Brad Lilly
Moderator and Awards Boss
WIP Ring guard Bowie, done Pictures post 16
Knifedogs has been the biggest positive thing for me trying to become a knifemaker. I have made new friends and learned from some of the greatest knifemakers out there. The whole atmosphere here is one of trying to help knifemakers improve and push their limits. With that in mind I thought I would do a WIP thread of a knife wayyyyy out of my skill set, after all knifemaking is like exercise if you don’t push yourself you never get better. I’m a big fan of Bruce Bump and Steve Janick’s knives so if this knife looks heavily influenced (Cheap rip off) by them that is no surprise.
Here is the beginning a ¾” thick piece of mild steel for the handle. I thought I would try and make a ring guard Bowie with the frame, guard and pommel all out of one piece of steel
I lucked into a mill cheep this spring, so I though this would be a good way to learn how to use it
Time to get forging. I did not get any pictures of the forging action. Here is the blade ground out and ready for heat treating. The steel is 1084 and I edge quenched it in veterinarian grade mineral oil (Parks 50 is hard to get in Nova Scotia)
At this point the blade is tempered and finished ground. The flats are sanded and I’m ready to cut the false edge in.
This next photo is why the whole project has come to a halt. Never sand at 5:00 am on a Sunday before drinking ALL your coffee
It is not as bad as it looks just a little poke at the base of my thumb, right in my sanding muscle.
Knifedogs has been the biggest positive thing for me trying to become a knifemaker. I have made new friends and learned from some of the greatest knifemakers out there. The whole atmosphere here is one of trying to help knifemakers improve and push their limits. With that in mind I thought I would do a WIP thread of a knife wayyyyy out of my skill set, after all knifemaking is like exercise if you don’t push yourself you never get better. I’m a big fan of Bruce Bump and Steve Janick’s knives so if this knife looks heavily influenced (Cheap rip off) by them that is no surprise.
Here is the beginning a ¾” thick piece of mild steel for the handle. I thought I would try and make a ring guard Bowie with the frame, guard and pommel all out of one piece of steel
I lucked into a mill cheep this spring, so I though this would be a good way to learn how to use it
Time to get forging. I did not get any pictures of the forging action. Here is the blade ground out and ready for heat treating. The steel is 1084 and I edge quenched it in veterinarian grade mineral oil (Parks 50 is hard to get in Nova Scotia)
At this point the blade is tempered and finished ground. The flats are sanded and I’m ready to cut the false edge in.
This next photo is why the whole project has come to a halt. Never sand at 5:00 am on a Sunday before drinking ALL your coffee
It is not as bad as it looks just a little poke at the base of my thumb, right in my sanding muscle.
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