I guess I'll get the ball rolling with some tips and suggestions of where you can find knifemaking tools and supplies this side of the border. I'll update as others chime in. I don't intend this to be an advertisement for any stores or dealers, nor do I mean to step on any toes. I have yet to find a dealer that has it all. Knifemaking Supply Dealers: Canadian Knifemaker Supply On The Edge - Walk-in sales only. WoodStabilizer.com General Supply stores: Acklands Grainger - eg. Devcon 2-ton epoxy, O1 tool steel, various power tools Windsor Plywood - wood and laminate material Lee Valley - hand tools, Mora blades, thin superglue (good for stabilizing antler) Saskatoon Boiler Manufacturing Co Ltd - refactory wool blanket (1") Tandy Leather - Everything you need to make sheaths SteelMet Supply - brass and copper in various dimensions depending on current stock
Some good stuff there. I'm especially happy to find someplace to buy Ren wax. I've been trying to locate some.
I just stumbled upon that site the other day, so I haven't actually done business with them yet. But their catalogue looks promising. BTW, I've heard that Ed Caffrey prefers Mother's Caranuba Cleaner Wax. Actually any car wax as long as it isn't a silicon wax.
I have just called On The Edge, having recieved no reply by email. Apparently he no longer ships anything, responds to emails, or updates his website.
Everyone's from Saskatchewan... In the GTA: Exotic Wood Depot, Burlington ON - huge selection, reasonable prices, helpful staff Lee Valley, Burlington ( they stock a product called Conservators Wax, which based on the label is the same premise as Ren Wax) Tegs Tools, Hamilton ON - various tools Horseworld Emporium, St Catharines ON- leather and leather working Royal Winter Fair - once a year, but they'll always have vendors with some neat materials. I got an antelope horn I hope to use one day. And I have had the opportunity to walk into On The Edge. Huge selection with correspondingly high prices. He's very knowledgeable, but also very opinionated and not too service-oriented.
Oh yeah, and Metal Supermarkets. A number of locations, mine is in Hamilton. Brass, bronze, steel, copper...no minimum order and they will cut it to your specs. No nickel silver though. And I've also bought thin brass rods, brass spacer sheeting and some of the more delicate hand tools (jewelers saw) at Modellers Choice in Hamilton.
Well, this forum has gone national. . . Not that membership was exclusive or anything, the focus just used to be on Saskatchewan. Oddly, traffic hasn't picked up much since the change.
As Rob said, most of the active members seem to be in Saskatchewan, but we do have folks from all across the land and a few from south of the border as well. The site was actually started to support the local real-world Sask Knifemakers Guild but few of them really got into it, so we changed the name and the mandate. Traffic (users of the site) has picked up considerably from those early days. However the active membership remains small.
Ahh, poor choice of words. I suppose, "activity hasn't picked up much since the change" is what I should have said. I also meant to say welcome to the forum. Sounds like you have plenty of resources in your area of the country. I look forward to seeing what you cook up.
I am wanting to get into wood stabilization for a few different reasons, some small, some larger pieces to do. I need to find the vacuum pot mainly, something secure that won't go BOOM on me...will get my husband to help me build my own if I can find all the items needed, and get some good help along the way. Any suggestions?
Welcome to the forum. A mason jar works perfectly for the smaller stuff. I just stabilized some pieces for the first time last week and it worked out great. I just udes a manual vacuum pump from princess auto. As for the bigger stuff I did see pictures online where people made square chambers with plexiglass but I don't know the thickness vs size or what type of glue or epoxy is best to hold it together. There is also the bag option. Check out this video. They show their bag set up closer to the end of the video. I hope the link works.
would one like this work? http://www.harborfreight.com/2-1-2-half-gallon-pressure-paint-tank-66839.html
The only problem I can see with that is you can't see inside so you won't know for sure if the wood is still bubbling.
