Photos of some of my past knives! Part-3

C Craft

C Craft

Well-Known Member
So this is part 3 of the photos and my learning experiences! This next one was my first request for a knife with full leeway on what and how to make it. The only thing I got was this was for his son that was in Afghanistan at the time. Now saying that if I had this one to do over with full latitude on it, today I would have taken it in different direction!!IMG_0399.jpg This was my first with a makers mark on it. I have since changed the mark, although I still use the bear symbol on my sheaths when appropriate! This a first with nickel/silver bolster and pinned with nickel silver pins. IMG_0396.jpg IMG_0391.jpg I still had not learned about the quality of the photo is everything as well as the quality of the makers mark is key!! This one had a clip front that was all but shaving sharp. I wasn't sure if he would be going back to Afghanistan but if he needed to stick something, I wanted the shape of the point as well as the sharpness of the point be able to do that!! It also has a finger coil.
The handle is Oak treated with a chemical to make it turn green on it!! IMG_0404.jpg I was real proud of this one and showed it too my wife. Which as a good wife she said I like it. But I could tell she did not love it! So after a bit of prodding I got her to tell me it was the handle color she didn't like. I sweated that one till I delivered it and the guy loved it. In fact he told me he owed me more money as he wasn't expecting it to turn out as well as it did! I turned down the extra money and was glad he liked it as well as he did!!

The sheath is a first in doing a two part design on the face and is double sewn for strength. It also has a retainer embedded into the back leather of the sheath. It holds firm on the blade so the sheath can be worn as pictured or upside down or sideways on his web gear without fear of the knife accidently coming out!!

Here a while back I was getting pretty bummed about not turning out anything recently! I thought about scraping the whole thing. However I like making knives. So figured if I had things ready to do the finish of a knife maybe I could steal a minute here and a minute there till I got them finished! So I went out and selected six of this knives from the blanks I already have cut out! These are all 1080 and I am trying to put together everything I need to finish these six knives! Firsts002 (2).JPG Firsts003 (1).JPG One of the six is the Bowie I posted about a while back. I have never drawn out what I was going to do till this one start to finish. Although I had it in my mind! IMG_3268.jpg So here is the drawing and here is somewhat of it will look like! IMG_3266.jpg And as any good knife needs a sheath here is a sketch of the finished sheath for it. I actually thought I had lost this drawing, till I started looking for these photos to post! Bowiesheath (1).JPG I have had it in my mind from day one what the sheath was to look like.

So here it is I am slowly working on those six knives! The way I have been working lately it may be a while before I complete any one of them! So if my experiences in fabricating, sewing leather, a lifetime of working with wood and knife making qualifies me for "armchair expert" then I suppose that is what some will call me! However I feel it all qualifies for offering advice where I can benefit others!! When I first started on this journey I was meant with a lot of hay newbie you don't need to ask dumb questions. However I learned a long time ago the only dumb question is the one you didn't ask! I have also asked some experts in the field about this and that because I want to continue to improve myself and I guess I was dumb enough to think they might want to share. I am too old now to make anything in this field but, what I do leave behind with my name attached to it. Well I want that to be the best that it can be, and if I can advise you on how not to make the mistakes I have made, I will!! Enough said!! You can take what you see and my words for what they are!!!
 
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Thanks John it suppose to have the look of the old Bowies. What ever that was! Since the only real Bowies that survived where the ones in the museum pieces and they vary quite a bit. When finished this will "my remediation" of a Mountain Man Bowie. There has been a couple of things, the smaller detail I have been working out and this one will be ready to put the finishing touches on!!
 
Chris- Very interesting to hear your story. I like the profile on that Bowie, too- and several other touches you displayed. I'm curious what you are planning for the guard on the Bowie (looking at your drawing).
Also, I have a forged 'rasp knife' with stag handle that's waiting for a sheath. I just can't seem to visualize what fits it. I'm sure it's probably not period correct, but I'd still like something with that look- kind of the mountain man thing.
Your pics of some of yours are helping me to visualize what it needs. Thx for posting!
 
Bill Hubbell said:
Chris- Very interesting to hear your story. I like the profile on that Bowie, too- and several other touches you displayed. I'm curious what you are planning for the guard on the Bowie (looking at your drawing).
Also, I have a forged 'rasp knife' with stag handle that's waiting for a sheath. I just can't seem to visualize what fits it. I'm sure it's probably not period correct, but I'd still like something with that look- kind of the mountain man thing.
Your pics of some of yours are helping me to visualize what it needs. Thx for posting!
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Bill, I haven't been back here in a while. So sorry I haven't responded before this. I am going to let the guard talk to me, so to speak. It will be an S guard. I will probably to more of a curl at the end of the S! I have had several ideas but I want this piece to be what might be considered period correct! With a few makers creative touches.

What most folks don't understand if you stay true to the period. Most of those knives would be boring by today's standards!! Boring is sometimes hare to sale!!
Also most folks think that is all a blacksmith had to do with his time. When in reality the blacksmith was a very busy man. He was the mister fix-it of the time. Downtime for a good blacksmith would be rare!

At present the wife's illness has taken a new turn and has kept us very busy. Also the damn insurance company is back trying to drop me from their insurance. Because my house needs some repair on the outside! Last year if was a roof, this years it is some bad siding on the house. What they don't understand is with all the medicine we both take, their has been no extra money for working on the house!! Hope to get that repaired and get back in the shop soon.
 
Sorry to hear of your troubles, Chris. Wish I was closer and we could patch up some of your house stuff. It's hard to know why stuff is like it is sometimes. Hang in there and know that many here on Knife dogs really appreciate your experience and wise input! I'd still like to see the finished Bowie when it happens!
 
