Shiv365: A Shiv a Day for a Year

That's It

2010-01-02T12:24:00.003-05:00

Yeah, so I got really behind after being sick, slammed by end-of-the-semester work in college, and then hit holidays... I had to reevaluate how I was spending my time and what I was getting for it.

This whole project was founded on a sort of silly basis - making shivs recreationally and posting pictures - so I never had spectacularly high hopes for it. But after pulling in only five people to follow the blog after more than two months of dedicated shiv making, and absolutely no more in this interim where I've been swamped or had more important (or interesting) things to do, I feel like I've reaped very little for the sowing.

Again, silly basis and all notwithstanding, this is a very time-consuming thing to do. Even that silly Cereal Killer shiv, made of cardboard from a cereal box, took two attempts to plot and cut it correctly and a well over half an hour to get it decent and reinforced - now think about how much it takes for something that's actually involved, with hammered metal, or needing an edge ground for the blade. This doesn't even touch scavenging materials, cleaning up after working (though I admittedly do a half-assed job of that) or the cost of materials or tools that had to be purchased (such as the grinding wheels my Dremel has burned through). For all this, I really expected, and I thought conservatively, to have a good fifteen followers by now that I did not know personally and IM one day to say "hay plz follow mai blog okay?"

In short; I'm pulling a very poor return for my efforts.

I can't keep up with it, there's not enough reason to keep up with it, and by now I would have to back-date more than two months' worth of shivs, which is downright unreasonable. I am tentatively going to continue working on this, but I am no longer going to slave over doing this as a daily venture. I could have rebooted it all and started reposting/redating the previous 80 shivs for this year - and this was an attractive option, since I had only 5 followers that could be remotely bothered by it. I settled on just shrugging off this sense of obligation to post daily, instead, and now I am just going to post them when I've made some or feel like it. I'm still going to shoot for that 365 shivs, and if this is ever published (I dunno, like a silly calendar or something?) there'll still be a year's worth of shivs.

But this, again, is tentative. I'm right now feeling pretty fortunate that this doesn't feel like massive bellyaching or some luggage that's been weighing me down, just a matter-of-fact evaluation and acceptance that the format wasn't working as it was. Realistically, if I had been able to keep up with this as originally planned to this point, I am confident I would still be arriving at the conclusion that the pace is not as sustainable as it seemed. This way, however, I have a clear exit strategy that doesn't feel like a burden.

I'll see some of you later.

ARGH

2009-11-19T17:36:00.000-05:00

Got behind again, sorry.

The semester is starting to close in around me and I've been severely fatigued the past week and some change. I've been feeling pretty rotten or genuinely sick with something for close to two months now.

In other news, the roof is leaking!

Expect a deluge of shivs by the end of this weekend as I am getting caught up, and thank you for your patience. In the meantime, feel free to look over the older shivs, and maybe leave some comments. :D

Shiv #80 of 365 - Copper Knife #1

2009-11-11T00:32:00.005-05:00

Shiv #80 - Copper Knife #1

I do make an honest effort to better vary the materials used in these shivs, which, believe you me, is no easy feat with another 285 left to make. To that end, I looked for some copper to make into blades and, upon finding nothing simple to use, bought a few copper pipe joiners to open up and flatten.

It worked well enough for me to do at least a few more like this. I can't say I'm ecstatic enough about turning pipes into plates to do these more regularly, though.

Bonus: Shiv made with a Lincoln Log.

Shiv #79 of 365 - Jugular Key

2009-11-10T23:55:00.010-05:00

Shiv #79 - Jugular Key

For opening the jugular.

Shiv #78 of 365 - CD ROM Drive Door

2009-11-09T23:55:00.000-05:00

Shiv #78 - CD ROM Drive Door

I was overwhelmed by a sense of perfect solace as I dismantled the damnable disc drive this door came from, as the drive had made a terrible hell of using my old desktop computer.

