Where Do I Go From

[cst]

Here

I know it needs work, I just don't know what to do with it. This is my first attempt at beveling and I'm using spoons because I live in a no hammer zone.

I know I need to cut the red wire, but all of a sudden I'm color blind.

I know practice will help, both with the swivel knife and spoons, but I am not sure what to practice. I spent about two and half hours beveling and smoothing and rounding. I just am not sure what I'm doing. Wrong or right.

The title of this should have been "I just am not sure what I'm doing"

So, any advice?

Sell my tools and soak my head?

Are there instructional DVDs I can buy that focus on swivel knives and spoons?

[HippieLee]

Man it's rough being in a no-hammer zone - I'd want to background all the in-betweens but I'm not sure how you would do it without a hammer - maybe get it a little wetter than usual and press hard? That's probably terrible advice. Take it to a public park with a concrete picnic table and background it.

It's also hard to tell from just one pic but I can hear my Tandy leather instructor hollering in my head to cut deeper - maybe you did but it just doesn't show as much since you can't pound the beveler in.

If it was my piece I'd use a small pattern backgrounder and either resist the top part and antique it or just dye it as-is. You can see the same knot on my sporran in my avatar - my gallery has a bigger picture so you can see all the ways I screwed mine up lol. Next time I'll try to be more consistent in my tooling and my dying. Using a fine paint brush is time-consuming difficult but it's something I need to practice.

Wait around for the regulars to show up - they can do this stuff beautifully in their sleep and will know exactly what to do. Looks like a pretty good start to me though - especially given the limitations of your environment. Even if all you do is dye it and buff it up real nice it will look better afterwards.

Edited June 5, 2014 by HippieLee

[cst]

Thanks. That's some 3-4oz stuff I bought from TLF three or four years ago, that I've slowly been using up as welts. Once it is sanded, slicked and painted all the surface defects don't matter.

I cut through in a number of places, maybe I need a heavier hand with my spoon. Or maybe I should go buy a shoulder of something heavier to learn on.

I have one of those nylon swivel knife bevelering blades I bought a few years ago, but seem to have misplaced it. Springfield leather tells me they are all sold out and will probably have some more at some undetermined time in the future. Maybe.

Edited June 5, 2014 by cst

[WyomingSlick]

Stippler

[cst]

If another picture would help, here it is at the same level of humidity only a different angle

[cst]

I like that. Thanks. I'm going to go order one now

[Stephenpuhakish]

Here's a thought, if you're doing smooth bevelling, make a push(or speed) beveller. It's usually used on longer lines but I think you could still make it work for you. I have one that I ground myself for making belts. It's in one of the Al Stohlman books somewhere, I'm sure someone has made a post about them before too.

[cst]

Thanks. I ordered one of those push bevelers and an f896 smooth round figure stamp as well. I figure I can kinda rub it over the rough stuff like a spoon only with a bigger surface area.

It just occurred to me I could have used a teaspoon for that.

I appreciate the help

[HippieLee]

I have one of those nylon swivel knife bevelering blades I bought a few years ago, but seem to have misplaced it. Springfield leather tells me they are all sold out and will probably have some more at some undetermined time in the future. Maybe.

I've been looking for one of those! My instructor loves them for long straight parts that need it - he told me to get it from Springfield but when I looked I couldn't find anything on their site that looked like what he has. Glad to know they are just out and I'm not really incompetent at searching a site lol. Also glad to know they'll get some more in maybe...

Stippler.jpg

Stippler

Brilliant! I like the looks of that...

[cst]

Now the background is dealt with, can I get some guidance on using the spoons to clean it up? Maybe a book or video recommendation? Or just some clear instructions. Thanks very much.