron Pan
2 - Flange
2 - Threaded Nipple (any legnth)
1 - T Coupling
1 - CPU Fan
1 - 9V to 12V AC Adapter


That's pretty much it. The design can be made as complicated as you wish,  but this is the most basic configuration. If you're handy enough you can source the bits from available obtanium. The pipe fitting is the simplest bit. Just assemble as pictured. Drill a few 1/4" holes in the pan, or whatever heavyweight receptacle you sourced, making sure to keep them in the center above the opening in the flange.

The CPU fan is the only technical bit. I have them laying around from various salvage operations, but they can be purchased anywhere that sells techy stuffs. Get one that has a two wire set up. They run off a 12 volt power supply, but stepping down to a 9 volt won't harm it. It'll just run a bit slower. The ac adapter can also be purchased, but any old adapter would do. I have those all about as well, phone chargers, computer accessory power suppliers, whatever you got. Strip the wires, twist the matching colors together, wrap up each of the pairs with electrical tape, and wrap both bundles together. I mounted my first one to the end of the rig with copper wire, but anything will work. As a general caution, the pipe doesn't get extremely hot, but the shorter the pipe nipple you use, the closer the fan is to the flame. Might make it at least a 3" piece just to be sure. My first rig was 1/2" pipe. I'd advise 3/4" or 1", both to make the set up more stable and for improved air flow.

Heavy Metal
Just as it implies, you need a decent sized piece of something hard for an anvil. You also need something as hard to hit stuff with. For this small of a set up any old roofing or ball peen hammer will do. I used my trusty four pound cross peen hammer, but it is overkill when making chisels out of 1/4" spring steel. The anvil should be a pretty hard piece of steel. I started with a 25 lb. steel dumbell. Dig around, there is a lot of wiggle room on this. More often than not I use a railroad spike driven into a four by four.

Is it just me, or does my stump look happy to see you?

A side note on railroad scrap. Picking it up off the tracks is against the law, even if abandoned in the rocks. There are sources to get it legally as there are salvage companies licensed to retrieve and sell scrap stock. I have a 2.5' piece of track that was a task to obtain, but I love it. You can also buy small anvils from craft and jewelry stores, but stay away from anything cast. The surface is rarely even enough to be usable. One method is to mount one hammer in a vise for the anvil, and use another to do your striking.

Project Material

This is where the scrappers and hoarders go nuts. Depending on what you want to make you can use all manner of metal scrap to make stuff. Nails, files, old knifes, springs, saw blades, I'll use anything. I would caution against using galvanized steel. it can be done but the zinc burnt off in the forge can mess you up. The fumes are noxious and in heavy enough doses cause a flu like state that is a booger to shake off.

Identifying scrap steel is an art unto itself, but I'm not too particular. Most of my carving tools are made of either carbon steel or spring steel. The carbon in these materials can be hardened to improve edge holding. I'm not going into steel composition and testing in this post, just note if you are making a blade you need something that will harden. My most recent carvers are made from one of three sources. For flat stock I collect old sawzall reciprocating saw blades (L6 Steel), cut nails (.80-.90 carbon steel), and spring steel (all kinds of alloys).

Practical Magic

As we get into individual projects I'll get into greater detail on hardening steel. If you can't wait, here is a good write up from Tidewater Blacksmiths. This is the darkest art of this dark art. The basic idea is to get the steel to a certain heat, critical temp, and flash cool it. This process locks the carbon crystals that are forming in the steel in their hardest state. This is really only needed for blade making. Decorative stuff is fine in the metal's natural state. It sounds complicated, but you heat the metal to a bright orange heat and plunge it into oil. You can re-purpose motor oil, or cooking oil, or whatever you have around.

Once hardened the blade is very brittle. A properly hardened piece of steel will shatter if struck by a hammer. To relax the metal to a tempered state moderate heat is applied taking away some of the hardness and increasing the toughness and durability. Most of my carving tools are hardened then thrown in an oven at 450* - 500* for an hour. There is a lot of info out there on this, so go consume as much as you feel you need.

