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What is "Bedding the tang"? Bedding the tang means gluing a stick-tang blade into the handle block in such a way that it can come off again to be shaped without the blade in the way. The advantage is that the "hole" left in the glue now perfectly fits the tang. So when shaping the handle, you know it will go back on exactly right. As opposed to moving slightly in an oversided hole and the handle centreline not aligning with the spine and edge of the blade. Is it necessary to bed the tang? Absol …

This was my first experiment with hydrodipping or dip dying leather, and it came out pretty cool! I learned a couple of things from the process, if you add those pointers to your first test you will probably do even better. This was not my idea, youtube video link below to the original process. Thicken up the water This step is supposed to make the liquid thicker, the assumption is that the leather dye will get more time on the leather - I think. In reality the starch and water should been boile …

Staining wood with leather dye. or "How to make burl wood really pop". This technique really only works well on wood with curly grains, like burl wood and curly birch. Staining wood with flat grains parallell to the surface will leave less of an effect but can still look cool. For this one we are using Curly Birch in "Super" quality, this is a beautiful pale wood from Scandinavia where the grains are curled and twisted. This means the leather dye we add will get absorbed deeper into the wood an …

The Ultimate Guide to Knife Maintenance: Keep Your Blades Sharp and Strong A well-maintained knife is not just a tool—it’s an extension of your craft and a trusted companion in the kitchen, workshop, or outdoors. Whether you’re a knife maker, a chef, or an outdoor enthusiast, taking care of your blades ensures they stay sharp, safe, and last for years. In this guide, we’ll walk you through essential knife maintenance tips to keep your blades in top condition. 1. Keep Your …

What a Destruction Challenge we had this year!! Here are the summary slides from the Winner announcements, as well as links to all the entry videos.The Challenge was again hosted by Jamie "Sausage Man" Bishop, who is no stranger to big blades.Here is the link to Live Stream on Youtube to see the whole thing:And here are the summary slides if preferring to read through:(Link to all entry videos below slides)And here are all the 7 entry videos:Aime C:Russell C:Dane S:David C:Oliver W:Andrew W …

Build article on the Damascus Core Cu Mai Knife: SteelHeat treatmentGrindEtchingHandle shapingSheath texture, dye and finishSpecial steelThis blade is made from damascus cored cu mai (or cumai) made by Dane Standen at Standen Knives. Dane very kindly donated a billet of this steel for the Destruction Challenge and as we just started stocking it, so I was keen to try it out!Forging steel with copper - nope.Laminated steels with copper are often recommended not to be forged to shape. There is a r …

Join Jamie SausageMan Bishop for the Winner Announcements!When: Wed 30th October 2024Time: 8 PM DST (Sydney Time)Where: Nordic Edge Youtube Channel (LINK) 2024 Destruction Challenge WinnersIt is time to crown the winners of the Destruction Challenge. The facebook group has viewed the videos and scored the winners, and it is time to see some videos!Judging:The winners were selected based on scoring in 3 criteria,How well was the knife suited?How well did it hold up to the Destruction Ch …

The Nordic Edge Destruction Challenge is back! Make a big blade in OctoberFilm yourself doing the challenges and upload your videoFree to enter, prizes to be wonOnly for Australian makersDates: Entries close Sunday 26th Oct 5 PM AESTJudging forms go out Sunday nightWinner announcements on live stream Wed 30th Oct 8 PMLive stream with rules: Wed 2nd OctJamie from Sausage Man Forge hosted the Kick Off live stream with guest Wayne Meligan from Pirate Forge Wed 2nd Oct:Summary slides from the live …

In October we are running the Nordic Edge Destruction Challenge again.Timeline:  Live stream KICK OFF on Wed 3rd October 8 PMEntries Close Sun 26th OctoberLive stream WINNER ANNOUNCEMENTS Wed 30th October 8 PMLive Streams on Australian Beginner Knifemaking Group on Facebook: LINKFull details on live stream Wed 3rd October:Knife requirementsDestruction challenge testsSharpness testsHow to enterThe live streams are hosted by Jamie "Sausage Man" Bishop.Last we ran this challenge was …

Rosehill Gardens hosted the Sydney Knife Show 2024 the weekend of 10th and 11th of August.KAA runs a great showThe biggest knife show in Australia was on again a couple of weekends ago, here are some photos from the show. As always Kevin Slattery and the others in the KAA are putting on a well organised show, this year was no exception. Andrew Smith is a master organiser, juggling more balls every year with ease. It is easily overlooked when going to an event that someone has spent a lot o …