And now for something completely different, or what I've been doing instead of model building

Been in a model building funk and instead have pursued a new hobby, knife building. I can’t call it making since I am buying premade blades and adding the handle, for now at least.
My first was a cheap experiment on a blade from Woodworker’s Warehouse.



My second attempt was from a kit my wife bought me for Christmas. I tried to make the sheath look a little distressed.



Third one was my first try with a synthetic material handle, G10 in this case.



I finished the fourth the other day which was my attempt at a stacked leather handle.



I am waiting for more materials to arrive. I plan on doing some Christmas presents for the few that hunt and fish in my family.

What other non-modeling hobbies do you have?

Thanks for looking,
Dave

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Those all look really good!
The handles are beautiful!

My only other non-modeling hobby is Golf and playing Halo.

Beautiful work - now you need a forge and start making Damascus blades !
I have too many hobbies it seems .
Most passionate about my bikes though -
Restored these two Norton’s …

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Those knives are spectacular. Very fine skills.

My 2nd of 3 hobbies is bicycles. Riding, building, and reconditioning. Here is one of them.


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Used to ride in my teens and 20s. Dirt bikes mostly. Always remember the competition between the majors, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, etc. in the 750cc class. Always liked the Norton Commando.

Only hobby outside modeling is racquetball.

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Thanks all, I figure the sanding and polishing skills can only help with model building anyway. Got back to the model shop side of the basement today and put a final coat of SMS Wine Red on the hood of the F-350. Hope to get back on the engine later today.

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Dave,
I never knew that there was a commercial type hobby such as knife building. From your pictures I’d say that you’ve got the basics down just fine, and are at a much higher level.

As for other hobbies, mine is Auto Sim racing both off line and online.

Joel

Knives look great! Outside of modeling my main hobby is collecting and shooting WW2 vintage rifles and handguns

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Thanks Joel. There is a whole industry around the hobbyist to commercial end of building, and it exploded when Forged in Fire came on. As RDT1953 said, you can get all the way to the point you are forging your own Damascus steel, I’m obviously not anywhere near that point yet.

Right now things are still at a gift stage but they are progressing. Just like model building, you learn something new with each one and test yourself. My son stole the leather handled one when he saw it, the polishing on the stainless steel guard and pommel came out the best so far.

When I get to the point that I am satisfied with the handle building process I’ll pick up a couple pieces of steel that I can begin to learn the metal shaping portion of building and if everything goes right maybe I can try selling some.

Thank you everyone else as well. Seems two wheels are popular and Mead93, I shoot, but only modern stuff so far.

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Nice. Is that Tamiya Field Gray? Many would prefer to see some chipping and other weathering, but I like the nice clean look of this build.

:face_with_hand_over_mouth:

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:laughing: I’ve applied a burnt sienna wash over the chain guard to bring out the detail. Also, a pin wash of Tamiya German Grey around that rivet on the rear fender in the last picture. The pictures above are just after base coats and basic stowage installed.

OK - my curiosity is getting at me .
3 hobbies :
1) Models
2) Bicycles
3) ??? - care to divulge?

So this falls under the heading “ models” I suppose
But a little different than what we normally see on this site-
Stationary single cylinder steam engine machined from Stuart Models raw castings / materials .
I run it on compressed air rather than steam to avoid the corrosive mess .

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Glad you asked… I collect, restore, and operate broadcast frequency receive radios. I live in an area with a lot of good FM broadcast stations. Also have CB radios and a couple scanners

Nice man! Any youtoob vids of this machine in operation?

Richard,
That working single piston steam engine is truly amazing. How many engines have you built, and are they all working units?

kosprueone,
Now there’s a hobby from my youth, as FM was 1st coming into main stream use. Just on the car side I had to install a FM receiver under my AM radio in my MG Midget. I actually built a heathciff (?) stereo receiver kit, but had to take it in for service as i screwed up a few soldering joints. Eventually, it did work pretty good. How about posting some pictures of your finished units?

joel

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Hi Joel -
Thanks for the interest - I have only done this one engine , although I would love to do another. Stuart makes many engines in different sizes all the way up to a full size one that will power a 20’ launch. I’ll try to post a video on YouTube - I have never done that. Here are a few more pics -

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Well, before COVID restrictions I use to race slotcars when SWMBO allowed.
Just another boyhood hobby that stuck.

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Geez those bring back memories. In the 60s and early 70s I used to race the HO slot cars. Spent countless hours and allowance money buying AM hop up parts from a place called AutoWorld in Scranton, PA if memory serves. This was real mail order with a paper catalogue and actually having to get an adult to write a check for me.

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