It was a Windows ME machine ... (this is where I wait for everyone to stop groaning) ... and was a pain to use every day after the first year I owned it. Replacing or upgrading hardware was particularly painful, as when this disc drive died on me, repacement drives would not take to the computer at all. This effectively stranded all my data, since I could not install a new OS on top of the resident Windows ME so that the computer could recognize the thumb drives or removable hard drives or even burn it all onto discs to shuffle along to a new computer.

It is now nearing the end of 2009 and I am still e-mailing myself my MP3s and pictures off the old computer, as frequently as I can stomach using the frickin' thing.

Shiv #77 of 365 - Shivswagen

2009-11-08T21:17:00.004-05:00

Shiv #77 - Shivswagen

Vee Dub, y'all.

Shiv #76 of 365 - Pain' Brush

2009-11-07T20:13:00.002-05:00

Shiv #76 - Pain' Brush

Because like omission?

Shiv #75 of 365 - Hello Kitty Cutter

2009-11-06T17:54:00.004-05:00

Shiv #75 - Hello Kitty Cutter

Because the other one was a poker.

Shiv #74 of 365 - Remember, Remember!

2009-11-05T22:52:00.003-05:00

Shiv #74 - Remember, Remember!

Remember, remember, the Shivth of November!

Shiv #73 of 365 - Dental Hooligan

2009-11-04T22:50:00.000-05:00

Shiv #73 - Dental Hooligan

Yeah, look, see? Sharpening toothbrushes is just fun, alright?

Shiv #72 of 365 - Sponge Brush

2009-11-03T22:48:00.000-05:00

Shiv #72 - Sponge Brush

Comes in packs of like eleventy for just a couple bucks or something. Because they're awful.

Shiv #71 of 365 - Manicurist

2009-11-02T17:30:00.000-05:00

Shiv #71 - Manicurist

Approximately one third of some nail clippers.

(In other news: I'm still under the weather, but Girl-Girl is on vacation. Win some, lose some.)

(Winnings and losses not in respective order.)

Shiv #70 of 365 - Severe Elephant

2009-11-01T01:26:00.004-04:00

Shiv #70 - Severe Elephant

I stole its ivory and gave it aluminum.

Also it has a little orange button on its belly that makes it bellow like REEEAAWWRRR when it is pressed.

Thank you, Target, for your $1.00 mass-produced junk section.

Shiv #69 of 365 - Shiv'er Me Timbers

2009-10-31T05:11:00.005-04:00

Shiv #69 - Shiv'er Me Timbers

And this brings us up to date.

I saw this little sailboat in a thrift store, and it pretty much made itself after that. Its rudder was broken off, so I gave it a new one.

A better one.

Shiv #68 of 365 - Spray Bottle Bayonet

2009-10-30T05:08:00.000-04:00

Shiv #68 - Spray Bottle Bayonet

See, you can be like spritz spritz spritz and then stab a fool?

Shiv #67 of 365 - Nasty Screw

2009-10-29T05:06:00.000-04:00

Shiv #67 - Nasty Screw

Remember Dirty Screw? Well, this one's nasty. :D

Shiv #66 of 365 - Toothcutter

2009-10-28T05:01:00.000-04:00

Shiv #66 - Toothcutter

I was really looking forward to posting this one, since this marks the official point where I have less than 300 shivs left to make. But then I got sick and I didn't care much.

9 out of 10 dentists agree that this is the worst toothbrush ever.

Shiv #65 of 365 - Remote Control Bayonet

2009-10-27T04:58:00.000-04:00

Shiv #65 - Remote Control Bayonet

I've wanted to do this shiv pretty much since the first week of the Shiv365 project.

Shiv #64 of 365 - Big Nail

2009-10-26T04:56:00.000-04:00

Shiv #64 - Big Nail

This is a pretty fierce nail. Sometimes, a pretty fierce nail is what's needed.

Shiv #63 of 365 - Buddha's Fangs

2009-10-25T04:52:00.000-04:00

Shiv #63 - Buddha's Fangs

I've been sick this past week and found it difficult to commit myself to playing with power tools or breathe normally, so this is back-dated to Sunday, October 25th's shiv.

What are the two most useless things in the world?

The Pope's testicles.

Fangs on the Buddha are pretty close, though.

