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An Unexpected Journey: A Newbie's Walk In Wet Shaving
- Thread starter Blade-meister
- Start date
I haven't written anything in a while because we've been dealing with COVID here in my family and it hit me particularly hard. We are all on the mend, with me taking the longest and having been the only one requiring a 24 hour stay in the hospital. I'm limited as to what I can do hobby wise so I haven't had anything manly to report. I decided the other day to just look at my cool stuff I've made and traded for and I got to thinking that my quest to have a mountain man outfit is nearly complete. I just need a felt hat, proper period trousers, and some moccasins that go about knee high. It cheered me on to get dressed in it all so here's a picture or two:
Oooops, the watch isn't period now is it
The tiredness is something that I'm really having a hard time battling. I'm someone who likes to keep busy and do thing and work with my hands. Tired of sitting around and reading, I decided to get some fresh air and try some metal detecting around the yard. At first, just to find targets, but then I decided to try digging. I did an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon and man it felt good. I'd covered my yard pretty good, but ended up finding a 1936 Buffalo Nickle in pretty good shape by the tree I'm standing in front of in the above pictures. I also found a 1950's Wheat Penny and two other modern pennies. I couldn't believe I'd missed those targets on several times detecting my own yard. I'm sure there's more. It was a good shot in the arm, but it did tire me out quite a bit. I think I'll do this and walk some of my milder trails in the woods when I can. I can't do anything strenuous for a few weeks now while my lungs recover. I hesitated mentioning COVID here because I'm not one to whine about my issues and it's become such an emotionally charged issue these days. But, I know the cadre well enough that I can use all the prayers and well wishes to recover. I will recover and gain all that was lost back in due time, but rest is necessary for now and I have to gauge activity by adding it slowly back in.
Oooops, the watch isn't period now is it
The tiredness is something that I'm really having a hard time battling. I'm someone who likes to keep busy and do thing and work with my hands. Tired of sitting around and reading, I decided to get some fresh air and try some metal detecting around the yard. At first, just to find targets, but then I decided to try digging. I did an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon and man it felt good. I'd covered my yard pretty good, but ended up finding a 1936 Buffalo Nickle in pretty good shape by the tree I'm standing in front of in the above pictures. I also found a 1950's Wheat Penny and two other modern pennies. I couldn't believe I'd missed those targets on several times detecting my own yard. I'm sure there's more. It was a good shot in the arm, but it did tire me out quite a bit. I think I'll do this and walk some of my milder trails in the woods when I can. I can't do anything strenuous for a few weeks now while my lungs recover. I hesitated mentioning COVID here because I'm not one to whine about my issues and it's become such an emotionally charged issue these days. But, I know the cadre well enough that I can use all the prayers and well wishes to recover. I will recover and gain all that was lost back in due time, but rest is necessary for now and I have to gauge activity by adding it slowly back in.
I completely understand - I've been there myself. Not with COVID, but other health issues. It's jarring to go from full, regular activities to a full stop. As you are well aware, patience is the key. Celebrate your milestones as you recover, Mike.
Glad to see the mountain man in full gear. And that watch could be period...you know...from the Geo-Shock-olithic era. 
You can't beat G-Shock watches! I had one of mine run over by a M577 track vehicle (granted it was in sand) - but it survived!
