Loosvelt
Active Member
That is an "Armstrong" system, isn't it? Frank
What's a Armstrong system?
That is an "Armstrong" system, isn't it? Frank
Thanks for getting them up Anthony ! Frank
You must of found out by now with that filing jig. Frank
Why cant we just get some more pics of jigs without the drama.Some of us are disabled and must use them.Some just like to use them.Who cares.Let your own work stand for itself and dont worry or tell others how they should do it.
Thanks, I'm old and shaky with bad eyes, and even with a 'Bubble Jig' it's the pits when a sudden jerk or twitch ruins hours of forging. And, being a hobby I don't get too much practice.
I agree to a point. If you use a ficture to hold a blade snd a table to rest the fixture on is it truely a HAND MADE KNIFE or just a custom made knife?????Where does it stop, Frank? At what point do you cross the line and stop being a knifemaker, one who makes knives by hand, and become the operator of a knife manufacturing facility? If you like grinding with a jig, you could probably find an old mechanical blade grinder like the old factories used. That could will get old though, so you invest in a CNC blade grinder like modern factories use. Why stop with a jig when you can have a machine in which you load a blade blank, push the button, and a couple of minutes later you have a blade that's completely ground? Why stop with blades? I'm sure there are fixtures for holding blocks of wood and ivory for shaping.
Factories can design knives as well as knifemakers, and in many cases are better. Factories can and in some cases do use the same quality materials. One of the biggest things that set knife MAKERS apart from knife FACTORIES is the hand work. If a maker is depending so heavily on tools to do the work because he either can't or won't do it by hand, he's turned into a one man knife factory.
The first knifemaker I met with a disability went by the handle "One Hander", and yes, he had only one hand. He made mostly folders including autos, and they were excellent. I've known Jeff Cover for many years. Jeff was right handed. . . until he lost it as a teenager. Jeff is a very competent knife maker. I've fly fished with him several times. He catches more trout than anybody I know! He also ties his own flies and ties them on his line. There was an older man years ago in the Guild whose name I've forgotten. He'd wheel his wheelchair up the grinder and work. He couldn't move around like I can, but he sure managed to do a great job!
Mcahron, you ask who cares. Many of the people who buy our knives do! They want to know that a maker uses his hands to make the knives he calls "hand made". I don't know what your disability is. If you do in fact need a jig, then use it. However, as I stated above I've know several disabled men who ground or still grind fine knives without jigs or fixtures.
So again, where is the line drawn? What are you telling your customers?
David