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crafting the Ferrules ▲ Dark Finish. Burning tung oil onto the copper ferrules results in this black finish. Ferrules are used on many woodworking tools such as marking knives and chisels to prevent the handles from splitting near the blade. But there's no denying that they can add a nice look as well (left photo). The ferrules I used were simply V2" x %" copper bushings that you can pick up at any hardware store (inset photo at right). But rather than have just plain copper fittings on the ends of my marking knife, I decided to "dimple" and then burn the ferrules with a finishing oil to match the look of traditional Japanese woodworking tools. To start off, I cut the rear ferrule (Step 1). To do this, put the ferrule over a wood dowel and cut it to size with a hacksaw. Dimples. Next comes the dimpling process. For just the right look, I wanted a relatively large dimple that wasn't perfectly round. A 5/u' x 2" carriage bolt with its tip rounded over provided the effect I was looking for. As you can see in Step 2, I slid the ferrules over a steel rod to prevent them from becoming out-of-round while I was hammering the dimples in. You have to hit the bolt pretty hard to leave a dimple, so don't be shy. For a handcrafted look, punch the dimples randomly. Fiery Finish. To complete the ferrules, I brushed on an oil finish ▲ Copper Ferrules. To cut the end ferrule to its final size, slide it onto a wood dowel and trim it with a hacksaw. (Step 3) and then applied heat (Step 4). Different oils produce quite different looks, as you can see in the box at lower left. While the ferrules cool down, you can start making the tenons for the ferrules on the handle (box at the bottom of the next page). Recipes for Color OptionsIf the black finish pictured above is not to your liking, you can experiment with other finishing oils to find something you do like. In addition to the peanut oil finish, I used two other finishing oils (listed below), as well as no oil at all — I just scorched the plain copper bushing. And the longer you apply the heat, the darker and richer the final result becomes. No Oil. Heating the ferrules with no oil on them simply gives the copper an antique look. m Boiled Linseed Oil. Firing this oil produces a medium-brown hue on the copper ferrule. Peanut Oil. Heating peanut oil gives the ferrules a golden-red appearance. A Dimples. Randomly tap the bolt to add "dimples" to the ferrules. I had to file the end of the steel rod a little to get the bushing on. A Brushing on Oil. Applying an oil to the ferrules is one step to get the look of traditional Japanese woodworking tools. A Fire It Up. Scorching the ferrules with a torch will discolor the finish and provide a hand-crafted finish. 26 ShopNotes No. 83 |
