James Binnion interview.

James Binnion is one of the best known mokume gane artists, and here is an interesting radio interview of him. I understand this blog has now turned almost 100% mokume, and that the interview is of interest mostly to mokume freaks, but hey it's my blog in the end...

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/whaleystudios/2009/12/10/metalsmith-benchtalk-wth-james-binnion

For those of you who do not know who James Binnion is, here is a piece of his work.

http://www.mokume-gane.com/index.php?page=collections&subpage=custom&subsubpage=teapot

Superb mokume gane book.

I recently received as a gift a book about mokume gane by Ian Ferguson. I highly recommend it (after having already read it twice). It is comprehensive and particularly informative on the old and newer technology on making mokume gane (i.e. liquid phase vs solid state diffusion bonding). It also offers tons of information on all sorts of metals, as well as patinas. I do not get any commission from the author, it is just that despite what I think I know already, I was humbled by the vastness of the subject.

Workshop moved.

Crisis time here in Greece, and everybody is cutting down on expenses. For me that was a good thing, as  I am moving my office together with another 5 architects friends for a cheaper rent and closer to home. The added benefit was a spare room in the back of the office, that I turned into a workshop. 

All my stuff from my 50 m2 workshop fit nicely into 10 m2, and is looking real nice. 

So now, at 10 min walk from home (instead of 30 min drive) I have no excuse to not work, and finally finish up the tanto and wakizashi, as well as some more mokume.

More posts on the latter later on, but this time it will be in the electric kiln using some really precious metals for a change (and a challenge).