Building a cane #12: Finishing the handle, carving on the shaft

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It’s getting into the home stretch, I think. I sanded off (using 220 grit) the excess white grain-filler, then hit the handle with a coat of Tru-Oil, trying to avoid the areas that will be part of the joint, though I’ll be doing some carving / shaping there, so a little oil won’t be the end of the world.

The handle will get smoothed with 0000 steel wool tomorrow, then another coat of Tru-Oil. I’m hoping for 8-10 coats, since that’s where it really starts to shine, based on previous experience. This probably means I’m going to need to get out to the shop two or three times a day the rest of this week. I’m thinking I’ll do the joinery on Wednesday, so I can get a few coats of finish on the areas of the handle and shaft I’ll be carving so they meet up smoothly.



Then I set up the shaft of the cane in the carving vise, and put two horizontal grooves around the top of the shaft, and connected them with lines in one direction using gunstock checkering tools. I haven’t decided if I’m going to complete the checkering tomorrow or what exactly, but even this will be a nice decorative touch. The lines were spaced with an 18lpi tool.

May you have the day you deserve!

Did you do that with checkering tools?

--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

Gunstock checkering tool, interesting device - l learned something new.
Yes, Nathan. An 18lpi two line tool, and a 60°︎ one-line V-tool. I may go over it again with a 90°︎ V which will make the angles meet more nicely once I’ve completed the pattern. To use them, you make one line with the one-line tool, then use the two-line tool to lightly make a line next to it, then use the one line tool to take that new line to depth. Lather, rinse, repeat. 50 or 60-some times to get around the 1¼ inch diameter shaft.

Thanks, folks! It’s getting there. I’ll definitely need to clean up below the checkering. Avoiding overrun is tough with these tools, but I knew that from previous attempts.

May you have the day you deserve!

Interesting Dave.

"Duck and Bob would be out doin some farming with funny hats on." chrisstef