clamping small stuff

[Mike Olson]

I'm finally getting around to making a marking knife. I cut the blade from an old hand saw and I've glued it between two thin pieces of wood. My plan was then to use a spokeshave to shape the handle into something comfortable since I don't have a Lathe yet.

My problem is, since it's small i can't find a way to clamp it so it won't move, yet have enough stick out that i can get the spoke shave around the corners. Does anyone have any ideas?

I now know for the future to leave the stuff extra long and cut once the majority has been shaped.

[mike holden]

Make a block with a v-groove down one side the length of your handle.
Hot glue the handle to the v-groove, hold the block in your vise.
Mike

[harry strasil]

clamp it in a vise by the blade, or clamp the blade end in a pair of visegrips and then clamp the vise grips in a vise.

or just use a rasp to get the rough size, then finish with sandpaper or a scraper.

[Mike Olson]

Excelent. i'll try the vice grips first. if that doesn't work then i'll try the V cut and hot glue.

Thanks for the ideas,
Mike