MOKWEPA, Amature knife making part 2

Hi guys

Instead of starting a whole bunch of new threads every time i build/make something new, I thought i'd have one thread about my journey through the art of knife making. Anyone that would like a kick start in forging should look at my other thread "amature knifemaking", got me started and what a great help everyone on this forum has been in getting me started.

Special thanks to 7x57, HSO, messerist (and Bikerdoc for the support)and a few others.

Any way i took some advice and bought a Ryobi 1500wat table saw. Man, am i happy. Got it set up yesterday and cut some knife handle blanks today from a piece of raw firewood. Now there is no limit as to what wood i can use. Thanks guys, better than the band saw i recon.



The wood is Sickle bush, very common and very hard. Looks good so far.

Cut some more blanks today.............two tone, red and white..........ooooooh, should look nice(sickle bush, very hard). Did the basic profiling of the new blade (a skinner type) going to anneal tomorrow and set up another blade (will forge but dont know what im making next, kinda like a forged blank, if you know what i meen?)

Bikerdoc: a step by step on the next blade if you can? That wood on the last is awesome, wish i had some local wood like that. ive take picks of the one im working on, when im done ill post a step by step!

Chat soon!

Thanks guys

Im back from leave. Did a bit of forging and working on a nice two tone handle for a skinner. Im being a bit lazy with the pics but ill try take some tonight.

I would love to get some "exotic" (for me) slabs and would return the favour, just need some practice with the saw first.

yeah, now we're talking, BIG KNIVES, nothing better. Please keep me posted on the new project. Are you leaving the blade shape or going to re profile? If you can, try profile the handle (make it more interesting)

Ive forged out another bowie blank. I love my first bowie so much ive decided to do another. Thinking about a bone handle on this one but we will see. First want to finish the skinner then ill start on the bowie.

Hey there

Here is something to look at for now.
At the top is my EDC, with hippo bone handle and semi polished blade. At the bottom is my two toned skinner that im working on. Still need to polish the blade and HT then shape and fit slabs.

Ive kinda got the fitment of slabs sorted.

-Shape blade and anneal
-tape slabs onto tang and drill through both slabs and the tang in one go
-add one pin then drill the other holes(adding pins as you go) to make sure nothing shifts
-grind wood into shape/flush with the steel/tang(side on profile)
-remove slabs and finish shaping the handles
-Ht blade then fit and finish handle

Does this sound right?

I tried drilling the tang first then one scale(using the tang hole as a guide) then the other, then when it came time for fitting the pins, they didnt go all the way through. Got a hole skew some where. Iff i drill through everything with a 3.2mm bit, i know for sure that a 3.2 brazing rod will fit properly. I supose it is a preferance.

Do you guys epoxy the scales on(as well as pin) or just pin it?

Howdy

I am using a drill press, dont know what i did, brain fart i supose.

Here is the completed skinner.


Going to start the sheath tomorrow. Thinking of doing a skeleton sheath(ie, cutouts in the sheath so that the blade is visible when the knife is in the sheath)

Bikerdoc: How is your knife comming along, any progress?

It does, i think

Im still learning how to take a picture similar to what it looks like in real life. The thumb serations are aggresive but i have skin like a buffalo on my hands. Its not that bad and offers a realy secure grip. A very comfortable knife, if i must say so my self. Im quite happy with it.

Im not sure about doing another bowie just yet but i am keen on a big fighter, have you guys got any ideas for me?

I do like that machete type martial arts type blade that hso posted for me to show me the polishing thing. Thinking of something similar but smaller(not to small though)