What do you call a knife with a 5"-6" blade? I call these a field knife or a hiking knife. It's meant to be a general-purpose sheath knife that you would take into the field or camping/hunting/ or whatever.
This is W-2 blade, 5-1/2" from face of guard to tip and 1-3/16" wide at the heel, with 416 Stainless guard and sub-hilt and stabilized black ash burl handle. 416 SS pin.
Thanks for looking and let me know what you think.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
The other side.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
Close-up of the guard and sub-hilt.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
The sheath is now done
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
Side by side.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
Nice looking knife. Well done
Bob Bryenton
Solar Storm Group Ltd.
Phone: (780) 953-0016
Email: [email protected]
https://www.solarstorm.ca
“The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible" -- Arthur C. Clarke
That knife is awesome, how difficult is it to get that fingerwell smooth and even?
Respectfully
Michael
Thanks @Michael Samdahl. The finger pocket was a little tricky, but I made it easier by keeping the two guard branches basically straight and doing the whole process for it by stock removal. I also used blind alignment pins that go from the guard through the spacer and sub-hilt into the handle wood.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
For the initial shaping, I put the package in a vice and used the drill press to remove the center. If you enlarge this photo, you will see a black line on the wood where I want the top of the finger pocket to finish out. I drill short of that line and will get up to it in the finish sanding.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
I do almost all of my handle shaping as a complete unit, off of the blade. I have a post around here somewhere about how I hold all the pieces together for this. The rough shaping is done on the small wheel.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
The next step is using a 1" scalloped slack belt.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
The final finish is done by hand in a Panavice.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
I know it has been a topic of conversation quite frequently on here about sanding, but how do you keep from creating a ridge at the connection between the guard the handle material. (The difference in wear between those two materials can be significant). When you mentioned rough grinding all together I wondered how you kept from wearing out the ring wooden portion?
Respectfully
Michael
@Michael Samdahl
There are a few techniques I use to accomplish that:
1. You need a grinder with variable speed control. Work at slower speed, like around 30-40%
2. Keep moving the work piece. Never hold the handle stationary.
3. When using the slack belt, I will often wrap my index finger around the back of the belt to apply a little more pressure in a specific location.
4. Use higher grit belts. By the time I'm at slack belt, I am at 600 grit. Rough grits like 60-220 are very short grinding times. I also will use slightly worn belts so they cut less aggressively.
I'm sure other folks have additional ways to avoid this problem and would welcome any other techniques.
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”