No Excuses

It is really a simple hobby. You get to play with fire, and make cool looking sharp stuff. Why aren't you already doing this. You know you have wanted to since you were a kid. I have a few projects documented already, and there are more in progress. I have a few project ideas posted on my Pintrest if you just need to get start immediately. In the mean time, if there is anything you want help making or have any project ideas drop a comment or email me crescentson at gmail dot com. I'm glad to help any way I can.

Speaking of no excuses, I need to get some writing done today. I hope this is a decent start for you guys. If not, stay tuned. There is always more to come. Now, go create something.

Post-CampNaNo

What a month. I have to admit it was literally the most eye opening thirty-one days my creative side has ever experienced. Being perpetually naive, I plunged into July thinking that 50,000 words were going to explode out of my head and litter the page with little need for the application of will power.

I am an idiot.

Less than a week in and I decided to cut my goal in half, 25,000 words. Much more doable with the stack of other issues looming, one of which was the second month of the crazy workout aptly named Insanity (I cannot recommend this enough for anyone who can handle the high impact). The month was also capped off by a vacation to Sea World with the family (just as highly recommended). Any excuses aside, the main hang up was "the plan". I dove in with the intent to put 50,000 words into a work in progress which is evolving along a certain structure, one that I had copious amounts of trouble diverging from. I couldn't find a steady balance between the pre-planned and thoroughly outlined novel that's been brewing since February, and the spontaneous seat of the pants writing required for NaNo. This story hinges on the structure. The seed idea for the story is inherently a numerology based model of the universe, so yeah, the outline proved critical.

When the dust settled I scraped in under the line with just over 25,500 words added to the pile. I feel triumphant. The novel is moving in the right direction. I also made contact with a collection of amazing and creative people that simply understand. I am excited to consider them allies in the creative struggle. You know who you are, and you all rock on an epic scale. Truly. Epic.

So what was learned?

1. Writing is hard work. As with anything creative, a knack for it only goes so far. Pick your creative idol from any field. The masterpiece they are known for was not a product of raw talent alone. Hard work and practice, people.

2. Get the hell out of the way. All that hard work and practice means exactly jack and squat if you don't step aside and let the art happen. Stop second guessing, worrying, and editing, and go with the friggin' flow a bit. That masterpiece we were on about, it would still be a half formed idea if someone hadn't decided to stop planning and create it.

3. There is only one of me. Once you realize your limitations, you gain perspective. One man can move a mountain, it just takes a pant load of time and effort. You have to break it down to one project, one day at a time. I tend to dilute myself, and am constantly spread too thin. Most likely a product of attention deficit, I jump from task to task, and never feel like anything is accomplished. By putting my other interest away for a month I was able to see what I was actually capable of, and the world didn't end because I didn't carve a single spoon in July.

4. I am not alone. And neither are you. I'm now tied into a network of people that get it. There are those in the universe that have done what you most want to do. There are other humans attempting the same feats (or thoroughly comparable to those) you are undertaking. Join the good fight. Make mistakes. Ask questions. Grow together.

5. Forget the fear. This is easier when you apply the first four lessons. Before this month I only had the vaguest understanding of the sheer terror I had at the thought of putting my work out there. What I thought was an internal perfectionist was actually a scared little kid. He was, and still is to a lesser degree is, afraid of creating anything because it might suck. Not being sucks more than being imperfect. Build it, make it, create it, learn from it, love it for it's faults, and then make the next attempt better. Better yet, fix it in post!

There is a lot more to be learned from the process, but it is a process. I can try to explain in exacting detail the lessons and growth this kind of endeavor offers, but that won't do anyone any good. Whatever it is you have penned up inside you waiting to be expressed, it ain't getting refined being repressed. We create as a means of understanding ourselves, and everything that surrounds us. It is woven into our nature. Get out your tools, grab a pen, dig out those paint brushes. Go devise something amazing. Make something awesome. Build something epic. Craft something useful. Just go create.

******

Personally, I have a lot more to do. I jumped on a couple of wood crafts that have been dying for July to end, so hang tight. That is up next, as promised. The current novel needs to be put to bed by November, because the full on NaNoWriMo is getting a book started from scratch so I can take another whack at 50,000 words. I also have a ton of projects waiting in the wings, but one day at a time folks (see above). In the mean time I'm curious to know what you guys are working on, or planning to work on. What torques your fancies, and sets you to creative motion? Don't be afraid to share with the class. It might just be the first step toward your masterpiece.

