Skinner completed.

Mark Barone

Mark Barone

Well-Known Member
This I believe is only my seventh knife, since I started this hobby over 2.5 years ago. I’m banging them out.
6 inch OAL
3/16 wide
1095 steel
Purple Heart scales (1000 grit, Tung Oil )
Red spacers
3/8 mosaic pin
1/4 inch lanyard pin
Acid Finish 50:50 acid and cider vinegar 30 minutes

Please feel free to critique so I can progress. Some things I would have preferred to do but played it safe.
I wanted the bevel a little wider. The acid finish is also not as consistent as I would have like it. This was my first try. It’s just an acid etch, I haven’t purchased a tumbler or vibrator yet.
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love the purple heart and i actually acquired some recently but understand that it can be troublesome w/ respect to color longevity. have you heard that ? if so, did you take any action to address that issue ? would love some input from anyone w/ experience with this.
 
victoroni said:
love the purple heart and i actually acquired some recently but understand that it can be troublesome w/ respect to color longevity. have you heard that ? if so, did you take any action to address that issue ? would love some input from anyone w/ experience with this.
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I heard that too. No I didn’t do anything special to protect it’s color. I too got a big block of it. This knife is going to my son. He is an accountant so I don’t think it will be used that much. Although maybe during tax season.
 
What I see interesting is the horizontal lines in the acid etch part of the blade. Look at the close up detail on picture 2. I don’t understand how that happened, I brought it down to 600 grit on my belt grinder so I would think the lines, if they were going to show, would be vertical.
 
Mark Barone said:
Amazon. Just type in Mosaic pins and these picture pins come up too. They are pricey . 57 dollars for 4-5 inch piece. I think I can get 4 knives out of it.
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A better source for these pins is to go to a guy who makes them. I have placed several orders over the past few years with a gentleman in Russia.
The downside is the fact of dealing with someone in another country, and the wait time, which is usually 2-3 months.
However, Alexey has a large range of designs available, will make them in 8, 10, or 12 mm diameters x 100 mm length ( all the same price), and will use copper, brass, or stainless in them, whichever you prefer. He also can use whatever background color in the filler ( epoxy I think ) that you specify.
In addition for no extra cost he will do any custom design that you want. I have sent him pictures and he sends back a graphic showing what the pin will look like. I have sent him ranch brands, pictures of aircraft, and church symbols from which he has produced great looking pins.
The cost is much less than Amazon, about $30 for a 4 inch pin.
I think he is on Facebook, but this old Owl is not so I don't know about that.
His email is way4ep@gmail.com .
He has been very responsive to any questions and as long as you have the time to wait his work is exceptional.
 

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Mark Barone said:
What I see interesting is the horizontal lines in the acid etch part of the blade. Look at the close up detail on picture 2. I don’t understand how that happened, I brought it down to 600 grit on my belt grinder so I would think the lines, if they were going to show, would be vertical.
Click to expand...
So...maybe a real life metallurgist will come along and confirm or deny what I'm about to say.

When grinding the decarb layer off of steel, if you twist it about in the light, just right, when you're real close to being to through the decarb layer, you can see what I can best describe as a "mirage" type pattern that is always, always, parallel with the rolling direction of the stock. It is my assumption that this is the exact depth where decarbed and non-decarbed steel meet. That is what your horizontal lines put me in the mind of.
 
tkroenlein said:
So...maybe a real life metallurgist will come along and confirm or deny what I'm about to say.

When grinding the decarb layer off of steel, if you twist it about in the light, just right, when you're real close to being to through the decarb layer, you can see what I can best describe as a "mirage" type pattern that is always, always, parallel with the rolling direction of the stock. It is my assumption that this is the exact depth where decarbed and non-decarbed steel meet. That is what your horizontal lines put me in the mind of.
Click to expand...
Well it’s the best theory so far. I don’t like the look. I wish I had a little media blaster. Maybe that’s how they get a more consistent look. I am just trying different techniques.
 
Very nice! The profile, the wood, the red scales, the mosaic pin....It all works well! And as for your rate of production, hey you work at your own speed. Like you said, you focus on building your skills and working out your vision for every knife you make.
 
Love that the red in the spacers and in the mosaic pin match pretty well, but I'm not crazy about the red against the purple of the scales. Really sorry that your son may never actually use the knife. I skin and butcher the deer I kill and this knife looks like it would balance and perform really well. Great knife.
 
KentuckyFisherman said:
Love that the red in the spacers and in the mosaic pin match pretty well, but I'm not crazy about the red against the purple of the scales. Really sorry that your son may never actually use the knife. I skin and butcher the deer I kill and this knife looks like it would balance and perform really well. Great knife.
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Yeah, I wanted use a real dark wood. I thought I had a mahogany but couldn’t find it. After I finished I found 3 blocks of it. I think the darker wood would would have contrasted better. but the good news is I can make another knife . I just need a reason. Somebody give me a reason.
 
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