Kalaya Steede

Do you have any tools that disgust you? I DO!!! That is the Knew Concepts Saw.  Well one that I received 6 years ago. I could never get the blade in correctly.  I even purchased the knew FANCY knobs to replace the plastic ones that came with it.  See the pretty gold knobs? Beautiful! So it kind of just sat hanging as studio decoration.   Ooooooo...look at that fancy saw, it is pretty, it is light, AND no one seems to know how to use it! Now this saw has been by my side from the beginning. It is not as pretty AND heavy as hell!  Okay not that heavy but heavier then the pretty red one. OH WAIT!!! Writing this post has made me do yet another search on the Knew Saw. There is a VIDEO?!!! Mind you that there was no information back in the day about how to use this thing.  Just a poor instruction sheet that came with. You are going to laugh. Turns out you have to load the blade at the top first, then the bottom, and then...

Bonjour! I have been on a ring making journey and in the past week I have probably made at least 7 rings!  Would that count as a ring a day?  HA! Anyway, my most favorite rings are anticlastic. Anticlastic is defined in which the two principal curves bend in opposite directions, like a horse saddle. Curves in the metal are so beautiful to look at and follow,  kind of like our bodies.  Have you ever lay there with your hand in front of your face and just follow the curves of your hand? Absolutely beautiful! Here is a ring that I recently made on commission. Notice the gentle curves and feel how smooth they are. Well this journey of anticlastic forming has led me to making my own anticlastic or sinusoidal forming stake.  I was going to purchase one but why do that when you can make your own? I started off with a block of rock hard maple (7/8" thick) and transferred a template a friend gave me. After about 40 minutes I was able to ...

I am down to my last 9 rivets.  I need to draw some wire down  to make more but guess what?  I do NOT have a draw plate!  As always I take my time in ordering and when I go to order the draw plate they are out of stock.  My life story.  hahaha!!! Anyway to make a long story short...my long awaited wire draw plate arrives... Wow!  It even came in its own case! Oooooooooo.... Ahhhhhhhhh.... ohhhhhhhhh.... Now if I can only figure out which side to load the wire.  Hahahaha!!! I just had to share my excitement over this draw plate.  I am probably just excited in general.  I have some cool pieces to share with all of you but not yet!  Patience grasshopper!  hahaha!  Does anyone remember that saying? Here is to a great Tuesday! Namaste Kalaya

I've been in the market for a dapping set.  The question that plagued me for months is which one should I buy?  I want quality but how much am I willing to pay for it?   Well, Rio Grande has a set from Durston for $225.00.  That is the Cadillac of dapping blocks.  They also carry a set from India for $75.00.  How different can they be?  I really could not tell you and believe me I tried to figure it out.  I even asked Rio but they were not able to give me a straight answer.   *sigh* I really needed a dapping set so I made a decision.  I ran out to Harbor Freight and bought whatever dapping block set they had. Introducing... My first dapping set. After a VERY kind gentlemen gave me his 20% coupon I paid $36.00 for this BABY.  Not a bad investment and I had decided ahead of time that what ever the outcome it would be alright.   I bought a reasonably priced set and got beautiful results!  This doesn't ...