Deadlines reminder

Don't forget, the deadline for submissions for the first newsletter is Nov. 18th, and the deadline for the scavenger knife contest is Nov. 30th.

[Lawrence Kemp]

Need a little direction. Am working on my knife for the scavenger contest, but have a question. Everything is scavenged, but is it allowable to use solder and or epoxy when affixing the handle and guard? Couldn't seem to find the answer in any of the other threads.

Only if you can scavenge it.

If you use any store bought materials, but still want to enter the knife, just make a note of it in your entry post. Honesty counts.

By the way, you could make your own solder from scavenged materials and possibly find an epoxy substitute.

[Lawrence Kemp]

Thanks for the quick reply Tai. I think I know where I can find some lead on some old pipes, but if I try to use some pitch from the pines here in Tenn. do I need to boil it first? Or just melt it and pour it in? Is there anything else that comes to mind to use as epoxy?
Golly Dog!! You don't realize how dependant you really are on storebought stuff until you try to do without!!!

You'll need to simmer the pitch and strain it through a strainer. Be careful not to get it too hot. It is flamable, just simmer gently for 5-10 minutes. If it cools hard it should be O.K. Pinion is the only kind I'm familiar with, so you'd have to try it. Other substitues might be hard (dry) tar, or sugar. Sugar will melt and cool hard, but it is water soluble, the main difference between sugar and pitch.

You maybe able to find a recipe for making your own pewter.

[Lawrence Kemp]

Thanks Tai. I'm going to try with the pitch. If it's hard when I get it, it should work out OK I would guess. Otherwise, the asphalt out front of work here may seperate where the tar in the seams has come loose!

It's best to collect the pitch in hard, dry form. It's easier to handle and store. If the pitch is soft, you will need to simmer it longer to get it to cool hard. Sugar would be better than tar, but you may need to seal it with a non-water soluble sealer. You can make a water proof sealer by disolving pine pitch in rubbing alcohol.

Are you sure there are no pinion pines where you are? They tend to thrive at lower semi arid climates. They are the first pines you see as you head up into the mountains around here, mixed in with junipers.

[Lawrence Kemp]

Yes, unfortunately I am sure there are no pinion pines here. After searching around, I finally called the forest service here and was assured there were none here, the climate is not arid enough. Another thing I learned is that the pines that do grow here have a much looser pitch because of the more humid conditions. I am going to experiment with the white pine however, and try to "milk" it like tapping a maple tree for sugar. Going Pitch hunting this afternoon in a new area looking for "brused" trees though.

[John Frankl]

definitely scavenged. In the Philippines a lot of narrow/stick tang blades are secured inside the handle with old plastic bags. Just stuff as much plastic as you can into the hole you've drilled/burnt into the handle, then heat up the tang, then tap them together. The plastic melts to conform perfectly to the tang, then hardens when it dries. I doubt this is as good as epoxy, but it gets the job done.

John Frankl

Cool tip, John!

Soft pitch, as a general rule, just needs to simmer a bit longer. Let us know what you can find out about other types of pine pitch.

I use the hard balls of pinon. If you get a good tight fit on the hole, you can just heat the tang a bit, rub it with the pitch (it melts over the tang) and slide it it. To get a square hole, I drill a round pilot hole and then heat the tang and burn it in.

[Chuck Burrows]

Larry-
Eastern woodland Pine pitch works fine - it's what Dan'l Boone and them guys used to haft their knives with. You might check out some of the mountain man sites (go to http://www.braintan.com) and check their links out for more info.
I use eastern pine pitch for making my hard sewing wax (50/50 pitch and beeswax) and have used it in the past to haft knives with (I get it from Jas Townsend and Sons, but that's a no no for this contest). Try to find a downed or lightening struck pine if you can and get some of the of old hard pitch that has oozed out.
BTW I use an old crockpot without the ceramic liner to melt my pitch down with - no open flame so it's a bit less dangerous that way, plus you have better heat control.


Chuck

[Chuck Burrows]

5 parts pitch
1 part wood ashes
1 part tallow

Here's a recipe for making a hafting mixture that I got from a friend who is in to flintknapping. He says it works great.

Hope this helps.

Chuck