RickA
Well-Known Member
Hi Everyone
After my recent success with my competition Bowie - I have been asked by my colleagues to make a custom hunting knife for our (very good) boss, a bow hunter - who is leaving the company due to restructuring.
I am currently working out the design, based on a couple of nice hunting knife templates I have - I'm thinking of taking the standard hunting knife template and deepening the blade belly a little so it can function as a hunter / skinner.
I will probably be going with Bohler N690 or M390(If I can get some) for the blade, with 316 stainless bolsters, fiber liners and some nice Arizona Desert Ironwood for the handle scales. My question has to do with the scales - I have very limited hunting experience however I have several friends who are hunters and have heard all of them say that standard (high quality) hardwood scales - tend to get quite slippery when gutting / skinning and animal due to the blood.
I have thought about making two sets of interchangeable scales - one in ironwood for "display" with a canvas micarta set grooved / roughened for hunting use, but I dont like the idea of having screws for the handle mounting (on a fixed blade) also - not sure how practical it is, despite it being fairly common with folders.
I have seen a number of knives with artificial handle scales - grooved / roughened / patterns cut into the surface etc - but none with top class hardwood which has been similarly roughened up.
What would be the best way to have presentation grade hardwood (Desert Ironwood) scales - but with good grip for use in hunting / skinning situations? I dont want to buy a presentation grade set of ironwood scales and then mess them up. I need to get some ideas and try them on some cheaper scales / wood beforehand.
Any ideas??
After my recent success with my competition Bowie - I have been asked by my colleagues to make a custom hunting knife for our (very good) boss, a bow hunter - who is leaving the company due to restructuring.
I am currently working out the design, based on a couple of nice hunting knife templates I have - I'm thinking of taking the standard hunting knife template and deepening the blade belly a little so it can function as a hunter / skinner.
I will probably be going with Bohler N690 or M390(If I can get some) for the blade, with 316 stainless bolsters, fiber liners and some nice Arizona Desert Ironwood for the handle scales. My question has to do with the scales - I have very limited hunting experience however I have several friends who are hunters and have heard all of them say that standard (high quality) hardwood scales - tend to get quite slippery when gutting / skinning and animal due to the blood.
I have thought about making two sets of interchangeable scales - one in ironwood for "display" with a canvas micarta set grooved / roughened for hunting use, but I dont like the idea of having screws for the handle mounting (on a fixed blade) also - not sure how practical it is, despite it being fairly common with folders.
I have seen a number of knives with artificial handle scales - grooved / roughened / patterns cut into the surface etc - but none with top class hardwood which has been similarly roughened up.
What would be the best way to have presentation grade hardwood (Desert Ironwood) scales - but with good grip for use in hunting / skinning situations? I dont want to buy a presentation grade set of ironwood scales and then mess them up. I need to get some ideas and try them on some cheaper scales / wood beforehand.
Any ideas??