WIP - Harpoon Bowie

[Erin Burke]

PHOTO #87

I am a big fan of printing "to-scale" templates for my guards, spacers, etc.
this ensures that -- to the best of my ability -- the fittings are symmetrical. It also gives me a chance to visualize them before I start grinding. At home, I have an older version of AutoCAD... while at work, I've been known to create templates in Microstation. (Note: I also rely heavily on CAD anytime I build a folder.)

I use some fairly coarse-grit belts (probably slightly used blue zirc 36-grit) to grind close to the lines, then follow up with cheap 120-grit AO.



PHOTO #88

Rounding/breaking the hard edge on the seppa, foo'. Straight-up KMG action fo' shizzle.

Following up the 220-grit AO with a A30 trizact gives me silky-soft fingertips... with the added benefit of removing my prints, helping me avoid positive identification in the NSA's database.




PHOTO #89

Grinding things... making them square. Working Title: The Many and Diverse Uses of Aluminum Angle

It's important, when truing up a block on the grinder, that the platen is square to the table, and the fence is square to the platen.




PHOTO #90

Here are all three fittings ground to shape. It's all hand-filing and decoration from this point forward.

On most multi-level guards -- or guards/ferrules with multiple spacers -- I will use alignment pins. On this knife however, the seppa and guard are fitted exactly to the blade, and the ferrule is one piece (with at snug fit) and offset from from the guard in both side (profile) and top views... so I found them unnecessary.





PHOTO #91

A little blue Dykem, some simple math, and a height gauge give us some target lines for filing in the grooves. As I work, the Dykem can sometimes start to rub off... but because I wrote down all of the height gauge measurements, I can re-mark as necessary.

As shown on the original sketch, I'm looking for three deep grooves in the ferrule with thin flats in between and adjacent to the guard and handle. I'd like all the grooves and flats to be consistent. The guard will get one groove around the perimeter.




PHOTO #92

Here I am using a diamond wheel on the mill to create a "starter groove" for the hand filing. It just helps act as a guide for my first small round file.

The work-piece is set on the flat of my milling vise, and slid against the wheel by hand. Sometimes it can be tricky to make clean transitions at the corners, especially as the rotating wheel approaches a leading edge... so I like to run the mill in both directions. Not sure if this makes sense.




PHOTO #93

Self-explanitory

Trivia Question: What is the tool most likely to draw blood in my shop?...
Answer: ...that would be the file card. Draining me dry, one diabetes-test sized hole at a time.




PHOTO #94

Magnifying head-gear from Harbor Freight... useful for filework and picking up chicks.

Working on the ferrule here.




PHOTO #95

Cleaning up with P800 wrapped around an appropriately-sized transfer punch... and held tight with a small spring clamp. Will probably go to about P2000.

There's probably a faster way to do this, but I haven't figured it out yet.

 

[Mudman]

Another great update! that's a whole lot of work.

 

[rhinoknives]

Erin,
Excellent work, you are so organized that its disgusting!:biggrin:
I am waiting for more! Thanks.

 

[stefand]

Thanks for this great WIP. I'm realy enjoying it!!

 

[Josh Dabney]

Erin,

Your crushing this WIP brother !!!!! Much appreciation !

-Josh

 

[Lagrange]

I am downright loving this thread!
I haven't laughed so hard since....well I didn't actually laugh, but I did smile a few times.
As I was looking through the thread I often found myself looking upward and slightly to the right and having an "ah-hah" moment. I have those.
Absolutely fantastic work. Thanks for this.

 

[Erin Burke]

Erin,
Excellent work, you are so organized that its disgusting!:biggrin:

Wow Laurence... blown away... this may be the first time anyone EVER has gotten a peek into my shop and then followed up with the word "organized". :les:

Your crushing this WIP brother !!!!!

You calling me fat, bro?
:3:

I am downright loving this thread!
I haven't laughed so hard since....well I didn't actually laugh, but I did smile a few times.
As I was looking through the thread I often found myself looking upward and slightly to the right and having an "ah-hah" moment. I have those.
Absolutely fantastic work. Thanks for this.

Thanks dude. It's cool how everyone seems to do things slightly different. My processes keep changing as I figure things out, or steal ideas from other WIP threads. I've even changed one or two things since completing the knife shown in this WIP.

Erin

 

[Smallshop]

Great photos, wonderfully funny comments....a delight to read. Maybe the comments about organization were directed at methodology. The way you go about things are very calculated and neatly layed out. Your shop is fairly organized too!

