Scott, Nothin like making a steel plate sing at a hundred yards with a big bore air gun!! Some good family fun.... Deer hunting with a air rifle is something you will never forget, not a whole lot of people get a chance to do it! Good luck too you, I'm sure your outrider will have no trouble puting one down! Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, It's impersive how you get that mirror shine on that tool steel, that 97 has a very natarul look! That dark contrast in the ingraving really catches the eye! Nice work. I was useing my Barnes bone folder the other day too cut some canvas and it cut like a hot knife thru butter! It's been a great knife... You just can't buy knifes as sharp as a Barnes! Hope everyone has a good weekeby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Kurt, Hey very intresting story! I never knew loveless blades were so sought after.... When I was a kid my father had a small fixed loveless blade, I remember looking at it wishing I had one too lol.. Not sure what happend to it over the years. Thanks for sharing your story brought back some good memories. Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, I'll give you 20 bucks for the blue print! If you want to build it also that would be great I can sell it as a compleat product...One time offer its a good deal on your part..... Lol... I once had a fellow tell me that one, mind you he had no experience in machining/designing..not saying he could not learn, but boy it made me chuckle ha. I had to explain to him in detail all the procesby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Pedro, The garage turnd out good you could eat off those floors! it's nice working in a clean area.... Easy to find the tools you need! It sure does Drive me crazey when you can't find your favorite crescent wrench!! Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, That air rifle is umm well..... Incredible! The steel brass and aluminum go together well! That is a ton of work on that one.... I like the longer barrel on it too, ought to be a great rifle to shoot! The ingravings I like as well! Turning out to be very nice!! Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Hey all found this video on the process of makeing damacus steel for blades.. Does not look easy to do, thought you guys might enjoy it. Matt Here's the link. damascusyoutubeby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, Great job on the blade!! I like how the milled out slot for the button is polished to a mirror finish lots of detail/contrast in this one! Gary L. got a awesome knife! Hope the neck starts to feel better soon, doing that kind of precision work... With any kind of distractions must be hard! Still made a great 97 tho! Nice work, Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Pedro, That's some nice work on the tool post I don't think you can buy em that nice for the mini lathe!! You turned that ugly block of HRS into a great tool holder ...I see you've learned a thing or two or seven....working in the trades as a tool maker! Was looking at some smaller band saws on the inter webs... As you were saying, they are not too expensive. Do Plan to get one in the future!by Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Sal, looks like those roots can be troublesome! Good thing you've got some good helpers! My dad always made me help with projects around the house also... Ha did not enjoy it at the time... but am thankful now for learning this and that! The heat can really take it out of you sometimes it's been vary humid up here also! Great job on the work bench! it's nice you can wheel it around the garage fby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Jeff, Now you mention that, got me thinking.... that must be how he gets such nice arcs and curves in his engraving ha who would a known! Must be one of them old school tricks. Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, The engravings have some great contrast, nice clean lines, looks good! Not bad for using a jack hammer! Nice work Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Hugh, That is a awesome air rifle! being used as it was intended to.. You've got some good taste in rifle designers! Vary nice rang too, thanks for sharing your air rifle, nice to see this kind of stuff! Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, It's great to hear/see about some of your machining techniques! I like how you use some traditional methods like using layout fluid scribing lines custom made jigs/ fixtures etc... I first learned machining the old fashion way IMO it has a more natural feel when compared to CNC.... Once you start to make that block of metal into a 3 dimensional object, the math alone can be staggering wby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Pedro, Nice work on the tool post! it's great when you can machine parts for your machine on your machine haha...it always makes it a more enjoyable process when things go smooth and you can eliminate some set up time! Nice little lathe... I like how it's a 4 jaw makes some nice finish cuts also! I must say that band saw restoration turned out awesome! Would like to have a bandsaw for the garby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Kurt, What a pic! It Reminds me of the move twister... Glad the damage was not to bad! We've been getting some storms down here for the past couple days, the rain was defiantly much needed tho...I'm happy we don't really get crazy weather like big tournedos earthquakes tsunami big floods etc... Michigan seems to be in a safe zone. Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, I love that Damascus steel it looks great some nice patterns you got!! was reading about Damascus.. It can be vary difficult to get nice patterns! Was showing some ppl your work one guy thought it was photoshopped lol, he had never seen so much detail!! these are all great examples of your work it's nice to see em all bunched together gives a good perspective of all the craftamenship! Thatby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Sean, Kurt, Lon, Thanks guys I'm glad u like em... I've got a secret fishing lake I go to its in a nature preserve in the back of my subdivision... No one ever goes back there because it's about a 1/4 mile walk thru the woods with nice trails but lots of skeeters. there's a nice flat bottom boat put back there for the sub, I'm the only one who ever uses it... It's a rather shallow lake and yoby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
I agree with Karl lots of different styles in one model! all are great looking blades! I see 100s of 1000s of hours work here!! Nice work and designs! Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, Thanks I appricat it, it will be used in the field that's why I prefer the skeeter tusk easy clean up, the buck knife I have know is not nearly as sharp as what you can produce! It's just one of them cheap cookie cutter brand knifes lol.... Big fan of tusk tho, not really haveing to worry about damaging is a plus for me! Thanks Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Hey Pedro, That's nice the band saw cuts fairly straight, we've received pre cut stock that was I kid you not almost a half inch out from a flat face, lol big pieces tho... You did a nice job refurbishing it! I've got a couple projects on hand at the moment... Working on a pair of Newley designed bolt actions... Finishing up the bolt housings.. Then I've almost got a prototype semi auto finisby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, Words can't describe this one, it's art work at its finest to say the least!! The detail is awesome some quality work! Nice job! As I mentioned I would like to snatch another blade from you in early fall/November if you happen to have any of that 90s colored tusk to set a side I would greatly appreciate it... Vary nice work on the 97 thanks for sharing it! Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Pedro, Looks like you've got some chips to break! Machining time is always fun when your making your own parts, excited to see the progress..... Also glad to here you got to use the band saw , as Kurt mentioned it is nice to be able to work on things at home! Finding time can be difficult tho.....I'm sure it will be a tack driver with the Barnes .308 barrel! Good luck with the build! Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, I honestly like the hidden tang with the tusk would really make a good game knife, I may be in the market for one in early November.. They all are good looking blades, also the skeeter tusk is vary unique and one of a kind you can't just go to the store and buy some lol... I've never really been a fan of plastic on knives or air rifles! But the tusk has a vary non synthetic look with allby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Some nice lines classic look to it also...no pins on this one? Looking nice! Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, Sry to here about the truck.... Seems like it's always something with those 4 wheeled machines, at least the older ones you can still work on! With the newer ones you need a degree in computer science to Change a spark plug lol...when all else fails Nitrous makes a vehical run better! Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Gary, That knife turned out great love the colors of the tusk! Would not want to drop that one in the bush might never find it again! Nice work Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Pedro, Hey nice work on the band saw! It looks brand new! amazing what a little matnence can do.... Now you got to get it all dirty again.... Was looking at similar band saws they all do seem to have the same styling. Nice work Mattby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Lon, Yes Sry depths of cuts....10 to 30s not bad with a smaller machine, good video for showcasing some of the capabilities! he was taking some nice cuts with that end mill...it's nice it uses r-8 collets also! Seems like this would be a great little mill for small projects or making custom airgun parts. I've seen some of these mini mills and mini lathes converted into cnc, they have kits youby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum
Kurt, That's good you like to use old stuff around the shop and bring em new life! If you can weld that hastalloy would prolly work well! Those old polyurethane skate board wheels would work well..that skate board may be a collectable tho haha... You've got some good options for your forge you plan to make also! Was watching a guy forge weld on tv, some neat stuff. Btw I here you on the scrap yby Matt b - Airgun Rendezvous Main Forum