Shiv #62 of 365 - Know What a File Is

2009-10-24T18:09:00.005-04:00

Shiv #62 - Know What a File Is

You know what a file is?

And you know what wittles is?

You bring me, to-morrow morning early, that file and them wittles.

Shiv #61 of 365 - Unsafety Scissor #2

2009-10-23T21:44:00.006-04:00

Shiv #62 - Unsafety Scissor #2

Part two of the broken scissors.

I made this with a lot of scrap bits, which is why it has four or five different twist ties, a barely useful length of a dowel rod, and three kinds of string holding it together.

Shiv #60 of 365 - Toofbruss

2009-10-22T21:40:00.000-04:00

Shiv #60 - Toofbruss

Sharpened toofbruss.

Shiv #59 of 365 - Thingy #1

2009-10-21T21:05:00.000-04:00

Shiv #59 - Thingy #1

I dunno what this is.

In other news, I was really busy this week and didn't have time to post all these.

BETR L8 THAN NEV0R

Shiv #58 of 365 - Shivasaw

2009-10-20T16:33:00.003-04:00

Shiv #58 - Shivasaw

Reciprocating saw blade, sharpened on the other edge.

Also note my filthy work table.

(It's really a protective plywood panel on top of a table I don't want to screw up too bad, but that's plenty "work table" enough for me.)

Shiv #57 of 365 - Five-Spike

2009-10-19T22:22:00.002-04:00

Shiv #57 - Five-Spike

I've made a few filthydirty shivs so far, but this is probably the new king of filthynasty.

That's five nasty pokes for the price of one.

Shiv #56 of 365 - Polly Pocket Knife

2009-10-18T22:06:00.009-04:00

Shiv #56 - Polly Pocket Knife

This is the sort of thing that, to me, is simply intuitive.

Also note the bonus shiv; she's holding her own wee poker!

(As if it needed to be said, I have no affiliation with whoever it is that owns and/or produces Polly Pocket.)

Shiv #55 of 365 - Unsafety Scissor #1

2009-10-17T23:56:00.002-04:00

Shiv #55 - Unsafety Scissor #1

Formerly a part of a pair of safety scissors.

Expect the other part sometime ohhhh next week.

Shiv #54 of 365 - Aluminum Knife #2

2009-10-16T18:23:00.003-04:00

Shiv #54 - Aluminum Knife #2

And the sequel to the first Aluminum Knife.

Expect a goodly number of entries into this subseries. A number of shivs outside the Aluminum Knife nomenclature already use aluminum for their blades.

The tools I have for working these shivs somewhat limits my selection of metals, and so far I've found aluminum to be a great blade material because it's both feasible as a blade, being sturdy and capable of holding a fair edge, and it's soft enough to work with, from cutting to grinding edges to drilling holes for tang screws.

Shiv #53 of 365 - Beamshiv #2

2009-10-15T18:12:00.000-04:00

Shiv #53 - Beamshiv #2

Fifty shivs later and we see the next Beamshiv, this time made with a SteelTec beam.

Splendor abounds.

Shiv #52 of 365 - Brass Monkey Poker

2009-10-14T20:43:00.002-04:00

Shiv #52 - Brass Monkey Poker

Mmm, deliberate ambiguity.

Shiv #51 of 365 - I'm a Shark/Shiv

2009-10-13T20:39:00.005-04:00

Shiv #51 - I'm a Shark/Shiv

In celebration of the new music video for mCRT's nerdcore rapstravaganza song "I'm a Shark" from his recent album Penis Monologues, I present to the world this shiv, which is a shark, and a shiv.

You can see the video on the YouTubes right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tfsREIMIhk

You can listen to and download mCRT's Penis Monologues and his other albums at his web site: http://www.robisfunny.com/

Shiv #50 of 365 - Wooden Spool

2009-10-12T21:46:00.003-04:00

Shiv #50 - Wooden Spool

I figured I should get another spool shiv made.

I am a fool for spools.

Shiv #49 of 365 - Golf Tee

2009-10-11T01:35:00.000-04:00

Shiv #49 - Golf Tee

Sorry this one is a little late.

