I've Been Knotty

Vaughn McMillan

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A couple nights ago I got a wild hair while in the shop and decided to try making a Celtic knot pen for my brother-in-law's Christmas present. (He's the Viking guy and Celtic knots are big for him.) I grabbed a nice figured walnut blank I've had for years and some scrap maple and came up with this. I didn't get the hole in the barrel centered exactly, so the knot's a bit uneven, but I just centered the clip on the narrow part and it looks intentional. (That's my story, sticking to it, etc...)

Celtic Knot Pen - 02 800.jpg Celtic Knot Pen - 01 800.jpg

Feeling pretty good about how the knot came out for a first, I decided to scale it up a bit last night. A piece of red eucalyptus cutoff, some more scrap maple, and a Rockler screwdriver kit, and my dad's Christmas present ended up looking like this...

Celtic Knot Screwdriver - 03 800.jpg Celtic Knot Screwdriver - 02 800.jpg Celtic Knot Screwdriver - 01 800.jpg

Both are finished with CA and buffed as I would an acrylic pen.

Comments and finger pointing are welcome - :wave:
 
Lovely work there Vaughan. Possibly the best I have seen as the choice of wood seems to really enhance the knotwork. Just one question. What is the connection between vikings and Celtic knots?

Pete
 
Cool Vaughn :thumb:
Now your gonna have to post a link to that vid again:thumb::rofl::rofl:
Please, pretty please with a cherry on top
I tried the old one but it just went to the web site not the vid.
 
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Very nice work Vaughn. Everyone getting one of those will be very happy.

Just thinking to myself, ya know we used to have the norm being that when one retired from a company they gave a person the good old "gold watch" or some other corny junk you never use.

Something like that screwdriver would be a far better bet and used and long thought about I think.

I like your handle design on it.:thumb:;)
 
Thanks, guys.

...What is the connection between vikings and Celtic knots?

I'm not sure if it's because Celtic knots and Viking knots are sort of similar, or if it's because my brother-in-law likes Celtic stuff about as much as Viking stuff. All I know is he likes them a lot. :dunno:


Chuck here is kind of a tut on them. http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11388&highlight=Celtic+knots
There is a link to a vid I think Vaughn did on them but when I tried it. It only came up with the web site not the vid. Stu, Vaughn?...

Nope, the video was by a kid who's 11 years old. I don't know why the link Stu posted wasn't working (works for me), but here's another source for the same video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9uQv5sKibk

I used a tablesaw and my Incra miter gauge to make the cuts. The pen has 3/32" wide kerfs (same as my thin kerf Freud blade) and the screwdriver has ~1/4" kerfs (one half of my Freud box joint blade set).
 
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