Sorry to be an errant Guardian, but I thought I’d drop by to say hello. I hope you’re all well.
Herder, my friend, that catalogue image you found is fascinating, as always.
I actually recollect posting about one of those late period swell centre Rodgers Lambsfoots from a friend’s collection a few years ago here (with his prior blessing, of course).
(I think clicking the arrow at the top of the quote will lead back to the original post and discussion.)
Anyway, among all the fine Lambsfoot knives in that collection, I remember it was poorly fitted and had a rough action and weak snap to it. If you saw it in person, Jack’s guess at the time, that it might have been assembled at a late stage of JR’s existence from disparate parts, would seem to be a likely possibility.
So it’s very interesting that it was actually a full catalogue line model.
Thanks very much Brewbear, I appreciate the time you took to read those old posts.
Congratulations on your first Lambsfoot knife!
To answer your questions -
I believe I used 3μm and then 1μm DMT diamond paste. Stan Shaw mentioned that he uses emery powder for lapping in actions.
I just use a non toxic, food safe oil and an old toothbrush and some cotton buds/Q-tips to flush and clean the knife. Mineral oil or camellia oil are what I would normally use. I also often use Ballistol for non food contact knives and areas.
I generally give all new traditional knives a quick wash in warm soapy water when I first get them, working the action a few times underwater. It’s amazing the debris that’s left at the bottom of the basin sometimes!
I dry the knife thoroughly afterwards for a while with low heat, and apply oil.
I generally grind back my edges to about 9 or 10 degrees per side.
I recently acquired a laser goniometer - a sure sign of the confirmed sharpening nerd
, so those are actual measured angles.
Then I resharpen with the Sharpmaker at 15 dps.
Eventually the edge area thickens up with repeated sharpenings, and it’s back to the benchstones for some thinning out.
I prefer all my Lambsfoot knives to have a razorlike edge on them.
The steel is tough enough that it rarely gets problems with the edge in fairly thin cross sections, and in the event it does, it’s a cinch to repair and resharpen.
I’m talking about rolling and impaction - I’ve never had chipping occur on a Wright lambsfoot.
Even if you don’t have any dedicated sharpening gear, these knives respond well to all sorts of field expedients, like random kitchen steels, the bottom of coffee mugs, the top of car windows etc.
I like to use a little section of broken Spyderco Ultrafine Sharpmaker rod I carry in a pocket slip, to ‘steel’ my Lambsfoot knives with.
As far as carry, I either carry my ebony ‘Mah Knife’ Lambsfoot loose in my FLP, or if I’m carrying a Guardians knife with nice bolsters, I’ll always carry it in one of Dylan’s excellent slips.
Well, I guess everyone’s probably sick of hearing the C-word, so I’ll just mention we fairly recently came out of a long lockdown in Melbourne. My thoughts are with those who are doing it really tough at the the moment.
In the spirit of this thread about Lambsfoot knives and food
though, here’s the photo evidence of the first two meals out, with Lambsfoot knives in tow, of course.
First up was catching up for a Pho with my brother and my HHB.
But this next place is what I daydreamed about during the months of lockdown:
My Desert Ironwood Guardians knife is my usual choice of Lambsfoot ‘for best.’
