False tension set pendant

Here is a silver pendant, set with an emerald cut topaz with a checkerboard table. It was a pleasant experience to manufacture and set, it didn't require an excessive amount of tinkering with. The stone is 20mm x 17mm. The last of the Christmas rush items
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Lumber Jacks' knife

This is a knife I have recently finished, it is made form bakkie leaf spring, it features a mild steel guard and Panga panga wooden scales, 6mm steel pins and alluminum thong tube. The overall lenght of this knife is 245mm. I took the pics in my new light tent.

Silver topaz dress ring

This is a Silver topaz, 17mm x19mm. Cushion cut with a. Checkerboard table. The shank is sterling silver, the customer wanted the collet to look as clutter free as possible hence the claws were recessed into the inner wall of the tube. I can honestly say even though its not my idea of tasteful design. I am happy with the end piece.
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Cast platinum Ring

On Wednesday I got top clean up a cast platinum engagement ring. It was ordered from a CAD design, so it definitely saved time and money compared to making it from a bar of platinum one would usually buy.
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Key hole bracelet back from engravers

This is the key hole bracelet I was busy on last week. It went for engraving and now its back. It is 45mm wide, not many people wear these any more so it was an experience to remember to make one. Thank goodness for en electric roller, and the fact that they're out of fashion.
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November time

This is a knife was an order, I just finished it this week. I tried something new and made some tooling stamps, to add a detail around the edges. I think it makes the sheath look more professionally made and more tasteful.

My first Key hole bracelet

I am busy on my first key hole bracelet, Go big or go home, this is 5cm wide and 240mm long. It will take a good part of this afternoon to finish
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Using my new hand vise

A customer wanted white gold crosses inlayed into a yellow gold ring. I am using my hand vise to keep it steady, I wanted to try it out instead of my ring clamp
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Prefect badges

I'm almost there, 5 down 10 to go
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Remnant of Dos cuchillios

Here is the knife I finished , this is the remains of Dos Cuchillos. African blackwood handle, the blade is GCR15.
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Prefect badges

Every year St.Johns orders silver crosses for the girls selected as prefects. One down 16 to pierce
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Deep groove bearing

Dos Cuchillos were originally made from the outer housing of a deep groove bearing, I bought "perd" cutting  discs from the engineers supposedly great for cutting stainless steels. It cut and did its job in all of half an hour. I was advised to get "slitting disc", which my uncle the engineer says will cut through steel like butter.

Dos Cuchillos

Progress so far on these two knives are going great. This Is only one knife, because they both look similar. The blade is 12C27 and the scales are giraffe shin bone. Featuring and 6mm mosaic pin and thong tube. All that needs to be done is the engraving and carving of the lion. For some reason this seems like the "more difficult" part.
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What a save!

This Is my latest knife, it is 155mm long. This is the remnant of "Dos Cuchillos" after one of the blade broke. It feels comfortable in the hand, I think it will make a perfect biltong knife. On then spine of the blade I try my hand at some decorative filework . Over all I am very pleased with this little one, I'm glad to be able to see my progress.

Springbok Charm!

Today I pierced and made this charm, a Customer is to have it made for her friend. She said her sun was playing for the Springboks....we think it might be patrick Lambies mom!
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Blanks

Here are my two new blanks, I received them KMTS on friday. They 12C27, a type of stainless steel
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Tamil Funeral

Yesterday I attended the funeral of my dads uncle. He was a tamil Man, I found it particularly interesting to observe all the rituals/ceremonies and prayers that were carried out during the course of the day. I was most taken by the final burial, because in south africa we don't have any "sacred" bodies of water to scatter the ashes, our relatives chose to bury the ashes on a family grave. The ashes are gathered from the crematorium, the Swami/brahman/priest placed a white piece of linen about half a meter by half a meter big on the ground. He then placed 4 pieces of camphor at each corner of the sheet and lit it, representing the 4 points of the compass. So when the spirit of the deceased resurrects he will not be lost, He then poured milk onto the ashes whilst saying a prayer, he said that the milk represents the 5 element to complete the "body". Then the swami/brahman/priest tied the corners of the sheet together and made a neat parcel and the ashes were then buried whilst saying another prayer.
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Interesting start to the week

This ring was set with four emeralds, I forgot to take a picture before I removed them. It looks like it was inspired by something from the ocean. It looks like it could of been an "art decor" re-issue from the 90's.
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Thumb injury

I'm not sure if this injury needed stitched. It seems to be doing ok, just throbbing like a disco strobe.
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Learned...the hard way

To day I learned valuable lessons. One is not to edge quench in water(and I forgot to normalize) Because it is very harsh and CAN cause stress fracture. Second Don't apply more stress to hardened Blades that have stress fracture, it can injure You severely.
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Chain making

This is the chain I am making with the wire I fought to make last week. I personally think its hideous. This gold was the customers 18ct that was brought down to 9ct but it doesn't seem to solder. The solder disappears and doesn't seal the join no matter how close. So I am having to fuse
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Joys of the job

Today I was busy making 2m of 2.4mm 9ct yellow gold round wire. My arms are lame and my hands that I thought were 'hard', are tender. The joys of the job
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Brothers birthday knife

This a knife I made for my brothers birthday, it is made from a tractor leaf spring, it has a karee bos handle witha brass quillion.
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Progress of Dos Cochillos

 Here is my progress on "Dos Cuchillos" so far, I have both my blanks forged and profiled. I am just busy cleaning them up before I start on the bevels. This is great steel, After all the work on the bench grinder and cooling in water it hasn't oxidized.

Its back

I have just sized down this ring. I remember making this three months ago. Its strange how you can tell your own handy work from another. It is 18ct yellow gold shank with an 18ct white gold setting, size K
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Guess What? People ordered knives!

My "brother-in-Law" has been in contact with me recently, he is on a hunt filming; filming the hunting of customers. They saw his knife and asked him about it, now they would like order so we have been communicating regarding these. The customers were interested in knives similar to this one, just a few changes to be made. I'm so excited, I am going to be so tired. Two knives to make amongst all the rest of life. I'll keep updating 

Bud vase

I was working on my bud vase yesterday, the pattern repeats on all four sides. it almost makes me think of the churches in Ethiopia carved out of the mountains

Stippling tool

 I mad Zuki a tool today, I'm not sure what you would call it. It will be used to emboss goose bump looking dots into lithoplate . Hope it does it's job Zu

Anvil stand and firebrick

I felt very productive today, I made an anvil stand for my anvil and cleaned up shop./

Then I was busy with the fire bricks I Bought on Thursday from kamel potteries, I am busy making a new forge. Although the kiln shelving has been doing its job, I know that if the chamber is smaller the forge will heat up faster. Another reason for using fire brick is that, when I made the my original forge I found the flame would shoot out all of the join even though they were flush. So bought some fire cement and my fire bricks and I will make A better forge, I will keep you updated

What has emerged

After cutting and filling for a while as the idea popped into my head this is what was produced. The blackness is a result of quenching in used car oil. I am mostly happy besides the fact that I think it looks "too precise".

Makes you think

Sometimes you really make the ugliest things at work, and I'm seeing a lot of tiny finger sizes coming in now days.
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Getting there

The steel must be worked at this heat, I unfortunately didn't take pictures of the process of opening the finger hole.

 I started shaping the ring, I will post more pictures tomorrow