A knife for me...!!

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KNIFE MAKER
So you're build a batch of hidden tang knives....and you have a prototype blade, guard, and handle that you would not be able to sell...what to do...?

Claim it for your own!!

This is definitely an ugly duckling...but it represents pushing forward during so many days of feeling bad that I even like the mistakes....lol. now I just gotta sweet talk the sheath maker...Lol.

Sorry for the pic quality and distortion from holding too close to camera...the first profile pic will give a sense of scale/proportion.

This handle had a large check in it...but was pretty so I made it my experiment with sealer and finishes...I like what I came up with.

Ed's advise to Chris R. to not put the guard on square because it will look like it's tipping backwards? yeah...it did indeed....and I have 16 blades that way.

I was already stewing at how small my guard was for a Bowie...and when a friend pushed the retaining strap over the guard while snapped...coupled with the other guard being so wide it was scraping the sheath....coupled with the visual of backwards tilt...I had to do something...that would work with knives that are already marked, and heat treated...three days of trial and error....and the new guard is born...whew.

so this is my keeper...warts 'n' all....lol.


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Other than the tilt, I think it's a pretty good looking knife. I just couldn't resist.
Seriously, Ted, I do like it .... Warts and all. The most important thing is that you are willing and able to see the shortcomings and learn from them.
Take up the offer from your sons friend. I just couldn't resist again !!!
 
Nice knife Ted. I don't think its an ugly duckling. I definitely see that as a family heirloom. Your guard and screw are original and the components compliment each other. That is a beautiful build.
 
Sometimes the "warts" make the work stand out. I see nothing wrong with the guard; as a matter of fact I think it is well made and tooled. Some might not appreciate the layered damascus pattern but I think it looks good and sometimes simple is the hardest to get right and I think that you nailed it. If I were to recommend anything, and it's only my opinion, I would forgo the fullers. I think that they cover up the damascus pattern.

Doug
 
Thanks Doug! The fullers put the balance just behind the plunge line which makes the knife feel "quick". Everyone who has fiddled with it has commented about how "light" if feels....which of course it's not a light knife. I'm thinking of maybe just not doing the Damascus pattern....of the two I think the nice balance is the best feature. (I personally like the "pattern machined " blade...but not many have seemed excited by it...)

I do want to make a 9" Bowie on the same handle/frame....but it's not going to balance like this one...
 
this is where opinions and preferences really show you that there’s a customer for everything... because I LOVE the fullers! So much so that it has inspired me to try that myself. I’m seriously crazy about this knife!
 
John Wilson said:
this is where opinions and preferences really show you that there’s a customer for everything... because I LOVE the fullers! So much so that it has inspired me to try that myself. I’m seriously crazy about this knife!
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We actually agree on that, John.
 
Today I made a "power stropper" this big knife wears me out so I took an old 10" cart wheel, knocked the bearings out. Super glued a shaft in. The turned the OD on my lathe...rubber cemented a leather strip down...and no I can get the big blade sharp without getting a backache! Run it in the lathe at 300rpm. it's rough lookin' but it works....

Viva la white-trash....lol.
 
Doug and John got me thinkin'....The pattern machined blade would look good without the fullers....the fullers look good without the pattern machining...my son thinks the bare naked blade looks best as he's seen the one prototype done that way.

I think on the next batch I will run one each way...finish them...and not sweat the balance....who doesn't expect a Bowie to nose heavy? That's the price you pay for "stabby looking"....lol.

I've been on lockdown so long I've gotten downright myopic in some of my thinking...my wife has gotten tired of trying to answer knife questions on subtle preferences she could care less about...lol.

Thanks for the input guys....!

Below is my power stropper...shown with a coating of 1 micron sapphire polishing compound....which may be too fine...jury's out on that still...lol.


The flat milled into the chuck mounting plate? There's 2 of them....lets me drop it in the bridgeport vise for milling round stuff. The first time you fling a V-block or twist the part you are cutting will make you appreciate this trick...lol.

The knife shown is the one that is for 2019 KITH for Gene K. It's turning out nice and I will probably be finished with it tonight...but still on limited work schedule per docs orders...I hope to deliver it to the sheath maker tomorrow...(the wood looks terrible in the pic...it is highly figured Claro Walnut that I hoard like dragons treasure...!)

Thanks fer lettin' me ramble....



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I take it that the fullers are cut with the mill.? I'm wondering if I could do it with my trusty ol files? Watcha think, o maker of fullers?
 
Bruce McLeish said:
I take it that the fullers are cut with the mill.? I'm wondering if I could do it with my trusty ol files? Watcha think, o maker of fullers?
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yes...I think so. I would try a riffling file. I would grind one side of the tang of the file parallel to the file itself. then clamp/solder that to a bar of steel or brass. Then clamp the knife down to the bench and clamp a piece of anything straight to the bench and use it as a guide....the bar on the file rubbing on the material clamped to the bench for location. Ideally if you could trap the file bar between 2 guides...all you have to worry about is depth of cut...finish passes wrap some sand paper around the file.

Hope this makes sense?
 
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