Camp NaNoWriMo

Just stopping by for a brief update. In the hectic flash that has been the last month or so, I have placed a lot of irons in the fire. On one hand, that breeds a lot of drive and creativity. On the other hand, that makes me a quivering mass of ADHD addled insanity piling up things that will most likely topple into ruin, disuse, and disappointment in the weeks to come. The upside is at least a few things should make it through the wringer intact, and any progress is a good thing.

I just found out this morning that the people that brought you NaNoWriMo are at it again. For those not in the know, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, and is held every November. The goal is to churn out 50,000 words in one month. There is a website to help you track yourself, and stay motivated, along the way. 

This year they are launching Camp NaNoWriMo. That's right, a summer edition of everyone's favorite play from home fiction creating game. The website has been a bit packed this morning, but I managed to squeak in to sign up, and have my first go at a NaNo writing event. The idea is to start from scratch, and write a new piece in one month, but I intend to stay on track with my current project. I'm mostly in it for some motivation. If you're interested in joining the fun, it isn't too late.

I settled on a working title for my book. How does "Angel'sKin" grab you? It is an Urban Fantasy at it's core, but there are some thriller and detective story elements thrown in. Currently it sets at 13,904 words. If I hit the 50,000 goal that will give me 63,000 going into August. To give a bit of perspective I started the project in late February. Yeah, time to up the pace. In my defense, most of my man hours in this beast were dedicated to character and plot development, and a bit of honest 'world builder's disease'. That will all have to be put on hold. It will take full time seat of the pants writing to hit the goal., so wish me luck.

There are several bushcraft, carving, and tool related projects, in various stages of completion, still being documented for you guys. I hope I can post a few up before the July 31st deadline. I broke out the mini forge for a quick project last night. My attempt at a spoon adze went fairly well. I expect that will be the next write up when I come up for air. Just so you can't say I didn't give you anything, here is the finished shot of the Kiley's Garage sign. It has been packed and shipped to it's new sweet home in Alabama. I played around with different ideas to hang it, but finally settled on some homemade copper chains. Just a quick bit of twisting on stripped copper wire. Whatcha think?

I have to hit the keys if progress is to be made tonight. As always, keep creating, and if I don't surface again soon see you in a month.

Kiley's Garage Sign

Have you ever known a guy that is so awesome that he would open his heart and home to a rag tag group of near total strangers in the name of brotherhood alone? What about a dude who just gets it? I'm talking about the type of person who works full time bettering humanity, spends his off time creating motorcycle uber-amazing-ness, and just happens to rock an epic level chin mounted push broom.

I just happen to know a guy named Kiley, who just happens to fit that very description. Although I did not personally get to attend the monumental occasion that brought an army of vintage bike nuts to rest at Kiley's Garage last fall, I was inspired by the stories that grew out of it. I wanted to make him something just to say that someone noticed he was being top-notch. I started freehand sketching on a piece of catalpa, and after a while carved a ribbon. The idea was to incorporate "Kiley's Garage" into a hanging sign to put in front of the the now infamous shop where all the shenanigans in question transpired. Due to the size of the scavenged stock I had to work with, "Kiley's" is all that would fit on the first piece.

With this piece locked in, it would require actual planning to design the rest of the piece. I hauled myself over to the Do The Ton forum, the place where I first got in with this crew of crazy gear heads, and sought out some advice. After getting several suggestions there emerged a clear choice.

Justin Longhorn, as he is known on the interweb, suggested a tree of life design. Kiley had mentioned wanting one in front of the shop. Done deal.

After some research the idea came into focus and the cutting began. After the rough shaping the disc got planed down flat enough to take the design.

 

Then the design was sketched on, and holes drilled in the negative spaces. I used a scroll saw, but the job could have been done with a coping saw. You could even stick with knives and chisels if you were under equipped and dedicated enough.

The bulk of the work on this piece came in the form of sawing the blank and chiseling the details.

I worked in short bursts for months. It would not have taken very long, start to finish, but I have a habit of jumping from project to project. The overall time was also inflated due to the need to stop and fabricate chisels and knives. Since I had never done anything like this before, I was learning as I went. The methods and tools evolved along the way, and I worked on a few simpler practice pieces also.

