Home-made knife hinges?

[george wilson]

I was not aware of the GRS hammers. I guess they are making their hammers for the same reason I made mine designed like that: Just a simple lathe turning. At least their handles approach a suitable design better than most of the stuff I have seen. At least,they could be reshaped ahead of the bulb some.

How long has GRS been making those? I made mine in the 70's. The "graceful" hammers were made in 2003.

[David Barnett]

I was not aware of the GRS hammers. I guess they are making their hammers for the same reason I made mine designed like that: Just a simple lathe turning. At least their handles approach a suitable design better than most of the stuff I have seen. At least,they could be reshaped ahead of the bulb some.

How long has GRS been making those? I made mine in the 70's. The "graceful" hammers were made in 2003.

I remember when GRS first offered their hammers but not which year, although I know it was before 2006. At any rate, not so long before that. Your hammers may be simple lathe turnings but they're nonetheless exquisite.

Here's one of Lynton's hammers he gave to Sam Alfano when they were both at New Orleans Arms Co. in the 1980s. The handle in this example is plain as can be. I don't remember where I saw his hammer with both large and small flat polls. Probably in an older B&W engraving book. I have seen other photos where he appears to use a standard but largish jeweler's chasing hammer.

I've long used a beeswax and mutton fat mixture in a similar tin.

[David Barnett]

The handles are ball pane(Yes,that's correct,but now everyone says PEEN or PEIN. I can't even Google PANE now!! But that's the old name) type,but you can't get them this small any more.

My OED gives pein as a variant of pane and peen as a variant of pein. What a pain!

[Mel Fulks]

David, that's good, but you did not quite write a paean!

[David Barnett]

David, that's good, but you did not quite write a paean!

Paean! [head slap] You have bested me, Mel. If only I'd written a paean extolling ball-peen, ball-pein or ball-pane over ball-pain. Truly a lost poetic opportunity, yes.

[Mark Kornell]

I imagine it wouldn't be difficult to write a paean extolling pretty much anything over ball-pain.

[george wilson]

Thank you for the picture of Lynton's hammer. I wonder what purpose the pointed top had? You probably know if anyone does. I have to say that I think the shape of the pointed top does not go with the rest of the design. I'm sure Lynton had some reason for doing it. But,it must be recalled that in 1963 he was a much younger person. I don't know his age when he died. It might have been a bit hard to tell,whenever I saw him,with the effect on his face of the prednisolone he had to take.

Engraving is something I have long been interested in.But haven't stuck to the practice of it like you have to. For some reason I am better at relief chiseling. I don't know why. The mold for the porpoise is an example of that.

So,from your research it looks like pane is the original word from which pein and peen have grown. I always just say pein (or am I saying PEEN?) in normal conversation myself,but suppose I was getting nit picky in the post above. I try to impart correct information,even if it gets a bit esoteric.

Some of you guys are very edjufimicated.

But,must we praise with the paean,sing of the pane,extoll the peen,or cover the pein in glory?(This attempt at levity may not be great!! I feel like you know what this A.M..)

[Dave Cav]

And here's a walk-through showing how Robert Whelan made his straight copper knife hinges. I prefer offset but you might rather start with straight.

Also, American Woodworker had an article in the Jan-Feb 1990 issue that can be pulled up on Google Books that shows knife hinge construction in the home shop and explains how to regrind a drill bit for soft metals.

You can also make attractive knife hinges from wood (after Ellis Walentine), which Andy Rae covers in The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture & Cabinet Construction, as I recall—a good use for exotic scraps.

Thanks for the information; that is what I was looking for.

[Rob Lee]

Thank you for the picture of Lynton's hammer. I wonder what purpose the pointed top had? You probably know if anyone does. I have to say that I think the shape of the pointed top does not go with the rest of the design. I'm sure Lynton had some reason for doing it.....(snip)

Hi George!

I have an old Barrister's hammer with a pointed end....used for breaking wax seals ....

I could see an engraver using a pointed head the same way....to free the work from a hard wax.

Truely fabulous work shown on this thread.....!

Cheers,

Rob

[Winton Applegate]

if you have an arbor press

For small stuff I use the drill press. To add some rigidity and protect the table you can put a 4x4 between the table underside and the base. Shim with plywood or particle board cut offs. I have a pretty hefty floor standing, home shop Delta that has quite a large diameter column (that is one reason I picked it over other brands). Makes me wonder why I went so long with bench top drill presses.
Mannnnn I lucked out and got it, a nice Delta, for under $ 400 with shipping. Those “good O’l days are GONE from the looks of things.

Hey my first “Tool Gloat”.

