Biliphuster
Established Member
I made a couple of floats recently and wondered if anyone else has done the same.
One is a straight edge float and the other has a 20 degree skew, both cut on the push.
I used 4mm O1 gauge plate, filed the teeth with a saw file, drilled the holes then hardened and tempered. The handles are Indian rosewood, with shim brass liners ( I don't think they come out in the photograph), secured with brass pins peened over and filed flush.
Peening the pins was a nightmare, my first attempt bounced off them as they were far too hard (presumably drawing the 6mm rods work hardened them). After annealing, and reducing the size of the countersink to be filled by peening, it worked much better and the handles are held fast with no glue despite the pins initially being almost a slip fit in the holes.
Ideally I would have used a milling machine or similar to cut or at least notch the teeth, as filing them perfectly evenly was very challenging. They cut well enough but for the first sharpening I will joint the teeth as I think there some low teeth. Having said that if I ever decide I need a wide face float I am probably going to buy one as filing across that big area looks to be punishing
One is a straight edge float and the other has a 20 degree skew, both cut on the push.
I used 4mm O1 gauge plate, filed the teeth with a saw file, drilled the holes then hardened and tempered. The handles are Indian rosewood, with shim brass liners ( I don't think they come out in the photograph), secured with brass pins peened over and filed flush.
Peening the pins was a nightmare, my first attempt bounced off them as they were far too hard (presumably drawing the 6mm rods work hardened them). After annealing, and reducing the size of the countersink to be filled by peening, it worked much better and the handles are held fast with no glue despite the pins initially being almost a slip fit in the holes.
Ideally I would have used a milling machine or similar to cut or at least notch the teeth, as filing them perfectly evenly was very challenging. They cut well enough but for the first sharpening I will joint the teeth as I think there some low teeth. Having said that if I ever decide I need a wide face float I am probably going to buy one as filing across that big area looks to be punishing