The end result was agreeable enough.

So the last thing to do was to carve and letter the lower "Garage" section.

I left this one pretty simple. I kept the same vintage tattoo font from the top plaque. If its not broke, why screw with it till you break it. I bend that rule enough to understand it's importance well. That is to say I break way more than I fix, but it is usually because of a learning curve I'm too impatient to respect.

Once all the pieces were stained they were set up for a quick pic.  All that is left to do is string the pieces together, and ship the whole thing off to it's new home.

Even though this project took way longer than it should have, and the learning curve was a headache, the fact that it is for such a stand up guy made the completion that much more rewarding. In the end that is what it is all about. An epic gent gets some positive reinforcement, I learned something, I get to share it with you guys, and not having idle hands keeps me off the streets.

Incidentally, here is a quickie of a knife and the chisels and scrapers that were used on this project. I think a follow up post of the process used to forge, shape, harden, and temper these little guys is a must. It is a fun project that doesn't take much in the way of tooling up or experience.   These were all made of found and scavenged metal ranging from cut nails, to post tension foundation cables, and even springs from an old mattress. Once you have the basic idea on these you can easily tweak the design and hardness for all kinds of uses, so stay tuned.

Happy Father's Day

Just stopping by to wish a Happy Father's Day to all the hard working, steady, responsible gents out there. Here's to the guy who stands head and shoulders above the rest, charismatically and confidently supporting his offspring through all the pitfalls and chaos in life, while highlighting for his brood all that is good, and proper, and manly.

As for the rest of us who have been that minivan driving, stroller pushing, barely sentient butt wiping schlub, this is our day too.

I need to take a moment, if I may, to honor my Dad for all that he has done for me, and how that affects the attitude I hope these ramblings express.

My father is a man who came from meager means, and yet without fail, has worked every day, without complaint, disdain, or regret, to give his family every opportunity to thrive. That spirit infects everything I have ever seen him attempt, almost to a fault. He embodies the nature of turning nothing into something. I have watched him commit himself to great feats of engineering with supplies to which a cave dweller would scoff. Commonly this path is taken to extremes, like building a tool that could be purchased in spite of it's low cost and ease of availability. But it is his example of not only making due with what you have, but thriving with it, that has shaped much of the picture of the man that I aspire to be.

His methods are at the core of more than just the projects and ideas that I intend to submit for your consideration. They inform my understanding of how life works, and how it should work. I'm not casting dispersion on the haves, and elevating the have nots. I'm offering up the concepts of of appreciating what you have, doing more with what you have worked for, and building up more than collections of pricey knick-knacks. It's all about refining yourself, building upon what you can be, and utilizing what you have learned to better those who rely on you most.

Lofty goals to say the least, but many of us were lucky enough to have had a mentor there during those critically impressionable years that set the bar high enough to make the most extreme goals seem achievable. Today lets thank those men, our fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, or whoever was there for you, for showing us what is possible, investing in our potential, and giving us the confidence to aspire to be more.

Big Brother Bearded Ax

As promised, here is the update on the second half of the double bit ax. The head was given a long cycle of baths rotating between a bleach bath, warm dish soap and rinse, and an extended stay in a vinegar mixture. The mixture is vinegar, salt, and a touch of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer. If you try this be really careful about contamination between the bleach and vinegar. Chlorine gas is nasty stuff, even in small doses, and death doesn't agree with my complexion. The general idea was a heavier carving ax that could stand up against some chopping, splitting, and batoning.

The final product is an artificially aged medium sized chopper with good weight and balance. It fits well in the hand and the scale makes it look a bit like something from an anime. It actually has me plotting a story about a huntsman's daughter set in a manga style alternate universe. Have to tread a fine line to avoid looking like a hunger games knock off. I think the first step is make her a little less emo.

Here's the stats:

Handle: scavenged bradford pear

Overall Length: 16"

Handle Width: 1.5"

Head: recycled antique double bit

Butt to Bit: 7.5"

Bit Length: 4.5"

Head Width: 1" at haft

Total Weight: 3#

The antiquing on the head was tricky, but it really makes the piece. The warm colors and the striped chatoyancy in the handle were pure luck. Bradford pear is known for this type of grain pattern due to the crossing grain. the down side is it is a nightmare to split, and tricky to carve. 