I know we don't know each other - but I truly hope health and wellness for both you and your family!I haven't written anything in a while because we've been dealing with COVID here in my family and it hit me particularly hard. We are all on the mend, with me taking the longest and having been the only one requiring a 24 hour stay in the hospital. I'm limited as to what I can do hobby wise so I haven't had anything manly to report. I decided the other day to just look at my cool stuff I've made and traded for and I got to thinking that my quest to have a mountain man outfit is nearly complete. I just need a felt hat, proper period trousers, and some moccasins that go about knee high. It cheered me on to get dressed in it all so here's a picture or two:
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Oooops, the watch isn't period now is it
The tiredness is something that I'm really having a hard time battling. I'm someone who likes to keep busy and do thing and work with my hands. Tired of sitting around and reading, I decided to get some fresh air and try some metal detecting around the yard. At first, just to find targets, but then I decided to try digging. I did an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon and man it felt good. I'd covered my yard pretty good, but ended up finding a 1936 Buffalo Nickle in pretty good shape by the tree I'm standing in front of in the above pictures. I also found a 1950's Wheat Penny and two other modern pennies. I couldn't believe I'd missed those targets on several times detecting my own yard. I'm sure there's more. It was a good shot in the arm, but it did tire me out quite a bit. I think I'll do this and walk some of my milder trails in the woods when I can. I can't do anything strenuous for a few weeks now while my lungs recover. I hesitated mentioning COVID here because I'm not one to whine about my issues and it's become such an emotionally charged issue these days. But, I know the cadre well enough that I can use all the prayers and well wishes to recover. I will recover and gain all that was lost back in due time, but rest is necessary for now and I have to gauge activity by adding it slowly back in.
Thanks for the well wishes, but I do want to take time to remember some brave SEALs who gave their everything on a lonely mountain in Afghanistan so many years ago and prayers and thoughts for the one who made it home. We can't also forget the brave men of the Turbine 33 Night Stalkers that also lost their lives on the side of a mountain transporting a QRF to help them save their brothers. You men are not forgotten, we must not forget you.
Steadily improving and doing some breathing exercises on my own to see if I can regain some lung capacity while I recover. PE blood clots in the lungs are no joke!
I had a hip replaced and honestly that seemed easier as far as recovery because I prepared before the surgery and then knew what I had to do to get back to working order afterwards. I could push myself and I finished PT early. With COVID it hits you from behind and you are just trying to get back on your feet not knowing exactly how that works and neither do the doctors really. I do hate being on the sidelines, but it's necessary to get back operational to where I was.I completely understand - I've been there myself. Not with COVID, but other health issues. It's jarring to go from full, regular activities to a full stop. As you are well aware, patience is the key. Celebrate your milestones as you recover, Mike.
You just can't beat a G-Shock. I convinced my wife to get a baby G-Shock and she loves it now. I got a Suunto compass to attach to mine. I get so many people asking me about my watch. In fact, in the ER all the male nurses were asking about it. I generally buy two's of things I like, but I know this G-Shock will last easily until I retire. I do believe that your watch survived an M577 although you are right, sand is more forgiving than harder surfaces. My face doesn't even have a scratch on it and I've had this thing everywhere! Thanks for the well wishes. Yup, we don't know each other but that can change.
My favorite Independence Day movie to watch. Would you pick up a rifle today and do what these brave Americans did? Ask yourself that question this weekend privately. No need to reply here unless you want to. I know my answer.
Part of my recovery has been metal detecting. You walk slowly and do a little physical digging, but nothing too strenuous and certainly nothing to get me out of breath. Here's a few pictures of the latest finds from my yard:
This is a picture of the 1936 Buffalo Nickel I found last Saturday
Here's the back side with the Buffalo
Today I detected a little longer and I found a nice old pocket knife. You can tell the age by the fact that the scales on each side are pretty well gone. I'm guessing it dates to the 1930's or 1940's - tough to know.
Top view. See the blades in there?
This little knife was the thing that finally prompted me to build an electrolysis tank. This will strip away all the crusty rust and we'll hopefully be able to see what we have under all of it. The electrolysis tank sends a low current of electricity through a bath of water and washing soda. You but in two sacrificial rods on each side of it that the positive current runs through and the negative current is attached to the object you want to clean the rust off. I've always wanted to build one for the rusty axes and things I restore. This will be a fun little project and the knife will go into the tank tomorrow afternoon. I'll post after pictures and pictures of the tank. It's really a very simple setup and you use a car battery charger to provide the electric current you need. I built and hooked everything up and the wire that will hold the knife and has the negative charge to it sparked when I touched the sacrificial rods of rebar so I know the current will work. I just have to buy me some Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda tomorrow and I'll be ready to test this out. I know the technology works, but will my build work? Check back in a few days and see. If the rust is all that is holding this thing together I might have a bunch of pieces in the end. I shouldn't though.
