Monday, February 6, 2017
Relics of R'lyeh
The talented Jason McKittrick returns to our pages with this very nice prop set- The R'Lyeh Collection. It features a selection of ephemera from the Miskatonic University archives and one of his excellent takes on the traditional Cthulhu idol. The set is available in a limited run of 25.
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Cheap LARP Knife
If you're looking for a decent knife for a fantasy LARP there aren't many inexpensive options. I'm not talking about a foam weapon, but an actual knife for use in an encampment. Blades for reenactors based on period trade knives start at around $30, and you can quickly climb up into the triple digits for any kind of hand-forged work. If you just want a good knife and don't care about how it looks you can't go wrong dropping a tenner on the classic Swedish Mora. But the rougher, more primitive look appropriate for a fantasy LARP is, ironically, going to cost a lot more.
Unless you're willing to make some compromises.
That's what lead me to ordering this"Medieval Kitchen Knife" from Szco Supplies on Amazon.
For $12 I was under no illusions that I would be getting a shining example of the knifemaker's art. Szco specializes in selling low cost, imported knives of, at best, middling quality. It's the kind of stuff you would find at a flea market. That said, they're one of the only companies offering forged, high carbon steel knives at a ridiculously low price. When the knife arrived I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
The overall length is 10 1/4 inches, with the blade taking up 5 1/2 inches. It has that wonderfully rough, hand hammered look I wanted. I suspect it actually was worked by hand, or at least forged using a drop hammer, since most of the low cost knives here in the US are manufactured in India and Pakistan using recycled steel scrap.
Take a close look at the shape of the knife. Straighten the curve of the handle and you're left with a negative space that almost exactly matches the mirrored profile of the knife itself. I'd bet these knives are made using a single pass with a torch to cut two blanks from a length of automobile leaf spring. Based on some quick tests with a file that's consistent with the steel the blade is made of.
If you do order one of these blades be aware that they're going to require some cleanup before use. They arrive in a plastic wrapper and are coated with a stinky, dark brown goo that I assume is used motor oil. Or, as my stepdad called it, redneck cosmoline. Not exactly the kind of stuff you want on something you'll be using for food preparation.
The easiest way to get rid of it is to burn it off. Remove as much as possible by wiping down the knife with paper towels and then chuck it into a fire or hit it with a propane torch. That will also get rid of the black coating on the steel, which I would guess is the residue from using the same motor oil to quench the blade after it's forged.
After that you're left with a decent utility knife that doesn't look too modern for a LARP environment. The blade will take and hold a good edge, but the narrow handle does get uncomfortable after extended use because it bites into the flesh of the hand. You can fix that with a leather wrap, or epoxy a real handle carved from some scrap wood over the steel. Oh, and the steel will strike sparks from a flint, so you can impress your camp mates by going all mountain man when it's time to light the fire.
Unless you're willing to make some compromises.
That's what lead me to ordering this"Medieval Kitchen Knife" from Szco Supplies on Amazon.
For $12 I was under no illusions that I would be getting a shining example of the knifemaker's art. Szco specializes in selling low cost, imported knives of, at best, middling quality. It's the kind of stuff you would find at a flea market. That said, they're one of the only companies offering forged, high carbon steel knives at a ridiculously low price. When the knife arrived I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
The overall length is 10 1/4 inches, with the blade taking up 5 1/2 inches. It has that wonderfully rough, hand hammered look I wanted. I suspect it actually was worked by hand, or at least forged using a drop hammer, since most of the low cost knives here in the US are manufactured in India and Pakistan using recycled steel scrap.
Take a close look at the shape of the knife. Straighten the curve of the handle and you're left with a negative space that almost exactly matches the mirrored profile of the knife itself. I'd bet these knives are made using a single pass with a torch to cut two blanks from a length of automobile leaf spring. Based on some quick tests with a file that's consistent with the steel the blade is made of.
