A non-matching pair of knives WIP.

LiamLynch

LiamLynch

Well-Known Member
I recently recieved a parcel with all kinds of cool sheath making stuff among other things from a fellow knifedog. I decided to go ahead and get a bit of steel to get back into things. I took a bit of a knock when I discovered a crack in my last knife but salvaged most of the stuff. I got myself some AISI O1 3*40*500 ground flat stock from cromwells (great place to get steelin the UK). I am going to be making two knives this time so this WIP doesn't get killed. One is a skinner or hunter type blade I guess which will have black liners and a red stag handle and 4mm brass pins, the other will be a drop point utility knife with an elm burl, Tasmanian oak or huon pine handle because. Can get it free. I might use blue or black liners depending on the handle material I choose, I might have to buy a different color who knows. The both sheaths will be sandwich style with cobra skin inlays. Hopefully the pictures work so let me know if they don't.
http://imageshack.us/a/img593/2046/photomar12162009.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img28/6370/photomar09120133.jpg
Ignore the tanto in the picture, that is for another time. The skinner ended up having a slightly longer handle because apparently I have girl hands and I need to make bigger handles. In the parcel I received there was a sheath that had been started for me so I can't take credit for the skiner's sheath. If the pictures don't work I shall have to get boss to help because I do knives (barely) not computers. It may be slow going because of school and stuff as well.
 
Today, I finished profiling the utility knife and began doing the bevels, I have done the plunges with a 1/4 inch chainsaw file but can't get them lined up, I will probably make some kind of guide. I did the short grinds to get the edge thickness, it is about 1mm. I cut it out with an angle grinder and dremel so if anyone decides this is the way to do it, use quick release clamps and don't let it get hot. Don't wear gloves because you don't want it too hot to touch. I am going to join the dots for the other knife. The only power tools I will be using are a drill press and angle grinder. Now that I have the blade shape I will start the sheath for this one. I won't finish it until the handle is on though. Because I'm not keeping the other knife it will be done a step behind so I have a process that works tried. The picture shows my finger where it balances, are brass bolsters possible without a tapered tang? What do I need to do in terms of lightening holes?
http://imageshack.us/a/img585/6990/photomar16151618.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img707/7291/photomar16191538.jpg
Sorry about the awful pictures, I don't own a carmera.that will probably be all until Tuesday.
 
I got some time today so I worked on the sheath and handle shaping a bit. I figured that I might as well get it done before HT and then I would just have to assemble it after. This is what I have done so far.
http://imageshack.us/a/img841/227/photomar17141034.jpg
Brace yourselves for a lesson on how not to do double dovetail bolsters, or how to do them with minimal tools. Preferably the latter.
Here is the sheath so far. The dark brown is bufferlope skin, I want the rest of the leather to be dark brown as well, do I dye it or oil it or what?
http://imageshack.us/a/img59/3870/photomar16230238.jpg
Also, how much contrast would I get with buffalo horn and black vulcanised fiber liners? If it is a subtle difference it would be pretty cool but I don't want to waste good material on something that won't be visible.
 
LiamLynch said:
Today, I finished profiling the utility knife and began doing the bevels, I have done the plunges with a 1/4 inch chainsaw file but can't get them lined up, I will probably make some kind of guide. I did the short grinds to get the edge thickness, it is about 1mm. I cut it out with an angle grinder and dremel so if anyone decides this is the way to do it, use quick release clamps and don't let it get hot. Don't wear gloves because you don't want it too hot to touch. I am going to join the dots for the other knife. The only power tools I will be using are a drill press and angle grinder. Now that I have the blade shape I will start the sheath for this one. I won't finish it until the handle is on though. Because I'm not keeping the other knife it will be done a step behind so I have a process that works tried. The picture shows my finger where it balances, are brass bolsters possible without a tapered tang? What do I need to do in terms of lightening holes?
http://imageshack.us/a/img585/6990/photomar16151618.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img707/7291/photomar16191538.jpg
Sorry about the awful pictures, I don't own a carmera.that will probably be all until Tuesday.
Click to expand...

Liam,
You can get the plunges lined up with PRACTICE by file.. I suggest you learn how to do these free hand before you start using a file guide. You will learn a lot about working steel that way.

Also you can wear gloves and not worry about your temp until after the steel has been Heat Treated, just don't get it hot enough to change colors. You can still wear gloves if you like?
Just Grind,Dunk & Wipe Then repeat, You will develop a little rhythm doing this.

The last temper for most HTed Stainless and Carbon steels is somewhere around 400 degrees F. So the steel can actually get much hotter than you can hold. Water boils at 212 F. so that is the about the limit I use when working harden steel.

