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- Jun 5, 2012
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My fiancé's 30th birthday just passed, and I had planned to have this done earlier to give to her on the actual day, but I'd rather just take my time and get it right. Hopefully she'll understand once I deliver. Purple is her favorite color, and silver/platinum is her preference for jewelry. I think that leaves obvious materials choices. 
I wanted to do something unique, and special, and technical, to mark my passage beyond single digits. I've been looking at bowies, especially earlier ones and their later derivatives, as well as various fixed blades such as gentleman's knives. I'm going for about a 50/50 mix of historical and modern. I wanted to make her something that borders on jewelry, but will still be used. Something a bit girly, but still classy and able to take care of business.
I'm going to try and max myself out on this one.
Here's the basic plan for the knife:
Framed coffin handle mini-bowie, stabilized curly Purpleheart scales, solid sterling silver pins, shields, and maybe guard or bolster + ferrule (possibly even solid silver frame w/filework). Most likely S35VN for the blade, possibly a Damascus of some type, but not sure. I will either go with a semi-guardless design, or a small double guard. Not really sure on that yet either.
I'm still working on the few review sketches to post here (basically a couple different versions of blade and handle shapes), I'm going to be trying to bounce things around a bit in this thread to make sure I stay on track. I've got the silver (sheet, strip, wire, etc.), the purpleheart, and the blade steel. I don't think I'll need much else other than a solid plan and lots of time.
Pics and sketches tomorrow or Weds evening.

I wanted to do something unique, and special, and technical, to mark my passage beyond single digits. I've been looking at bowies, especially earlier ones and their later derivatives, as well as various fixed blades such as gentleman's knives. I'm going for about a 50/50 mix of historical and modern. I wanted to make her something that borders on jewelry, but will still be used. Something a bit girly, but still classy and able to take care of business.
I'm going to try and max myself out on this one.
Here's the basic plan for the knife:
Framed coffin handle mini-bowie, stabilized curly Purpleheart scales, solid sterling silver pins, shields, and maybe guard or bolster + ferrule (possibly even solid silver frame w/filework). Most likely S35VN for the blade, possibly a Damascus of some type, but not sure. I will either go with a semi-guardless design, or a small double guard. Not really sure on that yet either.
I'm still working on the few review sketches to post here (basically a couple different versions of blade and handle shapes), I'm going to be trying to bounce things around a bit in this thread to make sure I stay on track. I've got the silver (sheet, strip, wire, etc.), the purpleheart, and the blade steel. I don't think I'll need much else other than a solid plan and lots of time.

Pics and sketches tomorrow or Weds evening.
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