"Cliff" - I do like the looks of that Bowie. One of these days I'm going to use those lines to make a Bowie of that type myself. I don't think the Joe Musso Bowie is very typical of the "Bowie" knives most folks had back then, just too big at 19-1/2" long. More like a short sword!
 
Hope you can start finding the time to get back to it Cliff, maybe you can sneak out at night after the wife goes to bed.
you know there's a lot of obstacles in life that keep us from doing things, some we can beat down or work around but age and health are two that no one can get around...it sucks.
 
Bill Hubbell said:
Sorry to hear of your troubles, Chris. Wish I was closer and we could patch up some of your house stuff. It's hard to know why stuff is like it is sometimes. Hang in there and know that many here on Knife dogs really appreciate your experience and wise input! I'd still like to see the finished Bowie when it happens!
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Bill if we was close I would take you up on the offer! The offer reminds me of a time when folks just done things, cause it was the right thing to do to help a neighbor!

KenH said:
"Cliff" - I do like the looks of that Bowie. One of these days I'm going to use those lines to make a Bowie of that type myself. I don't think the Joe Musso Bowie is very typical of the "Bowie" knives most folks had back then, just too big at 19-1/2" long. More like a short sword!
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Ken, one day maybe we can sit and discuss Bowies. I have a lot of info I have saved over the years. I have my own theories about Bowies! That theory does not always jive with the concept most have of the Bowie!! So when I begin to spin the theory I often have to back it up with documentation of the time period!!
bladegrinder said:
Hope you can start finding the time to get back to it Cliff, maybe you can sneak out at night after the wife goes to bed.
you know there's a lot of obstacles in life that keep us from doing things, some we can beat down or work around but age and health are two that no one can get around...it sucks.
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Steve I appreciate the kind words and I know exactly what you mean!! Ten years ago I had no idea what the disease, my wife has was!! Nor did I have and idea after I found out about how many times it would come back to take another bite of her life!! She is tough, most folks would have already gave up. She has two problems that are among the highest suicide rate for medical problems there is. Somedays I don't know how she does it! I am just the one watching what she is going thru, not the one going thru the pain and other complications the disease deals to her!! I don't know how she does it!!
 
That's got to be tough Cliff, you know, you could be worth billions but if you lose your health sometimes all the money in the world won't change a thing. 10 years ago doctors told me I had two years to live, money couldn't change anything, bad things happened but I'm still here. ever since I've looked at things differently. you never realize how good you got it till your health starts going down the tubes. hopefully the medical world will come up with something new soon to help your wife.
 
C Craft said:
Bill if we was close I would take you up on the offer! The offer reminds me of a time when folks just done things, cause it was the right thing to do to help a neighbor!



Ken, one day maybe we can sit and discuss Bowies. I have a lot of info I have saved over the years. I have my own theories about Bowies! That theory does not always jive with the concept most have of the Bowie!! So when I begin to spin the theory I often have to back it up with documentation of the time period!!


Steve I appreciate the kind words and I know exactly what you mean!! Ten years ago I had no idea what the disease, my wife has was!! Nor did I have and idea after I found out about how many times it would come back to take another bite of her life!! She is tough, most folks would have already gave up. She has two problems that are among the highest suicide rate for medical problems there is. Somedays I don't know how she does it! I am just the one watching what she is going thru, not the one going thru the pain and other complications the disease deals to her!! I don't know how she does it!!
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C Craft, I know how hard things can be for the caretaker. I don't know how my wife does it either. But it can also take a toll on you. There are some days where I'm more emotionally exhausted than anything from my wife's health problems. However I'm lucky in that she's on the road to recovery. In fact from her point of view she's fully recovered.

So take whatever time for yourself that you can. Whether that's getting out in your shop or whatever suits you. Insurance can be a real pain.
 
Thanks Sean. I think of the insurance more as vultures rather than people! I know everyone has a job to do but you don't have to be so uncaring and calloused in doing it!! I am sorry I couldn't smile and tell folks, well we gave you time,...………

You don't have a clue as too what is going on in my life! Most days I am just spent at the end of the day. I don't have the drive and stamina I used to and somehow in the grand scheme of things, the house kept getting put on the back burner!! I only asked for another 30 days, not to cut your throat!! Oh well I still am man enough to take responsibilities for my actions and one way or another. You aren't going to get me to cave in!!! I called in the troops for the weekend and we are going to take a run at getting everything done!

I take strength in my Lord. I have been having some long conversations with him lately!! I did however tell him he wasn't much of a conversationalist the other day! I figure he made us in his image so he must have a sense of humor as well!!
 
C Craft said:
Ken, one day maybe we can sit and discuss Bowies. I have a lot of info I have saved over the years. I have my own theories about Bowies! That theory does not always jive with the concept most have of the Bowie!! So when I begin to spin the theory I often have to back it up with documentation of the time period!!
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Cliff - you KNOW I can sit back and talk with you all day about most anything that's interesting. The wife says she didn't know I knew so many words :)

I'd LOVE to load up some of my Bowie info and knives in the bike and take a ride over that way - BUT, this old knee is keeping me from riding much lately. I'm taking those "rooster" shots in the knee and hope they help. Got the 2nd one (of a 5 shot series) scheduled for tomorrow. Maybe it will be getting better about decent riding weather.

OR - you 'n your family are MORE than welcome to ride over this way - I'd plan to throw some ribs on the grill or something.

Ken H>
 
Ken them shots used to help my knee, ain't had them in a while but is seems to add a bit so the parts of the knee ain't grinding together! My pain management doctor started talking about surgery and I told him I have been cut on enough for a while. As long as I can get by I will. I have a knee brace wrap but only use it when it is real bad!! What aggravates mine is those turns where your foot was wanting to stay planted but you managed to turn!!
 
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