Keep up the great work!

 

[Erin Burke]

Let's start a handle.


PHOTO #96

Like with the rest of the project so far, I start the handle by gluing on my template. I'm kind of anal about making my final products match the original sketch to the best of my abilities.

As you can see, I chose the ironwood block. The template is oriented in such a way that I feel I'll get the best figure in the finished handle. The first thing I need to do is square up the block where the handle will butt up against the ferrule. I'll make a first pass with a 36-grit belt on the flat platen. Seems I always forget how much desert ironwood stinks.




PHOTO #97

Cleaning up the front of the block with an old (and badly glazed) 150-grit disc on my wood lathe. Did I mention that ironwood stinks? :26:

Side Note: Before I built my big reversible disc grinder, I used the disc on the back of the wood lathe for almost everything. It only turns in one direction, but IS variable-speed via an expanding-pulley belt-drive system. It also has a table with a miter gauge that can be mounted squarely to the disc, which is great for setting the block face.




PHOTO #98

Tracing actual tang onto block. My original plan was for a through-tang... but contrary to what I said earlier (about making the knife match the original sketch) I've modified things slightly.

PHOTO #99-104

Drilling out the handle block.

Most of these photos are fairly self-explanitory, but I'll add comments where helpful.

I'll need longer bits to drill this tang to depth, but I like to start with regular length bits as I feel they won't deflect as much. Early drilling is done on the mill with the block clamped into my milling vise.

I'm using a 1/4" bit for the back hole (the back side of the tang). Remember that, due to the plunge-less design, my tang is thicker on the spine side than at the front.


Because my block face is not square to the drill, I like to spot the holes with a center drill. This helps keep the longer drills from wandering as I start the hole.

Drilling 1/4" pilot hole. I typically plunge the drill with my right hand while my left is holding the shop vac hose. For this photo, my left hand is operating the camera.

Lining up 3/16" bit for a pilot hole in the other side of the tang.

Drilling a second 3/16" hole in the middle, but parallel to the other 3/16" hole. This hole ends up drifting into the 1/4" hole near the bottom as it is NOT parallel to that hole. This is expected.

Moving from short bits in the mill to long bits in the drill press. I have white tape on the drill bit to indicate the target depth, and am driving the block onto the bit by hand.

I wanted to use my new broach to clean up the webbing between holes, but it didn't want to work for me. The broach doesn't really fit into a 1/4" hole. I ended up wallowing out the webbing on the drill press which works very well once you figure out the technique.




PHOTO #105

It fits.

I'm not sure who's belly is sticking into the photo... but he may -- as Josh said -- be at risk of crushing this thread.:52: :shush:

 

[Erin Burke]

Great photos, wonderfully funny comments....a delight to read. Maybe the comments about organization were directed at methodology. The way you go about things are very calculated and neatly layed out. Your shop is fairly organized too!

Keep up the great work!

Thanks brother. I almost missed your comments as I was typing up the most-recent chapter.

Given your username, I'm guessing you're up against some of the same shop-space constraints as myself. It is difficult (but important) to keep everything organized when working in such a small space. My shop is 9'x21', and I spend almost as much time cleaning as I do making knives... and the place still looks like a confusing/cluttered mess.

 

[J.Higgins]

I am seriously-impressed with your knifemaking prowess, Erin. I like the way you approach finding solutions to problems. I like your sense of humor. This WIP and the rest of your work is an inspiration to all of us, old and new.

 

[Erin Burke]

I am seriously-impressed with your knifemaking prowess, Erin. I like the way you approach finding solutions to problems. I like your sense of humor. This WIP and the rest of your work is an inspiration to all of us, old and new.

Thanks Jeff. I haven't done any WIP/Shop threads in awhile... I always worry that folks will be bored. Most of this stuff has been presented in other threads, by more talented makers than me.

I hope that folks get something out of it... and also hope that those who know of a better way to do some of this stuff would feel free to chime in and set me straight.

 

[Smallshop]

"Given your username, I'm guessing you're up against some of the same shop-space constraints as myself. It is difficult (but important) to keep everything organized when working in such a small space....."

I have about 700 sq ft.....but.....I stuffed it with two cnc milling machines, a huge cnc lathe with chip conveyor that doesn't run yet, a Bridgeport mill, a surface grinder, 5 work benches, a small lathe, welder, a cylindrical grinder, 2 drill presses......sheesh. It feels cramped in here. If anything is out of place (which something usually is) it looks messy.

