So if you've been keeping up with my Westfair stories (what do you mean you have your own life and don't spend hours following mine?) you know I had an unusual request from a couple of the entertainers.
Michelle and Alissa are lumberjacks. Lumber JILLS actually. Chicks with Axes. I watched them working with chainsaws and axes and was absolutely amazed at their talent, power, and ability to not cut off body parts. In addition to their talent with those blades, they are just nice people. If you ever get a chance to check out Timber Tina's Lumberjills, please do!
On Thursday, they spotted my copper and sterling "scrap" pendants and asked if I could make something with an axe on it. Why not, I thought...I'm up to a challenge!
I worked on a couple of prototypes and didn't really get what I wanted, so I changed my approach and started hammering 14g wire into "blades" to wrap around a "handle" (also in 14g). Here are the practice pieces in copper.
The girls approved of the axe shape on the far right, and I did up a couple in sterling, again using 14g wire.
Next up, I roughed up some copper plates to solder the axes to. In the meantime, I started looking at the blades on those axes and thinking about soldering them, and getting a little nervous. Better have an extra on hand, just in case I turned it into a blob of melted silver, eh? Plus, I have to admit, I had a lot of fun making those little axes.
So I created a little double bladed "executioner" style axe. Again, just 14g wire, hammered then filed. I used some 26g wire to attach the blade to the handle.
I took them home that night, said a little prayer to the Gods of Metal, and just touched the torch to them. Miracle of all miracles, no melting...not a single one. All three attached to their respective pendants with nary a speck of stray solder, even. Tossed them in the tumbler, and took them out in the morning. Dan examined them and was amazed "Those aren't going anywhere, are they!?"
I took the pendants to the fair, and the girls LOVED them. They ended up picking out the two that look alike, so I have an extra double bladed axe, but I don't care. I had so much fun making these, I just giggled to think about them!!
Oh wait. I did take a couple of picture just to show how tiny those axes were....
All I can say is "thank God they didn't want me to make chainsaws...."LOL, thanks for reading my little story...it was definitely the highlight of my fair week!!!!!
Labels: axes, copper, pendant, sterling silver, westfair