After we got home from the Richmond Folk Festival, some srs bsns fell into my lap and it had to be sorted.

Shiv #48 of 365 - Receipt Paper Spool

2009-10-10T23:48:00.003-04:00

Shiv #48 - Receipt Paper Spool

We were in line at Kroger when the receipt paper spool went empty.

Of course I had to have it.

Shiv #47 of 365 - Nailer

2009-10-09T22:34:00.003-04:00

Shiv #47 - Nailer

I don't even know 'er.

Shiv #46 of 365 - Dada #1 : Cereal Killer

2009-10-08T23:49:00.006-04:00

Shiv #46 - Dada #1 : Cereal Killer

Just 160 calories per stabbing!

Shiv #45 of 365 - 3 Iron

2009-10-07T21:26:00.006-04:00

Shiv #45 - 3 Iron

It's been too long since the last time I broke a golf club.

If you've never experienced such a treat, keep in mind that golf clubs are hollow and made of fairly brittle metal. If you slammed one with a hammer, it'll bend a little and split. If you outright snap one, it could throw shards, so keep your golf clubs away from eyes and faces.

Shiv #44 of 365 - Broken Razor #1

2009-10-06T23:29:00.003-04:00

Shiv #44 - Broken Razor #1

I think I can go places with this.

I mean, places other than through a metal detector.

Shiv #43 of 365 - Aluminum Knife #1

2009-10-05T22:06:00.003-04:00

Shiv #43 - Aluminum Knife #1

Hammered aluminum bar in a Jenga block.

Love those things.

Shiv #42 of 365 - Spoon Part 2

2009-10-04T21:29:00.004-04:00

Shiv #42 - Spoon Part 2

The spoony-bowly part of the spoon. Flattened. Sharpened.

EXCITEMENT ENTERS MAXIMUM TERRITORY.

Shiv #41 of 365 - Spoon Part 1

2009-10-03T22:10:00.004-04:00

Shiv #41 - Spoon Part 1

Spoon handle crammed into part of a capsule inhaler.

Asthma is still sexy.

Expect the exciting sequel tomorrow.

Shiv #40 of 365 - Shivvy the Vampire Slayer

2009-10-02T19:37:00.003-04:00

Shiv #40 - Shivvy the Vampire Slayer

Sometimes a piece of metal for a proper poker isn't available, so people would make a shiv out of even more impractical things, like bones or wood.

So it's October now and I'm thinking, "None of these shivs could stop DRACULA!"

I had to change that.

Shiv #39 of 365 - Pretty Makeshift

2009-10-01T15:46:00.003-04:00

Shiv #39 - Pretty Makeshift

This was the first shiv with which I tried hammered aluminum. It was pretty encouraging, so I hammered other things, became more excited about those, and pretty much forgot about this one.

The curving of the blade is a pleasant side effect to the hammering; pounding one edge expands the metal along that side, causing it to steadily bow as the opposite edge keeps tight and unstressed.

Shiv #38 of 365 - Rice Cooker Lever

2009-09-30T15:32:00.003-04:00

Shiv #38 - Rice Cooker Lever

I like rice. I go through a rice cooker like once a year, because they're cheaply-made, mass-produced crap.

But, man - do they make good rice or do they make good rice?

Shiv #37 of 365 - Zero Shiv

2009-09-29T17:46:00.006-04:00

Shiv #37 - Zero Shiv

I was in a Walgreens or something one day and noticed there were Mega Man action figures on the shelves. Being a Mega Man fanboy since ohhh 1987 or so, I figured one couldn't hurt. I saw this one figure of Zero, from the Mega Man X series, but in a black theme. I thought that looked pretty sweet and sleek on him, so I went with the Zero.

I got home and cracked open the packaging, gagging at the smell of plastic and paint and rubber, and pulled the Black Zero from his trappings. I raised his left arm to do that fist-in-the-air badass pose, and the arm promptly snapped right off in my hand.

Screw Jazwares and their crappy action figures.

In other news, this shiv puts the project at a tenth of the way to completion. Tell your friends - I'm going alllllllllll the waaaaaayyyyy.