This is a picture of the 1936 Buffalo Nickel I found last Saturday
Here's the back side with the Buffalo
Today I detected a little longer and I found a nice old pocket knife. You can tell the age by the fact that the scales on each side are pretty well gone. I'm guessing it dates to the 1930's or 1940's - tough to know.
Top view. See the blades in there?
This little knife was the thing that finally prompted me to build an electrolysis tank. This will strip away all the crusty rust and we'll hopefully be able to see what we have under all of it. The electrolysis tank sends a low current of electricity through a bath of water and washing soda. You but in two sacrificial rods on each side of it that the positive current runs through and the negative current is attached to the object you want to clean the rust off. I've always wanted to build one for the rusty axes and things I restore. This will be a fun little project and the knife will go into the tank tomorrow afternoon. I'll post after pictures and pictures of the tank. It's really a very simple setup and you use a car battery charger to provide the electric current you need. I built and hooked everything up and the wire that will hold the knife and has the negative charge to it sparked when I touched the sacrificial rods of rebar so I know the current will work. I just have to buy me some Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda tomorrow and I'll be ready to test this out. I know the technology works, but will my build work? Check back in a few days and see. If the rust is all that is holding this thing together I might have a bunch of pieces in the end. I shouldn't though.
Ok, I got the knife in the electrolysis tank this morning. Here's some pictures:
The water was nice and clear when I started. All the crud in there is what is coming off the knife. The anodes (rebar) will attract the rust and crud out of the knife. It's funny, the knife is actually bubbling like the denture commercials we used to see. Here's a closer picture of the action.
Here's the power supply. I've had this battery charger for years and never charged a car battery with it. Now it's getting some use finally.
After leaving it for most of the early afternoon, I looked at things and it just didn't seem to be working as well as I thought it should so I shut down the power and looked at the rebar anodes. They were only rusty on the textured parts. Then - duh - I realized that there is a factory coating on the rebar that keeps it from rusting. I took my angle grinder and brought everything down to bare metal and reassembled everything. boy, now the crude is really coming off that knife. That was the ticket! I'll leave it working until sometime in the evening and then check on it again. Boy this really awakens the experimenter in me. The process does release hydrogen gas bubbles so you have to have good ventilation. It's doubtful you could build up enough to cause and explosion, but why take the chance. I have a ceiling fan disipating the gas and a muffin fan pulling out the air with the screen door open to bring in fresh air.
The water was nice and clear when I started. All the crud in there is what is coming off the knife. The anodes (rebar) will attract the rust and crud out of the knife. It's funny, the knife is actually bubbling like the denture commercials we used to see. Here's a closer picture of the action.
Here's the power supply. I've had this battery charger for years and never charged a car battery with it. Now it's getting some use finally.
After leaving it for most of the early afternoon, I looked at things and it just didn't seem to be working as well as I thought it should so I shut down the power and looked at the rebar anodes. They were only rusty on the textured parts. Then - duh - I realized that there is a factory coating on the rebar that keeps it from rusting. I took my angle grinder and brought everything down to bare metal and reassembled everything. boy, now the crude is really coming off that knife. That was the ticket! I'll leave it working until sometime in the evening and then check on it again. Boy this really awakens the experimenter in me. The process does release hydrogen gas bubbles so you have to have good ventilation. It's doubtful you could build up enough to cause and explosion, but why take the chance. I have a ceiling fan disipating the gas and a muffin fan pulling out the air with the screen door open to bring in fresh air.
