wip for a few blades

This is my first post on the knives I make and while I dont pretend to be in the same league as the experienced makers who show thier work here I thought to show a little WIP on a few that are underway at the moment.
Having got my 2x72 belt grinder done I have been having a bit of fun learning about its capabilities and making a few new tool heads or re-making one and that has enabled me to make a good start on a few different designs of knives.
I had a good sweedish hacksaw blade so made this one for te kitchen. Too hard to drill without carbide drill bits so ground it for a non drilled pin in the stick tang handle

One of the heavy old files I had been given was near 3/8 tthick so I drew up a mini cleaver for jointing rabbits etc.

Being reasonably pleased with progress I layed out my patterns on some stainless knife steel I was given to trial but not knowing exactly what it is I thought I would make them up anyway as giveaways that would let me try a couple of new techniques. The stick tang was the end of the length of steel and I thought not to waste it.

I got this lot heat treated this morning. All were taken to non magnetic and quenched in 130* canola oil then tempered at 375 for 2 hrs.

The little cleaver was hand sanded to 600 and is sitting with a set of Jarah handles glued and cramped up for the night.

Early morning here so not the best light to get pics but have got a couple of them almost done. For wood handles I do the same as I do for when I build rifle stocks in that I give them a couple of coats of thinned spar varnish sanded back to the surface with 600grt paper then any number of coats of BLO and tung oil mix for the finish.
This pic is more to show the little rack I use when the finish is drying.

This is the 6.5x57 Erfurt SR I built that the knife (52100 steel, stainless steel bolster and pins 3 7/8 blade and 8 7/8 oal) is a companion piece to. Blind mag (a first I had done so very pleased with it) aperture sights with a qd scope in a leather cary bag for when it is needed. The knife has a piece of the same walnut from the rifle. The claro blank was a gift from a good friend in the US who I had done a Lee Speed stock for.


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I got the cleaver and one of the knives finished today.
The cleaver has a 4 3/4 x 1 5/8 x .304 blade and is 9 3/4 over all. The tang is tapered which gives it a great balance and heft at 12 3/4 oz.

This knife is one I cut out a while back so the handle hasn't got the little flair at the rear of the grip like I have for my patterns now but it will do for my needs for the time being. It is not as if I dont have a number of knives to choose from if I go for a hunt as I have been playing with them (strictly for myself on a 2x36 grinder) for the last 38 years

I have been working on another four over the last few days so should be able to show some progress on them soon.

Those are some NICE work - isn't that new 2X72 nice for grinding that thick stock? Nice work and nice finish. I'm really impressed by the wood in that rifle! Great job.

Ken H>

KenH said:

Those are some NICE work - isn't that new 2X72 nice for grinding that thick stock? Nice work and nice finish. I'm really impressed by the wood in that rifle! Great job.

Ken H>

Click to expand...

The grinder would certainly take the thickness down Ken but my other cleaver has a 9x5x1/4 in blade and weighs in at near 2 1/2 lb which makes it quite unweildy for jointing the rabbits I like to hunt for the table.This little one is ideal for them.

I like that little rabbit cleaver design. Let us know how it works (on chicken too).

hanks guys, I am quite pleased with how they have turned out. I got the other four blades done and tried a new technique with the bolsters on one of them but kept the other 3 plain walnut. They just have to have the edge put on them now and they are done. Not sure what I will do with them but this was the last of the guessed at steels that was given to me to try and anything further will be with 15N20.