If you do order one of these blades be aware that they're going to require some cleanup before use. They arrive in a plastic wrapper and are coated with a stinky, dark brown goo that I assume is used motor oil. Or, as my stepdad called it, redneck cosmoline. Not exactly the kind of stuff you want on something you'll be using for food preparation.
The easiest way to get rid of it is to burn it off. Remove as much as possible by wiping down the knife with paper towels and then chuck it into a fire or hit it with a propane torch. That will also get rid of the black coating on the steel, which I would guess is the residue from using the same motor oil to quench the blade after it's forged.
After that you're left with a decent utility knife that doesn't look too modern for a LARP environment. The blade will take and hold a good edge, but the narrow handle does get uncomfortable after extended use because it bites into the flesh of the hand. You can fix that with a leather wrap, or epoxy a real handle carved from some scrap wood over the steel. Oh, and the steel will strike sparks from a flint, so you can impress your camp mates by going all mountain man when it's time to light the fire.
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Tweaks
I'm tweaking the layout of the blog a bit. It's a much overdue change given that the original template dates back nearly ten years. You know, back when widescreen HD monitors were around $1200? Now that even my phone can handle high resolution images it's probably time to update things.
I've tested the wider layout on multiple monitors and two smartphones without any problems, but if you encounter any issues please leave a comment. Blogger's automatic resizing seems to be up to the task, but you never know.
Update: Now that I've had some time to actually use it I'm not sure opening up the width is what I want. While it allows for larger pictures it also makes reading text more difficult on widescreen monitors.
Update, Part Deux: I think this is the sweet spot. I'm much happier with how much room I have for pictures, while the line length is short enough that the eye doesn't drift too much.
I've tested the wider layout on multiple monitors and two smartphones without any problems, but if you encounter any issues please leave a comment. Blogger's automatic resizing seems to be up to the task, but you never know.
Update: Now that I've had some time to actually use it I'm not sure opening up the width is what I want. While it allows for larger pictures it also makes reading text more difficult on widescreen monitors.
Update, Part Deux: I think this is the sweet spot. I'm much happier with how much room I have for pictures, while the line length is short enough that the eye doesn't drift too much.
Drink Up!
Ulfhednar Workshop brings us this excellent dwarven tankard hand forged from copper and adorned with a dwarven figure carved from elk horn.
As gorgeous as this piece is I'm not sure if it's actually safe to use. I was under the impression that copper wasn't food safe unless the vessel was lined with a non-reactive material like tin, stainless steel, or pitch. Back in the olden days when metal shop classes were a thing we had to line anything intended for food with a layer of melted brewers pitch. Then again, given how many bongs kids tried to fabricate that might have been an anti-stoner measure. One draw off of burning pitch and you would have sworn off the devils weed forever. Heh.
As gorgeous as this piece is I'm not sure if it's actually safe to use. I was under the impression that copper wasn't food safe unless the vessel was lined with a non-reactive material like tin, stainless steel, or pitch. Back in the olden days when metal shop classes were a thing we had to line anything intended for food with a layer of melted brewers pitch. Then again, given how many bongs kids tried to fabricate that might have been an anti-stoner measure. One draw off of burning pitch and you would have sworn off the devils weed forever. Heh.
Friday, February 3, 2017
Small Gods
This wonderfully detailed miniature Cthulhu bust comes to us from Czech artist Oleksandr Bilibov. The 30mm piece was sculpted from Fimo and greenstuff.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Cthulhu Fhtagn! Zimmerman Edition.
The talented Brandon Zimmerman returns to our pages with this nicely done Cthulhu idol in faux turquoise.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Making a Gauss Rifle
Nuclear Snail's YouTube channel is filled with detailed tutorials on creating post-apocalyptic props and costumes. One of the best is this in-depth look at converting an off-the-shelf airsoft M-4 into a kickin' gauss rifle using a selection of doodads from the hardware store.
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