Zen_Hydra
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Born with a heart full of neutrality
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Mar 18, 2018 1:55:01 GMT
I recently had a nephew visit and take a machete to one of my favorite projects. I had made an ebony stained cane with a Iberian mace head beneath the handle and strategically placed leather grip wraps (with risers like you see on sword hilts). All of the cuts and gouges are in the wood between the grips. The hickory wood was damaged. The stain and boiled linseed oil finish was damaged. I'm not sure what to do. The deepest cuts are 1/3 of an inch into a 1 and 1/4 diameter piece of impact grade hickory from Purpleheart Armory. I'm on the fence about how compromised it is. Should I try to fill the cuts and gouges with something? Should I try to turn the damage into a spiral carving (possibly further compromising the strength)?
I am absolutely open to suggestions.
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Post by mrbadexample on Mar 18, 2018 2:27:10 GMT
Without pics, I'm not sure, but what was your nephew up to?
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Post by Jordan Williams on Mar 18, 2018 3:13:43 GMT
Perhaps you could try rounding out the cuts, and filling them with lead or steel and then pinning it together? That might make it weaker.
Honestly if it were me I would file them out to be half oval divots and then swing it around. If I felt confident of keep it and if I didn't I'd replace it.
Also yeah why was your nephew hacking your cane? Jeez I'm sorry man.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 18, 2018 14:58:07 GMT
Without photos it is hard to tell. I am unclear as to the finish. Is it a mixture of a stain mixed with oil or a stain applied to the wood followed by oil? Some light dents can possibly be steamed out if the wood fibres are not cut. The cuts are another story and possibly plugging them would be the best option. This was a common practice on British wood military stocks and I’ve seen this on late US stocks just before going to plastic. Probably due to shortage of wood and for economy reasons. What you do is to modify the hole or gouge to a manageable shape and then take another piece of wood and trim to fit the hole, insert w/glue possibly under pressure, and after drying sand to shape. This would be the strongest way. There are wood fillers in paste form that can be bought over the counter. I’ve received canes sold as seconds from the manufacturer as such. After repairing the wood sand and finish as desired. Personally I like an oil finish as I get a more positive grip in the wet and is easy to repair, possibly a stain w/o oil prior to oiling. You might consider after repairs a wrap of some sort such as a leather lace as a camouflage.
Is your nephew still alive? I would be sorely tempted.
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christain
Member
It's the steel on the inside that counts.
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Post by christain on Mar 18, 2018 23:28:00 GMT
Save the mace head and scrap the wood, then start over....and ban your nephew from your house...FOREVER.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 19, 2018 1:05:26 GMT
Save the mace head and scrap the wood, then start over....and ban your nephew from your house...FOREVER. ;) That would be the better idea. I was under the assumption that Zenhydra wanted to salvage what he could.
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christain
Member
It's the steel on the inside that counts.
Posts: 2,835
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Post by christain on Mar 19, 2018 1:17:37 GMT
I would give the nephew a pocket knife and have him whittle the wood down to shavings...then eat it. All of it.
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