James, please forgive me the following comment (I am a building code official in my day job)

I take it there are no building codes or permit requirements in Plummer Idaho.........

The pavers look awesome though. I think you have made up my mind. I'm putting a paver floor in my next shop.

There are building codes & permits for commercial properties, homes etc. Off grid cabins, barns, workshops, sheds etc. no building permits needed. Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing all have codes-permits.

Fair enough. Looks very serviceable and quite attractive to boot! I'm sure you will enjoy that building even more knowing that you built it yourself. Nice job.

More progress.

Picked this up today for $100 Service Diamond. Called the company and I'm ordering a manual tomorrow. So far it needs the penetrator $215 from company or about $20 elsewhere? and maybe weights? I don't know anything about them ,but I think it will be a good tool to improve my knife quality.

Gilbert

I made a kitchen knife for someone who wanted to give his wife a nice knife for Christmas last year. Of course, I gave him my standard "Use & Care Instructions" which included never put the knife in the dishwasher. He brought it back to me and asked if anything could be done to fix the finish after his daughter did exactly what she had been told to never ever do. 1095 and cocobolo with 410 bolster plate. AAAAAAAAAAAAAH <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//angry.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':angry:' />

Warning: The following images contain graphic material that some people may find uncomfortable.

Ouch, that hurts. Kinda an interesting pattern.

After blowing up the VFD on my KMG, I packed a bunch of stuff into boxes and threw a bunch of crap away.

OH MAN! That knife in the dishwasher just makes my skin crawl! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> I've had that same thing happen so many times that I've gotten hard core about it.....when they bring one back to me looking like that, it's considered "repair work"....which I charge at a rate of $65 per hour. In a few cases the individuals have gotten angry and scoffed at it, but I snap them back to reality with "my warranty on knives does NOT cover stupid". I constantly find myself amazed at people who don't take care of a knife, then expect me to "fix it" for free......not happening.

While I'm here...this wasn't today....more like a couple of days ago, but I finished my first pieces for the 2018 Blade Show. A Culinary set of my Fossil Damascus, with plug welds of explosion patter. Finished off with Desert Ironwood scales, and the blades coated with satin clear Gun-Kote. The plan is to have a Desert Ironwood display stand for them, but we'll have to see what time allows.

|quoted:

OH MAN! That knife in the dishwasher just makes my skin crawl! <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> I've had that same thing happen so many times that I've gotten hard core about it.....when they bring one back to me looking like that, it's considered "repair work"....which I charge at a rate of $65 per hour. In a few cases the individuals have gotten angry and scoffed at it, but I snap them back to reality with "my warranty on knives does NOT cover stupid". I constantly find myself amazed at people who don't take care of a knife, then expect me to "fix it" for free......not happening.

Same here. This took an hour to clean up and sand most of the pitting down and put an edge back on it. $50. Luckily the owner was not expecting free.

I cannot see the knife pic at work (strange how the web filter here sometimes works....) will take a look later tonight.

Well now, those are pretty cool Ed. I haven't seen any of your fossil Damascus in a few years and the makeup has changed. I like they way you are manipulating it now to create a predictable pattern. What I remember (from the early days) is chunks of Damascus in a black background. It was cool, but not as nice as these are. Someday I have got to try that steel in a can thingy......

Well this weekend I finished wiring the temporary shop in the garage. Then I replaced the VFD on my grinder and replaced the broken compressor pump. As soon as I get the main bench area set up, I will be back in the saddle!

Please see: This thread for the latest events in my shop

Today's forgings. The small one is 1095, the Bowie is O-1.

The templates I use for shaping are next to them.