Why a bread recipe? This is not a typical article about a craft technique that I am discovering or have mastered to any degree: suffice to say that I have no intention of becoming a baking expert! I am simply sharing a recipe that works for me, and that might work for you too. Bread from the bakery is usually full of gluten, which contributes greatly to the distinctive texture of French bread....
I’ve been thinking for a few days about the right approach: how can you safely enamel a brooch, for example, onto which a pin has been soldered? Why it can go wrong The question is: should you enamel first, or start by soldering the pin? The physical parameters are as follows: Silver solder melts between 700 and 800°C, roughly speaking, depending on the type. Hot enamel melts at around 800°C (810°C for the WG Ball enamel I use)....
The Roumy, a made-to-measure folding knife model. All stainless steel, yatagan blade, boxwood inserts from La Manche. The Roumy knife, folded Roumy seen from above Mirror-polished yatagan blade
The answer is a resounding yes! But does the result measure up? I’ll give it a go for the first time. Silver brazing This is a new technique for me, because although I’ve done quite a bit of soldering with tin, the objective here is quite different. It’s a technique that’s often used in jewellery, and it has to meet two main requirements: strength and aesthetics. Suffice to say that on this first attempt, I had no ambitions regarding this second criterion....
Finishing steel, particularly in knife making, is a major challenge for beginners. On paper, it’s fairly straightforward, yet the first results are generally disappointing. Here are a few tips to help you avoid the frustration of a long job that ends up with a mediocre result. Note that much of this advice also applies to metals in general… Why sand steel? As with wood, once the general shape of the object has been obtained, we try to improve the appearance of the steel....