Shiv #36 of 365 - Wheelie

2009-09-28T09:29:00.004-04:00

Shiv #36 - Wheelie

Sorta like a pizza cutter, eh?

Sharpened washer on a puzzle piece on a Jenga block. Lordy, I love some Jenga blocks.

Shiv #35 of 365 - Shivosaur

2009-09-27T14:40:00.004-04:00

Shiv #35 - Shivosaur

Rawwwrrrr!

(Shout-outs to Jezzi, what what.)

Shiv #34 of 365 - The Million Dollar Question

2009-09-26T13:16:00.006-04:00

Shiv #34 - The Million Dollar Question

This shiv is made with a bible tract some guy foisted onto me one night during a First Fridays gallery walk in Richmond, VA. I thought it might be amusingly ironic to turn into a shiv this faux million dollar bill tract asking "The Million Dollar Question" of whether or not I am fit for Heaven.

I want to be clear that this isn't so much that I have a problem with Christians, but with pushy Christians. Like the kind that camp out around the gallery walk and bellow fire-and-brimstone fear-mongering at people through a megaphone.

Jesus's message was about love and getting along, taking a moral high road, being better people - not making a spectacle of yourself shouting fear at peaceful people as they pass the street corner your buddies work every first Friday of the month.

Shiv #33 of 365 - Red-Handled

2009-09-25T09:10:00.005-04:00

Shiv #33 - Red-Handled

This is an aluminum rod inserted into a painted wooden handle from a cheap plastic rolling pin, then hammered flat into a blade and and given a nasty edge.

Shiv #32 of 365 - Gift Card

2009-09-24T10:29:00.004-04:00

Shiv #32 - Gift Card

Made from a gift card.

I'm not going to polish this one up too much; it's thin, flexible plastic, and even with minor serrations carved into its edge, it's pretty dull. It does have a good point, though, and the coffee stirs bracing it do keep it pretty sturdy, so this could feasibly work for one good strike.

And that's all ya need.

Shiv #31 of 365 - Thorn

2009-09-23T18:57:00.004-04:00

Shiv #31 - Thorn

Tee hee, it has a cloth rose on it.

I promise something far dirtier tomorrow.

Shiv #30 of 365 - Sliver

2009-09-22T20:31:00.005-04:00

Shiv #30 - Sliver

Hose clamp, straightened, sandwiched between some coffee stir sticks, wrapped in fine yarn imported from Mars.

Shiv #29 of 365 - Prissy Sticker

2009-09-21T22:42:00.004-04:00

Shiv #29 - Prissy Sticker

I fancied up this nut pick with a sissy, flowery something-or-other and a big pinky-purple button for a guard. There's also a pearly little something on the end.

Shiv #28 of 356 - The World's Smallest Shiv*

2009-09-20T00:14:00.003-04:00

Shiv #28 - The World's Smallest Shiv*

It may be small, but it has all the hallmarks of a proper shiv. A piece of metal sandwiched between two, glued pieces of wood, honed and sanded to shape, then wrapped with brilliant red string for a comfortable grip.

(*As of the time of this posting.)

Shiv #27 of 365 - Cheater

2009-09-19T07:05:00.002-04:00

Shiv #27 - Cheater

The guy that pulls this during a game of Checkers is probably going to win.

Shiv #26 of 365 - VHS Cutter

2009-09-18T08:35:00.002-04:00

Shiv #26 - VHS Cutter

Made entirely out of pieces of a VHS cassette.

Shiv #25 of 365 - Scrapper

2009-09-17T17:38:00.003-04:00

Shiv #25 - Scrapper

This is a bit of scrap aluminum I had leftover from an earlier shiv. It seemed somehow appropriate to make it a shiv, too.

Shiv #24 of 365 - Untitled #2

2009-09-16T19:32:00.005-04:00

Shiv #24 - Untitled #2

I don't have a remotely snappy title for this one, either.

It's so surprisingly soon after the first one, though. I feel so dirty.

