is it just me?

Kaneohe til the end

Kaneohe til the end

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is it just me, or do other luthiers get a little giddy when using new sanding belts or saw blades? for instance, i changed the blade on our bandsaw today, and i actually was excited to start cutting. same with new sanding belts, when i put a new belt in, i get a smidge excited. "new belt, yes!!!"

anyway, am i alone in this feeling?
 
koalohapaul said:
Right there with you, buddy. You probably notice the smile on my face, when I have a new blade mounted. Then you see my chagrin, when someone kills my razor sharp edge.
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lol @ pauls avatar pic
 
AMEN brother tool man! :shaka:
 
There is so much pleasure to be had with new/sharp tools. I have just bought an old Elu pin router for around $175 on Ebay. I'm bringing this back to life and will be on my lathe later on today making some guide pins for it. When it is fired up it will replace 2 tools I built myself. I also have an 'new' old stock 1 3/8" Marples bevel edged wood chisel that I paid $40 for. It is worth every penny and will replace that stupid Japanese chisel I thought would be OK but is in fact too brittle for cutting hardwoods. Marples is a discontinued brand so this will be one of the last out of the factory - boxwood handle, brass ferrule and wonderful balance hasn't been used; can't wait to use it on some tenor heels I have waiting to carve. I also have a 12" power hacksaw blade that I am going to make carving knives from - carbon steel... ideal for it and these will have curly koa scales/handles. Tools - yep, they are are real turn on to high quality work.
 
It's not just luthiers, it's anyone who works with wood.

I love sharp tools. I'm constantly sharpening my tools, not because they are dull, but because they can be sharper.
 
Or making yourself a new jig rates too.
 
Pete Howlett said:
It is worth every penny and will replace that stupid Japanese chisel I thought would be OK but is in fact too brittle for cutting hardwoods.
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Pete if you gently heat up the cutting end of the chisel to 210 degrees C. and then plunge it into cold water it should temper the steel back to about the right hardness to stop the edges chipping...Maybe your heating blanket would do the job nicely...it should be a pale straw colour when you quench it..if it turns blue then it's gone too far and it will be only ok for rough jobs.
 
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Thanks Ken - I know how to temper steel. However these Japanese chisels are laminated and the cutting steel is far too brittle for hardwoods - they are made specifically for the soft woods used in Japanese joinery...
 
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