WIP Bowie knife

Dennis Morland

Dennis Morland

KNIFE MAKER
It has been so cold in the garage through the winter months here in Nebraska. I am way too cheap to buy propane to heat the place. So I have been on a little vacation from knives until it warmed up a bit. I got a bit of leather work completed in the warmth of my basement, but, no knives. I have an itch. The last few days it finally warmed up and I got started on a new knife. Hurray!!

I have a bowie knife (at least my thoughts of a bowie knife) to complete by June for a wedding gift. Time to get started and see where this goes.

First, I need a plan. I like to look at knife pictures and borrow inspiration. I have admired this knife for some time. It was made by none other than Forged in Fire co-star, J. Neilsen. I really liked the blade shape and I will attempt to get a fairly close rendition of the same.

833-C87-FB-5-D00-4-A1-F-BBD8-404-DFA44-BA58.jpg
 
My rendition will be made from 1075 instead of damascus. I got it cut out/laid out a bit. I am a big fan of blue dykem. I am color blind and it helps me to see the blade a bit better.

D63-FA21-F-54-D5-4377-A5-C8-F562-B201-D692.jpg


A68-F8911-2936-4-B3-A-A3-D5-000-C7-C330-B53.jpg
 
I have not decided on the guard. I like the sculpted guards with the sweeping S. I also like the oblong guard on the J. Nielsen knife. We shall see where that takes me. But, should look something like this when finished.

95268-C00-0-A85-46-EF-A81-E-BB88-A1-F01139.jpg
 
I start with a 45 degree or so initial bevel on each side. I try to keep each bevel as close to the same as the other side.

120-CEF60-F36-C-43-F7-8019-CFDFACB1-E37-B.jpg


3-A3-C881-F-FBD1-4-D59-A8-F1-979978-DDBD7-E.jpg
 
I have a bit of clean up to do on these. But, close to ready for heat treat. I am going with a hamon. So they will get cleaned up really well for that process.

A8276-A88-28-A4-4-A1-D-8-E8-A-5055-CB1-E37-C9.jpg


EC0-FF612-C27-C-4-DAB-A113-4618-B8-D85-E39.jpg
 
Here is where I messed up. I cannot find my pictures of hamon preparation. So, I missed that phase. My bad!! I did get the blank heat treated and it appears as though the hamon took fairly well.

75-A0-CEEF-F507-46-EE-ACAE-78857-DB6-AE65.jpg


94-ABC7-EB-97-AD-4293-9-B04-11867851-A49-C.jpg


This is as far as I have gotten on the build. I will next move on the finish grinding. give me a few days, I will try to remember to take more pictures.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top