The upside is that it will sand and scrape to a beautiful sheen, and you can easily get a glass like finish by 400 grit or so. I have yet to turn any, but I'd imagine tear outs are likely. If you plan to use a block plane on it, keep it sharp. The random grain makes that a challenge too. 

The last thing I need to do is put a final sharpening on it. I did a mid angle bevel grind on the smaller of the pair, so I'm thinking a slightly more aggressive flat grind on this one. The wedge is made from a split of hedge apple, and the yellow/orange sets it off. The width required to haft a double bladed ax head shifted the carving grip down slightly on the handle, but the hefty hunk of timber left on the end sets the balance point right below my index finger in an up-close working grip.

A Quick Update, and Fiction Resources

Hey all, there has been a lot brewing on the home front. The second ax is finished, and exceeds my expectations. A full post is coming soon. There has been a lot more reading going on around here, too. Want to write fiction, it helps to read it. I've also been plugging away with the writing, though not as much as I'd like. I'm just a pinch over 10,000 words on the novel, and there are several short stories in various stages. I'm splitting the writing time between actual writing, plotting, light world building, and a score of character exploring exercises. The plotting/outlining has been the hardest thing for me so far. I'm experimenting with several processes, and I'll work up some comparisons from my notes once I figure out what I like best.

In an effort to rekindle my fiction writing chops I have been searching for sources of contemporary short genre fiction to absorb. I was truly amazed as to what was available for free on the web. Most of it is available with RSS feeds straight to your [techno-babble]device[/t-b] thingy of choice.

Chrome is my current go to browser, and I installed a program called Feedly to compile all my RSS feeds to my desktop. So far I like it. It features easy interface, list or magazine views, and simple content addition. I have almost totally replaced my wasted Facebook time with a steady stream of content from blogs, science news sources, and free fiction.

If anyone is interested in absorbing some fiction I have a few feed friendly suggestions.

Tor.com - Awesome sauce in a can. Not much more to say. Quite a few of their offerings are excerpts from a larger work , provided as a teaser, but good reads none the less. Really, my go to for the written word.

District of Wonders - The District of Wonders is a more recent find. It is an umbrella site for a collection of themed sister feeds. Each one has a podcast with delectable little tidbits to whet your apatite for fiction. Each short story is donated by the author, and read by a volunteer. The first is Star Ship Sofa, sci-fi goodness served up with related features. The others include Tales to Terrify, Crime City Central, and my favorite Protecting Project Pulp. The last is a vintage pulp fiction podcast full of noir gumshoes and larger than life serial heroes.

Lightspeed Magazine - A sci-fi and fantasy podcast that allows you to choose between reading the short stories in print or a streamed podcast for the on the go types.

Nightmare-Magazine - This on is pretty much what the name implies. It is also a sister sight to Lightspeed, with a similar format. it offers the same consumption versatility.

Another noteworthy source is SF Signal. Touted as the 2012 Hugo winner for Best Fanzine, they offer a lot of good write ups, author interviews, and industry insight. They also offer a periodic list of available free fiction from around the web. My Andriod phone is stuffed with free books from Amazon thanks to SFS.

In the mean time, I've been researching and working on several projects over the last month. There is a back load of pics and content on the way, so there should be some cool bushcraft and upcycling coming soon. If anyone out there has any fiction links or project ideas shoot them my way. I'm always looking for my next obsession.

I have to end with a shout out to Dawn Montgomery, a long time friend who is experiencing a boon from her latest erotica release Haunting Melody St. Claire. If you like it hot and steamy, she has what you need.

Till next time, keep creating. Remember, we are defined by what we create, not what we consume.

Sometimes You Just Need an Ax

So, I found myself needing a new caving ax. My previous version was hot forged out of a leaf spring and hafted into the handle in a rather primitive style. During the Easter trip home I hit the flea markets with my father-in-law with the intentions of picking up a antiuqe, vintage, or just plain rusty ax head I could modify for my purposes.

Thanks to my my bargain hunting buddy's quick eye, and a five dollar bill I came into possession of this high carbon lovely patina bearing beauty.

It quickly occurred to us that twice the blades meant two axes if I was careful while rough cutting.

