North Bay Forge is a very small operation (ok, it really is just me). I try to keep all of my
tools in stock and ready for immediate shipment. Unfortunately I get behind and some tools remain "out
of stock" for a while.
Here is the place where I will try to give my shop schedule and let you know what tools are closest to the heat...
(I update this web site often. Tools are made available as soon as they are made.)
Posted June 9, 2011:
Working on a batch of the bent and straight knives that are out of stock. They will all be available again in a week or so.
Posted May 4, 2011:
An old customer recently contacted me about making bushcraft type survival knives. After quite a bit of discussion about it, I forged the first prototypes yesterday.
Starting with 5/8 inch diameter O1 (high carbon steel), I first forged them flat. Then I forged the bevels, using my "double forging" process, getting them down to a
wire edge. I'm anxious to finish them and begin testing. I will probably offer these in both the double forged bevel with microbevel (like all my straight
wood carving knives), and the more typical bushcraft "scandi grind" with straight bevels ground in. I am making two sizes of blades, 4 inch and 2 3/4 inch. They will all have the
same size handles, with Jatoba slabs and solid brass rivits piened over. Hoping to have the first ones available by the end of May. Please
go here for more information about them.
Posted April 9, 2011:
I'm just starting into a much needed rework of the shop, hoping to get it all done by the end of May. After that, it will be a hard choice
between working on out of stock tools, the new gouges, or what I really want to work on - coffee tables with live edge boards and forged iron legs!
Posted January 19, 2011:
Next week I'll start a batch of the large scorps. In addition to the round one, I'm making some with a flattened curve for cleaning up the ridges left
by the more aggressive round scorp. This might be difficult to visualize. There will be pictures of the flattened version.
Posted January 11, 2011:
I'm working on getting all the bent knives back in stock. The mini bents will be done in a few days. The
regular bents about a week later.
Posted October 31, 2010:
Elbow adze irons are in the fire this week. I hope to have all the elbow adzes back in stock by the end of November.
Posted September 25, 2010:
A small batch of the regular bent knives will get them all back in stock by the first week of October. The bowl adzes will be next,
followed by all the elbow adzes.
A while ago I mentioned about having some of my knives braided with rawhide (just the handles). I'll be offering each of the straight knives with this option.
The prototype turned out very nice (pictured below). I'm having a few of each size knife braided now. They will be available on my site in a few weeks.
Posted September 7, 2010:
I must have meant the start of October for the adzes in that previous posting! I'm working on the first batch of mini bent knives with the new
smaller handles now. They should be available by September 20th. Then the small and medium double forged straignt knives by the end of the September.
October will be the month for all the adzes, starting with the heavy bowl adzes, then all the elbows.
I've just started keeping a list of customers to notify when out of stock knives become available. Please feel free to send me a short
email if you want to be on the list (and say what tools you are waiting for)
Posted August 18, 2010:
Sometimes I wonder if it was a bad idea to have this page, as I have not been very good about following through with what I've posted! The adzes are
on hold until I get the small and medium straight knives back in stock. Starting with this batch I'm making the handles of the small straight knife
a bit smaller (instead of the same size as the medium straight knife).
I should be able to get back to the adzes at the start of September. After that, hopefully the new gouges.
Posted July 11, 2010:
I'll be starting a batch of all the adzes this week. They will be finished and available in several weeks.
Getting the straight knives back in stock will be next.
I actually did the initial forging of the first batch of new gouges (3, 6 and 9 sweeps in 5/8 and 1 1/4 inch wide). But they still require a lot of
time to finish. Looks like that can't happen until September.
I'm sorry to be putting them off so long, but my old tools need to take priority.
Posted May 24, 2010:
The new drawknives (8") are coming along well and should be available in another week or so.
Getting the straight knives, mini bent knives, and adze irons backin stock will be next.
I actually did the initial forging of the first batch of new gouges (3, 6 and 9 sweeps in 5/8 and 1 1/4 inch wide). But they still require a lot of time to finish. Looks like that can't happen until July.