You don't need to taper your tang to put on bolsters, As far as drilling out the tang to lighten it just stay a good 6-8mm in from the edge so you don't have any problems later when finishing the tang and handle scales. Smaller holes are easier to drill in stainless so I drill out the tang 1/4" or less at a time.

As far as contrast goes with your horn & black liners? You are the Artist!

I trust you are wearing a respirator? Steel is bad and the horn is worst to breath!

Hope this helps you some.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Laurence, I am getting the heat treating done professionally for this knife most probably. I would be putting on rear bolsters as well, would that make too much difference.

Most work on this knife has been put on hold due to my stepfather failing to tell me that his drill is no good for metal. I will be getting a drill in a fortnight or so hopefully. I am going to Austria next week as well so there won't be knife making next week. I will try and do all the grinds on Saturday I guess. That's all for now other than this is not dead, it is alive but moving slowly.
 
If this is a drill press your step dad has? it should work for steel or wood. Just slow it down By adjusting the belt and it will drill a annealed steel with a HSS drill bit.

You can use a hand crank drill to drill annealed/Non-hardened steel if need be.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
It isn't a proper drill press, it is a drill in a stand, my grandparents have a real one but I barely ever see them. I will try again with new drill bits. It is an SDS drill as well so it is always slightly loose in the chuck but that is how it is designed. I am looking for a drill and I will see what I can find.
 
I have returned from my travels. I got attacked by an Austrian yeti though and it pulled my arm from its socket as I valiantly fought and slew the beast. I will try and get some work done but it may be a week or so if I can't work with one arm for a bit.
 
Liam your off to a good start. I see Laurence is helping with advice keep up the good work.Just remember slow and steady wins the race. later kellly
 
I have bought a drill so I might be able to get all the holes drilled and bolsters shaped. I won't be able to do the handle because a peice of horn I have is slightly too long and I need a hacksaw to cut it and I can't do that yet. I don't know how long till I can do the bevels though.
 
Liam,
You want to put the Drill press on the slowest pulley it has for drilling steel & HSS drill bits for bolsters and unHTed steel, Carbide for anything heat treated. Most any wood saw should work on the horn?

You can take a few days off? No one will think you are a wimp if you let your shoulder heal for a week or two.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
I decided that I could try some filing and it didn't go too bad. It was very slow though. This is my angle holding set up. It is two parts of the original steel bar, I guessed the distance and what not but it is a start, once the edge is knocked off the supporting piece I will tape up the file so it doesn't cut into the support any more.
http://imageshack.us/a/img5/3171/photoapr03181811.jpg
I got the bolsters drilled. I'm going to completely shape the handle and get the lightening holes drilled all before HT so it is easier to get it to balance.
http://imageshack.us/a/img17/6287/photoapr03173552.jpg
There, would you look at that, holes 'n' what not.
 
Because of my arm the filing has conpletely stopped for now, I will work on the handle and sheath. Can the sheath be oiled or do I have to dye it? I want it brown. I'm not putting bolsters in it any more either. The other knife hasn't been started yet as I can't use power tools other than a dremel. I'm also saving for a grinder now to do bevels more evenly, the files keep changing angle because I couldn't hold them steady. It wil be a Clarke 6" grinder with a belt attachment to start with.
 
The doctor said that I should use my arm like normal to gain muscle before the surgery so I did some work today. I glued the liners to the horn and the colour is almost identical. I'm hoping for a subtle liner that you have to look for but once you see it, it jumps out at you.
http://imageshack.us/a/img836/5049/photoapr12210638.jpg
I drilled the pin holes and there are some extra holes where the bolsters where going to be attached and where I made a mistake. They can be lightening holes.
http://imageshack.us/a/img96/6462/photoapr12210826.jpg
You can kind of see where the holes are but I taped them for the picture.
I spent about three hours filing, I have been filing pretty gently just in case so I didn't get far. I have done about half of one side but I think it is going alright. A new set of files could go a long way I think.
http://imageshack.us/a/img201/7465/photoapr12225908.jpg
The tip isn't parallel to the rest of the grind and I would be happy to get it there and leave it but I made the mistake of cutting the plunge 3/4 the way up the blade. Now I have to remove a lot of steel. I found an ingenious way of keeping the angle the same.
http://imageshack.us/a/img819/8181/photoapr12211341.jpg
The handle held the file up and there is a mark on the bench to keep the file lined up to. I am very proud of that.
http://imageshack.us/a/img254/9035/photoapr12225957.jpg
This is a picture of the blade as it is, you can see where the grind line needs to come up. Around the plunge I have no idea how to fix it, I filed in that specific area for ages and to no avail, the grind line remains saggy.
This is a picture of my corner of the shed, it is where my drill stand and vise are and it is where I make my knives. Everything happens clamped to this bench. It's a rubbish picture, you can see the bread maker and ginnea swine cage appropriately placed. I think that is all until tomorrow.
 