This is a not-Tupperware container lid, plastic, in a sort of scalpel design. It holds a finer edge than just the wood handle, and a pretty nasty point.

Shiv #23 of 365 - Asthmacore #1

2009-09-15T21:08:00.009-04:00

Shiv #23 - Asthmacore #1

I'm bringing "Asthma is Sexy" back.

(Warning: Do not attempt to make one of these yourself. Inhaler cannisters are pressurized and handling these inappropriately can cause them to blow the fuck up in your hands and face.)

Shiv #22 of 365 - Untitled #1

2009-09-14T20:48:00.003-04:00

Shiv #22 - Untitled #1

I don't have a remotely snappy name for this anonymous handle stuffed with a sharpened brass rod.

Shiv #21 of 365 - Toe Cutter

2009-09-13T18:07:00.005-04:00

Shiv #21 - Toe Cutter

Remote-controlled assault with a deadly weapon!

(Box cutter provided for scale.)

And so concludes week 3 of 52.

Shiv #20 of 365 - Action Figure Fantastic

2009-09-12T23:43:00.003-04:00

Shiv #20 - Action Figure Fantastic

Kick! Punch!

Turn head into knife and HEADBUTTSTAB!

Shiv #19 of 365 - Uh-Oh Kitty

2009-09-11T19:35:00.003-04:00

Shiv #19 - Uh-Oh Kitty

Hahahaha I put an aluminum spike in Hello Kitty's pooty-hole.

Shiv #18 of 365 - Dirty Screw

2009-09-10T17:40:00.003-04:00

Shiv #18 - Dirty Screw

Yeah, so like I put a screw in a dowel? And like I sharpened it?

And then I like turned the screw threads into serrations?

And then like I like thought this would be horrible to use?

This is dirty fightin', righ'chere.

Shiv #17 of 365 - Spife #1

2009-09-09T17:32:00.000-04:00

Shiv #17 - Spife #1

This is an experiment in creating a Spoon + Knife hybrid.

I expect I will need to try this at least one more time.

(Apologies for the tardiness, it was Girl-Girl's birthday today, and she's frankly more important than posting pictures of improvised cutlery.)

Shiv #16 of 365 - Steel Tec Toy Wrench

2009-09-08T22:33:00.003-04:00

Shiv #16 - Steel Tec Toy Wrench

This wrench sucks.

I tried to flatten out this bent socket-wrench end of it, and it just snapped off. That made it a pain to mount it onto a handle. Had to use wire and stuff. Psh.

If you pulled this in a fight, you'd probably get laughed at.

Then you'd get shanked by a better shiv.

Shiv #15 of 365 - Key Blank

2009-09-07T21:08:00.002-04:00

Shiv #15 - Key Blank

Un cuchillo pequeño de una clave.

Shiv #14 of 365 - Myntz Tin Scalpel

2009-09-06T22:06:00.004-04:00

Shiv #14 - Myntz Tin Scalpel

No, really - it's that sharp. Little on the flimsy side, but I put an edge on this that made easy work of some test cardboard.

This is my little way of remembering Myntz, the finest mints-in-a-tin ever produced.

So concludes Week #2 of 52, Day #14 of 365, Shiv #14 of 365.

Shiv #13 of 365 - Pokey San

2009-09-05T23:14:00.002-04:00

Shiv #13 - Pokey San

My aZn buddies tell me it's okay to name this one this, so eff yew if you're offended. I did my due diligence!

This is a fiercely sharpened machine screw in a fiercely mundane chopstick holder.

You see, you don't just leave your chopsticks in the bowl, because for some reason that invites spirits to om-nom-nom on your lo mein. (For the folks out there that aren't superstitious, it's because you'll inevitably bump the sticks and catapult noodles everywhere.)

Shiv #12 of 365 - Scudder #2

2009-09-04T18:31:00.003-04:00

Shiv #12 - Scudder #2

Here we have the other part of that box cutter (box cutter ... bocks cudder ... Scudder) that was missing a razor and its little slide sheath case thing.

Well, I found the little slide sheath thing. I then opened it up, flattened it out, split a Jenga block for a handle, screwed it all together and put a nasty edge on it.