I'm sorry to be putting them off so long, but my old tools need to take priority.
Posted May 21, 2010:
Well, the 150 pound arbor press I ordered came with the corners missing from the cardboard box they shipped it in! Parts were missing, so I ordered another
one. The press is needed to shape the gouges. So the first batch of gouges won't be done for a while yet.
With the gouges temporarilly out of the way, I should be able to finish the first run of new (8") drawknives by next week. I'm looking forward to
being able to offer it, something I should have come out with long ago.
I realize I have several tools out of stock. Am afraid this will become a more common thing, with the addition of the new drawknife and gouges. Sorry,
all I can do is ask for your patience. Unfortunately, the state of my work is such that I don't think I can hire and train people to do the stuff that has
taken me several decades to become proficient at.
Posted May 8, 2010:
Some delays with the new tools (large drawknives and gouges). Hoping to have them ready the end of May.
When I get around to making another batch of large scorps, I'll probably make some that are "flat bottom". These will take less aggressive cuts and will be
better for smoothing the ridges left from the deeper cutting round scorp.
Posted April 23, 2010:
With everything else in the works, I've forgotten about the small straight knives that are out of stock. Looks like it will be August before I'll be able
to get a batch of them heating in the forge...
Posted April 18, 2010:
The new gouges and drawknives are coming along (though I have to admit I've been a bit distracted with work on some of the coffee tables).
Should have the first batch done by mid May. Although I have handles for the drawknives, I don't have any for the gouges. It will be at least mid Summer befor
I'll be able to make any handles, so I will probably offer the gouges without handles initially.
Posted March 20, 2010:
The jury is in on the new design for my drawknives (described in the March 15 posting, below). The prototypes I made did not
perform as well as my old drawknives. So I will not be changing the geometry or bevels of any of my drawknives.
I just ordered the steel for the first batch of larger drawknives that will have twice the length blade as my Large Drawknife. These should
available by May 10. The current Medium Drawknife (DK-M) is being discontinued
I'm also working on some gouges: #2, #6, #9, all in 5/8 and 1 1/4 inch wide. These will all be very finely bevelled, for hand sculpting. I have actually
ordered the steel for the first batch of these also, so it looks like I'm committed.
Posted March 15, 2010:
Just finishing a batch of Shallow Bent Knives. They'll be available in a few days.
About twenty years ago, I read an article in one of the woodworking magazines about drawknives. The author was
touted as being an expert in their use (I can't recall his name). He claimed there was not a drawknife on the market with
the correct bevel geometry. That with a flat or slightly rounded bottom to the blade there is no control because the blade simply wants to follow it.
There should be a small bevel on the bottom of the blade, from the edge to about 1/8 inch back. With this geometry the user can control the depth
of cut everywhere along a cut by simply lowering the handles a little (to cut deeper) or raising them (to cut shallower). I believe, however,
that the angle of the handles also need to be bent to be in line with the new angle of the bottom bevel. Otherwise the use of the tool would
be like using any drawknife with a microbevel on top, upside down (That sort of works, but not very well because the direction of pull is not in line with
the direction of cut.) This means you can't simply regrind the bottom of an old drawknife, which is why I've never tried it. But I am now. I've just finished
forging a few micro drawknives with this new geometry. If I find when trying them out in a few days that the control really is remarkable, I'll be changing
all my drawknives to this new geometry. I've also been considering dropping the Medium Drawknife (three inch blade with metal handles) from my line and adding a larger
drawknife with about 8 inch blade and wood handles. Bt that won't be this week...
As time allows, I am editing some video footage showing my adzes being used. The first ones should be done and viewable on
my site in a few weeks.
About ten years ago I made a small
table for my brother, pictured below. Ever since then, I've been playing around with ideas for making some unique coffee tables.
I'll be using slabs of various hardwoods with live edges. The legs will be forged iron.
The first ones should be done this Spring. I'll send out emails to everyone on my list when they are done.
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