Pakistan, India

Are you kidding ? Those are my go to sources for precision machine tooling !
NOT
anyway they need to discover the invention called the toilet.
And stop raping women who are attempting to use the public transportation system before I would even think of, considering, looking at anything imported from there.
Oh and there is the little thing where women get killed by THEIR OWN FAMILY for doing what their brothers are allowed to do all the time.
Helloooooo

Sorry, it T-s me off. This IS the 21st century !

G. W.,

edited out because politically incorrect

I don’t know if mine are politically correct but I do know right and wrong.

[David Barnett]

For small stuff I use the drill press. To add some rigidity and protect the table you can put a 4x4 between the table underside and the base. Shim with plywood or particle board cut offs. I have a pretty hefty floor standing, home shop Delta that has quite a large diameter column (that is one reason I picked it over other brands). Makes me wonder why I went so long with bench top drill presses.
Mannnnn I lucked out and got it, a nice Delta, for under $ 400 with shipping. Those “good O’l days are GONE from the looks of things.

I, too, have an older (20 years) Delta with a beefy column that can handle light pressing and used it a few times before I bought an arbor press. The arbor press gets lots of use, though, for everything from blanking pen nibs, staking, setting frets, tool and knifemaking, making hardware to beaucoup jewelry tasks. It's just a 1-ton but has done all I've asked and is easy to add attachments to both ram and table plate. Not everyone needs a press but I'd hate to live without one.

I think I paid less than forty dollars way back but you can currently get a passable 1-ton on sale at Harbor Freight for $49.95. Grizzly's 1-ton is ten bucks more plus shipping.

Those “good O’l days are GONE from the looks of things.

Long gone, indeed, but there are still a few deals if you're lucky enough to stumble across one. Got my Delta for $275 because it was misdelivered to a going-out-of-business tool store. I'll never need another, which is good, because that'll never happen again.

[george wilson]

I would like to DISCOURAGE ANYONE from trying to use a drill press as an arbor press. The rack gears on most drill presses,at least the older,but GOOD ones,are milled right out of the cast iron quill. I wouldn't even use a drill press for cutting mortises larger than 1/4" myself. Those cast iron gear teeth break off so easily,and there is no way to easily fix them.

We had a large,heavy duty old Delta drill press,a 20" one,that had been used for mortising a lot. Its rack teeth were nearly all broken off right down to their roots. I got rid of it. Only re building up the teeth with brazing,and re milling them could have repaired the spindle. And that would likely have bulged the spindle or warped it so it would no longer fit properly. The only real cure would have been to find a new spindle,not easy to do on a 1950's(or 40's) drill press.

[David Barnett]

I would like to DISCOURAGE ANYONE from trying to use a drill press as an arbor press. The rack gears on most drill presses,at least the older,but GOOD ones,are milled right out of the cast iron quill. I wouldn't even use a drill press for cutting mortises larger than 1/4" myself. Those cast iron gear teeth break off so easily,and there is no way to easily fix them.

Good advice. Drill presses are for drilling. In my ignorance, I did it a few times before being told by a machinist to buy a press, which I did. I was lucky. Had a friend who tried to use a cross-slide vise on his drill press for some light milling. Bad outcome, that.

[george wilson]

Yes,David. The bearings in drill presses are not designed for sideways thrust. Just vertical thrust. I still have my original,purchased new,and until recently ONLY 1963 Craftsman drill press. I had to replace the motor last year. Piece of junk!!! I want my money back!!!

Actually,it might just be the bearings that gave out. I had a similar motor and replaced it.

I just bought,for what some say,a too high price,(I don't think so),a 1950's heavy duty Walker Turner 20" metal working drill press. It is not yet re assembled. Too heavy for 1 man with 2 broken fingers!! The table weighs 100#.(Hash mark that,you politicians!!) But,it is so cool! And,the owner rebuilt it with new spindle bearings,and restored it to looking new. The coolest part,is there is a small belt going through an opening in the head casting. It goes 90º to the main belt,from a gearbox to another gearbox with 3 handles. There are step pulleys on the cross feed,in about 1/2 the size of normal step pulleys. This is the power feed. You can flick the 3 handles in or out to engage the feed. He also put on a VFD,as the drill is 3 phase. I should be able to run it slow enough to drill 1 1/2" holes in steel plate. That will be essential,if I EVER get going making my 100 ton coining press. The steel parts will be very hard to lift in this monster! Most MODERN drill presses run WAY TOO FAST to drill the size of holes they are advertised to be capable of. The drills would burn out. You can't drill a 1 1/2" hole with 300 RPM,(the usual slowest speed of NEW drill presses). Not unless your bit is made of unobtainium. But then,how could you ever sharpen it? No,It cost no more than a large new Grizzly,and infinitely better quality and design.(If Grizzly wanted to copy this machine,I'd let them).