I chunked a two dollar cutting wheel on the 4.5" angle grinder and I had two ax head blanks.The primary concern is overheating the cuttig edge, but a nearby bucket of water keeps the heat in check. An occasional quick dip was all that was needed.

The general idea was a pair of bearded axes.

Some additional shaping with with a grinding wheel and a 40 grit flap sander yeilded a couple of pleasing shapes.There was little attention given to the surface finish, as the intention is to induce rust pitting, followed by a vinegar etching. The rust is encouraged by soaking the steel in a bleach and salt water solution. It is pointless to do any sharpening before this step. The cutting edge would just get eaten away. The additional swirls, scratches, and imperfections make me smile, so I skipped the polishing. After a few years of handling the steel should develop a nice warm patina that invites you to handle and use the the tool without fear of hurting it. I like my gear to be attractive, yet still rugged.

To that end, the first piece and the smaller of the two, got a hand cut oak handle. A red oak trim board could have been obtained easily enough, but that would have underminded the intended idea and aesthetic.

I found a suitable piece of oak in a pile of five inch thick branches that were rescued last month, before they could make the trip to the dump. After the general shape was carved the head was mounted.

The final shaping and sanding process was followed by a ferric acetate wood stain. This sounds impressive, but it is pretty simple. Soak some fine oil free steel wool in vinegar for at least twenty-four hours. When you brush this solution on a tannin heavy wood like oak the tannins react with the iron and turn a deep grey black. If the wood you want to stain is not tannin rich, brew some strong black tea and brush it over the wood. Let it dry, and then apply the vinegar solution.

I followed that up with a commercial walnut colored stain and seal in one that I had lying around. The result is a deep brown with heavy black sinews.

The unique bone shape is an artifact caused by a nasty looking knot at the base of the handle. Once I carved around it I fell in love with the extra detail. The grip is extremely comfortable and feels natural. The heft and balance are perfect whether battoning or carving up close. There is a slight twist along the length that makes the aim instinctive. The steel isn't as high carbon as it could be, but it has held an edge well under pretty heavy use. Overall I couldn't be more pleased with the results, and now I have a nice ax to carve the handle for his big brother.

Welcome to the house.

I'm into a lot of stuff. There are so many cool things out there, how can I not be. I'm a recently reignited writer, amateur carver, fledgling black smith, wannabe vintage bike builder, sometime scrap artist, and all around scrounger. The proverbial jack you have heard so much about.

What do these things all have in common? Simple, the fine art that is creating something from next to nothing. Call it up-cycling, trash to treasure, scrapping, eco-living or whatever else they are calling it now.

I sum it up in my online moniker "CrescentSon". In British heraldic traditions the eldest son inherited the fathers coat of arms. The second born took a symbol, a crescent, called a mark of cadency to distinguish his crest from his father's, and went out into the world to make his own name and fortune. Crescent Son is the embodiment of being that second born son, given little, and sent out to make what we may with it.

That's what I do. I scavenge, scrounge, and scrap from whatever is available, and make whatever comes into my little brain pan. Whether writing, building, or crafting, I start with nearly nothing and try to transform it into something useful.

I collect discarded tree trimmings from my neighborhood. That is where my carving wood comes from. I "mill" it down with basic tools and make spoons, bowls, plaques, cutting boards, magic wands, and... whatever might be handy.

My carving ax and knives were forged from files, springs, cable, and saw blades whose lives were otherwise over. My forge is a re-purposed water heater tank. My "bellows" started life as a vacuum motor. My anvil is a 3' piece of rail road track.

It constantly amazes me what can be made with raw resources, or what has been discarded by society. I feel compelled to share that with whoever might be interested, and hope to pick up whatever I can from those with something to offer. In a world where everything is engineered for planned obsolescence and made in a industrial factory by people who hate their jobs, nothing makes me happier than seeing the enjoyment one gets from making something  in the humblest settings that is intended to last. As we go along I hope to share what I find interesting with a group of like minded folks who are focused on using meager resources to scratch together a life worth loving.

I think the universal consciousness is beginning to shift towards those of us who don't need the latest, greatest, or newest to be happy. All it takes is what you already have, a bit of readily available knowledge, and the time that would just be wasted elsewhere.