Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite Plain

I've read about this Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite in blade forums being used to carve ball in a cage or ball in a ball and wondered if it is really is capable of what was claimed it can do. My friend who is fast becoming a blade addict bought one and showed it to me. I was hooked and bought one too.


I whittled a fox out of 1" x 1" basswood and the CS Mini Tuff Lite really can carve no doubt. But whether it can do ball in a cage or ball in a ball remains to be seen. I have to try it myself because I think the width of the blade can be difficult to use on tight corners specially when freeing the ball.

Blade Length: 2"
Blade Thickness: 2.5 mm
Overall Length:5"
Steel: Japanese AUS 8A Stainless
Weight:1.7 oz
Handle:3" Long Grivory
Pocket Clip: Stainless Pocket / Belt Clip


The fox which my grandson said looks like a pig.

That's all folks! Thanks for reading.

Schrade 18OT Resurrected

A friend gave me an old Schrade with a broken blade tip. It's a small knife but it has a liner lock which make it ideal for whittling small wood figures.


Right now it has 4 3/4" OAL length and is 2 3/4" closed.


After 10 minutes with a bastard file. Originally, it has a 2" blade now the blade length is 1 3/4".

And after 5 minutes with a carpenter's sharpening stone. It is sharp at this stage and would be sharp enough if this is just a utility knife but it is not quite sharp enough for wood work. It has to undergo honing with a finer grit stone and leather stropped. The knife must be cleaned too as you can see it is rusty.

You can buy a knife like this at Amazon (Old Timer 18OT Mighty Mite 2 3/4") for $13.25 and free shipping. But the new ones are made in China. It is not that I have issue with China made knives but this one is a vintage knife and made in the USA.

That's all folks! Thanks for reading.