Shiv #11 of 365 - Sticker #1

2009-09-03T15:25:00.003-04:00

Shiv #11 - Sticker #1

This is a simple prick-on-a-stick shiv, using a sharpened drywall screw driven into a square dowel, wrapped in luxurious twine for a comfortable, stylish grip.

Shiv #10 of 365 - Player Cutter

2009-09-02T14:29:00.004-04:00

Shiv #10 - Player Cutter

Hay, playa playa.

This shiv is honed from the disc drive door from an Apex DVD player I bought from a yard sale in 2002 for two thin dollars American; the previous owner said it was finicky and I figured it wasn't too much of a gamble.

I fixed that player and it served me for another six years before it finally bought the farm.

Now it is a glorious shiv. >:D

Shiv #9 of 365 - Stopper

2009-09-01T00:44:00.002-04:00

Shiv #9 - Stopper

This was once a door stop. Or whatever that thing is called that stops an opening door from banging against the wall. That's a door stopper, right?

Right?

Shiv #8 of 365 - Cracker Pack Poker

2009-08-31T01:15:00.002-04:00

Shiv #8 - Cracker Pack Poker

This shiv is made from the bright red plastic stick included in cheese-and-cracker snack packs for spreading the pasteurized processed cheese food product onto the sodium-rich crackers.

Shiv #7 of 365 - Slot Insert

2009-08-30T13:34:00.005-04:00

Shiv #7 - Slot Insert

It took me longer to find out what this piece of metal was called than it took to make the shiv. (Which isn't saying it didn't take me a goodly bit of time to make the shiv, just that this information was astoundingly difficult to find, it's so generic and unimportant.)

This shiv is made from the piece of metal one would remove from a computer case when adding an expansion card to the motherboard, like for a video or sound card, or a modem.

Then one would typically drop this bit of scrap in the trash and never think about it again.

Shiv #6 of 365 - Barbie Skewer

2009-08-29T15:44:00.003-04:00

Shiv #6 - Barbie Skewer

Barbie Arm + Sharpened Hex Key

Don't be deceived by the doll arm - this thing is something fierce.

Shiv #5 of 365 - Daisy Poker

2009-08-28T19:02:00.004-04:00

Shiv #5 - Daisy Poker

Mmmhmm.
I reckon that there daisy might take out an eye, mmmhmm.

Shiv #4 of 365 - Pokey Jr.

2009-08-27T00:16:00.000-04:00

Shiv #4 - Pokey Jr.

Wow, and I fretted so much about missing a day, and here I am already late on the fourth shiv. I even had this one done, ready and waiting, for yesterday's post!

Now that that anxiety is over, I can relax.

This is the Pokey Jr, an inch-ish nail secured in a turnbuckle. The little cloth tail seemed intuitive to me, since it's sort of dart-like.

And yes, you can count on at least a Pokey Sr. in the future.

Shiv #3 of 365 - Beamshiv #1

2009-08-26T17:22:00.004-04:00

Shiv #3 - Beamshiv #1

I have so many and so many different beams from old Erector, Meccano, and Steel Tec sets that I'm going to confess now that I would be unable to resist revisiting them for materials. They're just too neat, too numerous, and too workable for me to pass up.

That said, this is the first Beamshiv, using a beam from an old beam-and-girder building set.

Shiv #2 of 365 - Scudder #1

2009-08-25T22:08:00.004-04:00

Shiv #2 - Scudder #1

Here we have a box cutter (box cutter ... bocks cudder ... Scudder) that is missing a razor. Also missing that little slide sheath case thing.

All wrapped up in all purpose twine for a high-friction grip to minimize slipping.

(Update: I found the little slide sheath thing and made a shiv of that piece, too, and retroactively numerated this one.)

Shiv #1 of 365 - Canis Cupido

2009-08-24T20:56:00.004-04:00

Shiv #1 - Canis Cupido

This bit of stablery utilizes a heart-shaped dog tag for a blade, attached to a scrap of dowel rod and wrapped with jute about the handle for a comfortable assault.

So it begins.