Descending Ashtray

Thanks to the Art Center for this awesome table!

My new toy.

Kestrel Tools makes Traditional Northwest Coast Native American carving tools. I’d been interested in acquiring a crooked knife after reading Totem Pole Carving and found Kestrel’s web site via Google. My mom got me a gift certificate for Christmas, so I ordered two crooked knives (C-bend and E-bend), which should arrive in late January or early February (just in time for my birthday).

Apparently the maker is retiring in 2006, so I ordered an adze, too. Mine is the Sitka Gutter Adze (second from right).

Sarah got me this for Christmas to tote my carving knives and gouges around in. Better than leaving them all over the house. Probably my favorite present just because it was something so simple I had needed for so long.

My dad sent me a check for Christmas this year, so I used some of the money to buy these spokeshaves. The cast-iron handles were a little rough, so I polished them a bit, but they could use a little more work. Very fun to use, though, and seem to be good blades. Here’s a birds-eye view:

… and the underside/mouths. The top one is a flat blade, a convex blade, and a concave blade. I had occasion to use all three on the kayak paddle and was pleased with the results. About $25 each from Portland’s Woodcrafters store. Brand is Kunz, made in Germany.

I had a funny thing happen when I took the blades out to sharpen them before use. I wasn’t paying attention and ended up putting them in backwards when I replaced them in the housing. Tried them out with predictably poor results. Several minutes of swearing later, I realized my mistake. Oopth.

I made my mother a kayak paddle for Christmas this year. It’s made of walnut and basswood (shaft), as well as alder (wide parts of blade). Finished with two coats of Seal-A-Cell clear oil, but I intend to put some polyurethane on top of that, wet-sanded.

Here’s a shot of one of the blades. I eyeballed the pattern after a scouting trip at Portland’s REI Store.

… and another shot from the side. As well as being “spoon-shaped” in profile, the blade tapers off vertically from the walnut.

Finally, a full-length shot of the paddle in my shop (leaning up some long maple or birch boards). Big download, sorry. It’s 85.75 inches in total length, based largely on some paddles I measured at REI. It’s pretty lightweight, though, maybe 2-3 pounds or so.