I got pretty much a full day of work done today. I finished shaping the scales with the fiber on them. The horn looks more grey the rougher it is so I recon it will show the fiber if I don't make it completely black. I used a dremel style rotary tool and it took ages. If only we weren't out of coping saw blades. The dremel sanding drums last about five times as long as the store brand ones as well.
http://imageshack.us/a/img20/1319/photoapr13150221.jpg
That is the scales being shaped.
http://imageshack.us/a/img194/9093/photoapr13173852.jpg
I got the holes drilled and so the scales could be fitted as well.
I used my not-dremel to shape the front of the scales.
http://imageshack.us/a/img62/6315/photoapr13192448.jpg
They don't look even in the picture but they are.
http://imageshack.us/a/img546/706/photoapr13192505.jpg
You can see in this picture that I really need a centre punch and some lights next to my drill so that I can see where I'm putting the holes. It's good enough and I'll do that better next time.
Here is a picture of the handle on the knife, it gives you an idea of what the finished knife will look like.
http://imageshack.us/a/img838/2875/photoapr13195329.jpg
If any of you noticed I put a wide choil or Spanish notch or whatever you call it on the pattern. I changed my mind about it and put this one on instead. I was going to do a fancy one and got half way and thought it looked good as it was.
http://imageshack.us/a/img32/8552/photoapr13201401.jpg
I ended up making it deeper though.
I never did get a picture of the finished grind on that side but it is pretty close in that picture.
This is as far as I got with the grind on the other side.
http://imageshack.us/a/img17/9991/photoapr13220008.jpg
If I manage to read all about dystopian book burning futures tomorrow I might have enough time to shape the handle completely. If so it means that I can work on the sheath during the week because everything will be to final shape. I reckon two weeks left on this build. Then on to the other knife, how I'm going to cut it out, though, defeats me. No angle grinding, I don't like them at the best of times and I don't really know if my drill really is up to drilling round the whole blade.
 
I got the handle shaped today and most of the grind done.
I forgot to get a picture but I used my trusty 1/4" chainsaw file to get a groove across the lowest point of the handle. It was just in front of the second pin from the butt. I used my dremel to open it up a bit then ground it to the rough shape I wanted.
http://imageshack.us/a/img844/5397/photoapr14203038.jpg
I can't remember which maker does their handles this shape but I think they were pretty accomplished so I thought it might be a starting point. It looked comfy in the pictures I saw. I didn't want to use even the slightest but of glue for holding the scale in place and I didn't want to grind the pins what I did was push them through so they only came about halfway through the scale I was working on. It stopped me wasting time having to rotate the pins during assembly to get the pin face to match the scale surface.
To contour the scales I pulled out the first pin and shaped up until the next pin. When I got to that pin I pulled it out and put it in the first pinhole and so on in a leapfrog type manner.
http://imageshack.us/a/img707/4798/photoapr14210405.jpg
You can kind of see where I have shaped and pulled out a pin to contour around it.
http://imageshack.us/a/img10/8186/photoapr14211826.jpg
This is the handle shaped, I have cleaned it up a little since the picture to kill the major imperfections and asymmetrical bits but hands aren't symmetrical and since the three possible owners are all right handed I went for comfort over symmetry. This is before I shortened the pins.
http://imageshack.us/a/img837/4860/photoapr14212424.jpg
I shortened the pins so I could get a better feel of the handle. It is angled in the picture because it shows the shape better.
http://imageshack.us/a/img13/16/photoapr14212433.jpg
Here is a spine shot, you can see how I made the handle a fish shape.
This is the last picture I got before going to my pit and it was frankly rushed so the knife looks as bad in the picture as real life but its good enough for me. Also it balances right on the forefinger groove. Now that the handle is shaped I can work on the sheath after school. This is all until Wednesday probably but who knows.
 
I will be changing some things with the next one I think. I have been rushing because I want a finished knife, I slow right down for the polishing stage and will be doing a lot of cleaning up with a sanding block. I want to put my name on this knife, is it a good idea? My first knife is marked, second knife is destroyed, this will be my third. I don't want to de value future knives by marking this one. I will probably change my mark if I get good at calligraphy, would that solve the problem? What if I numbered it as well? I want to mark it because an unmarked knife doesn't look right to me.
 
This is what I did today. I forgot to think about the width of the handle. I made the welts really thick at the back to fix it.
http://imageshack.us/a/img577/1817/photoapr16203537.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img15/6917/photoapr16204958.jpg
This is how I clamped the welts because I don't have the fish shaped ones. I did some wet forming to get an idea of what the sheath would be like. I'm pretty happy with the results.
http://imageshack.us/a/img585/9281/photoapr16231016.jpg
Fixed the Tuesday night boredom to say the least.
 
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