The other night as I was laying in bed looking for something completely unrelated on craigslist (no, it wasn't a hooker), I found a pedal wheel. I've been wanting one for quite some time and this one, to me, looked like a steal at $60.00. I emailed the guy and asked if it was functional. He said it needed some fine tuning, but that you could sharpen stuff with it. When I showed at his house, I couldn't even talk him down. I fell in love!
I brought it home and set it up in the shed. Haven't had a chance to touch it since Friday when I got it, so I gave it a go today.
Found this hatchet on the dump the other day. Western Cutlery. Heard of it? I hadn't. I did an online search for them and people are asking stupid money for them. If you want a good deal on this one, hit me up. ;)
In my conversations with Uncle Bern, he told me that the pedal wheel that he uses rotates the wheel towards him, or at least that's how he does it. I tried it and it felt awkward, so I spun the wheel the other way and started pedaling.
It threw the wire edge back and forth for a bit. The hatchet needs more attention, but I just wanted to see how the wheel worked. So far, so good. This wheel is old school cool!
In discussing it with the guy I bought it from, he thought it was a 1930's Sears and Roebuck deal. I can't find any evidence of that, but it sure is cool!
Pax Domini Sit Semper Vobiscum,
Mike, Oscar, Hotel.....out.
Most old school folks DID turn the wheel towards themselves, but if you didn't wear an apron or put up a guard, you could get pretty wet. I can't tell from the picture where the water's coming from, but the more the better. Some wheels had a little funnel-like cup over the wheel with a valve on the bottom to control the drip.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I remember seeing a lot of cheaper "mini-bowie" style hunting knives by Western when I was a kid. You probably found this, but here's a company history:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ehow.com/about_5074885_western-knife-company-history.html
Water is just me pouring now and again with a cup. Gonna work on a set up for something more efficient. Thanks for the link. I'm just trying to figure out what all of the fuss is about or whether I've got something decent on my hands.
ReplyDeleteAny chance of a close up of the turning mechanism attached to the wheel? I have an old rock my grand father owned but no frame, so I am looking to build one.
ReplyDeleteNice setup!
ReplyDeleteIt'd be a fantastic addition to an off-the-grid homestead. I'd use the heck outa that thing.
bmatt