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Dos Cuchillos were originally made from the outer housing of a deep groove bearing, I bought "perd" cutting  discs from the engineers supposedly great for cutting stainless steels.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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