I'm just hoping that the knife will be evident when done. Best case scenario would be that the frame and blade are in great shape and I could somehow put scales on it and put it back into use as a pocket knife. Wouldn't that be something? A 100 year old knife gets dug out of the ground and put back into use.
So, now the whole thing is working like it should! Grinding the rebar down to bare metal was the trick. Look at how much filthier the water is below compared to above.
Moving the left side rebar closer helped as well. You can barely see the knife down in there. I'm also told that once all the rust is gone, the action just stops and you know its done. We'll see.
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
Can't wait to see the knife after all of this!
I had to take it out last night and there's a little more to do. I can say this, it's lost all that crust, but it won't be operational. It looks like something brought up from the Titanic wreckage or something. I was trying to remove part of the rust crust and I did accidentally break off part of the top of the knife blade. It will be in rough shape, so it didn't clean up as well as I thought it would. The electrolysis process worked perfectly, the rust just took it's toll on it over the years sitting in the ground. When done, I'll seal it so it won't start rusting again. It will be more of an artifact type thing when done rather than something that could be put back to use. I'm guessing this knife has been in the ground 80 + years, so it's kinda amazing anything is left to see. It might just be a 3 blade knife. You have to get in there with dental tools and pick around to get things revealed better. Pictures will be coming though, I promise.
Looking forward to the next update. 
It's been several months since I'd been to my favorite junk shop to look for treasures (aka old tools). Friday I decided to take a long lunch and stop in. Lots of new stuff to look through and I picked up a nice farrier's hoof cleaner made in Italy. I'm not a farrier, but I can sharpen the blade and use it to take off fine shavings on handles and things when my draw knifes are too much. The farrier would use the sharp knife edge to shape the hoof and the hook end to clean out the little crevasses and other areas. Pretty neat old tool.
There's an "A" side and a "B" side to this junk shop so that's all I found on the A side that I really needed (lots of things I wanted). I went to the B side and there you have to pick through stuff and look back into layers of stuff leaning on things and there I saw a saw blade. Saw blades make great knives so I pulled it out. It was in the shape of a 2 man cross-cut saw but this blade was a third of the length of an average sized 2 man. As you can see from the picture below, it's only 30 inches long. It's missing a tooth, but it will still function and it's missing both handles which would look like straight dowels standing up in the direction away from the teeth. I really think this thing is a salesman's sample, but the other possibility is that it is the blade to an antique bow saw I guess. I have 3 full sized 2 man cross-cut saws and a single man cross-cut and I've never seen anything like this. Back in the day, traveling salesmen (would have been by horse or train or stage coach with the age of this blade most likely) wouldn't want to be taking full sized items around to sell so they'd have working miniatures. Back then catalogs had drawings, but most folks wanted to handle things so they'd make the miniatures. I think that's what this is. I'll have to forge the handle hardware and make new wooden handles for it, but it will be a really cool conversation piece someday.
There's an "A" side and a "B" side to this junk shop so that's all I found on the A side that I really needed (lots of things I wanted). I went to the B side and there you have to pick through stuff and look back into layers of stuff leaning on things and there I saw a saw blade. Saw blades make great knives so I pulled it out. It was in the shape of a 2 man cross-cut saw but this blade was a third of the length of an average sized 2 man. As you can see from the picture below, it's only 30 inches long. It's missing a tooth, but it will still function and it's missing both handles which would look like straight dowels standing up in the direction away from the teeth. I really think this thing is a salesman's sample, but the other possibility is that it is the blade to an antique bow saw I guess. I have 3 full sized 2 man cross-cut saws and a single man cross-cut and I've never seen anything like this. Back in the day, traveling salesmen (would have been by horse or train or stage coach with the age of this blade most likely) wouldn't want to be taking full sized items around to sell so they'd have working miniatures. Back then catalogs had drawings, but most folks wanted to handle things so they'd make the miniatures. I think that's what this is. I'll have to forge the handle hardware and make new wooden handles for it, but it will be a really cool conversation piece someday.