I'm getting a heat treat furnace and a knife grinder in a couple of weeks....don't know where they'll go. My wife just told me I could "have" the basement. which was her way of nixing the add on I wanted to do. But that has amazing possibilities.....

Your wip is never boring. Actually I would have to say, I doubt that any wip is boring to people that like to learn stuff. And seeing some of the beautiful work coming out of various shops as messy as mine make me feel less of a caveman.....your shop is one of the neater ones.

I have had guys on other forums ask to see pics of my shop and haven't because it's always in a state of re-arrangement to utilize space. As soon as I make space I add something.....and the cycle begins all over again.

It's a sickness and most of you have it too.....:shush:

 

[Erin Burke]

We're getting close.


PHOTO #106

This shot shows some of the first steps in darkening/aging the fittings. I'm not trying to make them look old and rusty… but I am going for a well-cared-for darkening. This process involves cold-blue, bleach/vinegar and steel wool.

Something like:

1. Clean fittings thoroughly with soap and water. Dry.
2. Apply cold blue evenly.
3. Wash and rinse with soap and water.
4. Soak in vinegar/bleach mixture for 2-5 minutes. Do this outside as the fumes are nasty.
5. Rinse
6. Rub down fittings with fine steel wool.
7. Repeat as many times as necessary to end up with a look that you are happy with.

The longer the fittings get submerged in the vinegar/bleach mix, the more pitted/rusted the piece will look. I kept my soaks fairly short.



PHOTOS #108-109

The blade was taken to a fairly high grit by hand-sanding... but the hamon doesn't really pop until etching and polishing with loose abrasives.

Recently, I've been etching using warm white vinegar, with a couple of drops of dish soap added. I wipe the solution on with folded paper towels. I just dip the paper towel into the vinegar, then wipe it back and forth across the blade. The dish soap helps reduce the surface tension of the vinegar, so it wipes more evenly across the steel. But even so, this process will make your shiny blade look super ugly. I wish I would have taken a photo of this.

After several minutes with the vinegar, I rinse the blade and move on to the loose abrasives.

I feel like the abrasive powder looks kind of like cocaine... only green.

I work the abrasive along the hamon transition using my thumb in circular motions. I tend to focus on areas where I start to see cloudy ashi lines appearing, as this process helps make them pop. My thumbs usually end up looking nasty when I'm done.

I'll repeat the vinegar ---> rinse ---> abrasive ---> rinse process several times until I'm happy. I want the hamon to be visible, but subtle. If I wanted a really bold, dark hamon, I'd use a ferric-chloride dip instead of vinegar.




PHOTO #110

Often, I'll follow up the vinegar/abrasive cycles with some of this stuff.

 

[rhinoknives]

Hey,
A couple of nice rails of that green coke and a spoonful of Mothers! LOL
Our party days sure have changed!:big grin:

Erin, Check your mailbox, I PMed you.

 

[Erin Burke]

Hey,
A couple of nice rails of that green coke and a spoonful of Mothers! LOL
Our party days sure have changed!:big grin:

Yeah... I know that KnifeDogs is a family-friendly site, so I hope that my analogy wasn't too abrasive.

...get it?... ABRASIVE!... :s12137:

...hello... ...{tapping micropone} :les:... ...Is this thing even on?...

 

[Smallshop]

Lol....keep it comin'....

Hey...does the little lady know you're using the kitchen for knife finishing? I remember the time I got caught doing that.....(tempering....don't know how she smelled it?)

 

[Brad Lilly]

I hope that my analogy wasn't too abrasive.

Groan good thing terrible puns are not against the rules.

Great WIP I'm enjoying watching the knife develop.

 

[Erin Burke]

Hey...does the little lady know you're using the kitchen for knife finishing? I remember the time I got caught doing that.....(tempering....don't know how she smelled it?)

She's actually really cool about it unless I leave stuff laying around. I temper in the stove... but always wash the blades thoroughly with soap and water before doing so. She wouldn't approve of the whole house smelling of Parks 50. When polishing out a blade, I make every effort to keep the abrasive powder away from the granite countertops. No problems so far. :happy:

 

[rhinoknives]

Erin,
LOL, If your day job etc goes south, you could get a job writing one liners for late night hollywood!