#10 WIP, Operation: Attempt to impress Fiancé

H

HallHandmade

Joined
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. :D

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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Jeremy Barnard said:
I look forward to this. Good luck with the build.
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Thanks, so am I. I got a really killer piece of curly purpleheart, and I think this one might be a stunner if I pull it off right. I took care to find a really purple piece, not one that's kind of a purple-maroon like some I've seen.

I had been thinking along these lines for a bit, but this thread sealed the deal:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1113493-mini-WIP-Coffin-Handle-Bowie

Once I saw that, it finally kicked my butt into deciding what direction I was going to go with her knife. I already had the materials picked out, and already had been considering doing both a coffin handle and a frame handle, although not necessarily on the same knife.




edit: I ended up getting a good run tonight on my drawings, and got pretty close to where I want to be. The ferrule will most likely be sterling silver, and will probably be set with 2.5mm pink tourmaline round cabs or possibly cut gems. I am thinking about a stippled finish, but haven't totally sold myself yet.

I'm also flopping back and forth with the silver thing. I really want this to be a special piece, but I'd also like her to be able to use it, so 416ss is more attractive from that standpoint. Time will tell I suppose.

FFnfqno.jpg
 
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Nice design, nice project.
Did you catch the irony: "I love you, here hava a coffin"
:D
 
Be sure to put a clip on that Bowie :)
 
Over a week and no update. Did it prove too difficult so in light of your failure you fell into a deep depression selling off all your knife making tools?!?!
 
Jeremy Barnard said:
Over a week and no update. Did it prove too difficult so in light of your failure you fell into a deep depression selling off all your knife making tools?!?!
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Nope, I have such a fear of grinding clips that I hid in the closet for six days, then completely lost my mind and posted a tactical double edged dagger w/fuller and clamshell recessed handle WIP instead. :D

I actually am still 100% go on this, I was just thinking about getting a fancier steel than S35VN, not sure what though. Sure wish I had forging capabilities. :(


Edit: guess I'd better cough up something here. The purpleheart I got for this is on the left. I'm still keeping my eye out for better, but this is the best i've found so far.

DLMenxc.jpg
 
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HallHandmade said:
I was just thinking about getting a fancier steel than S35VN, not sure what though. Sure wish I had forging capabilities. :(
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S35VN is pretty "Fancy steel". Forging does not give you a fancier steel. Some of the top forging knifesmiths use 1084 and W2 for their blades
 
I was thinking about maybe trying XHP or something like that. By forging I just meant so that I could make my own Damascus.
 
You can buy damascus from most knife making supply places and members here sell bars fairly often in the for sale section. Just my opinion but if you're comfortable doing daggers, a feather pattern damascus I think a dagger done in that where the center of the pattern forms the tip and feathers out from there is about as sexy as they come.
 
Just from the outside looking in:
Keep in mind that, unless your wife is a knife nut, she probably wont care what alloy you make the blade out of.
 
Fletch Helical said:
You can buy damascus from most knife making supply places and members here sell bars fairly often in the for sale section. Just my opinion but if you're comfortable doing daggers, a feather pattern damascus I think a dagger done in that where the center of the pattern forms the tip and feathers out from there is about as sexy as they come.
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I was just being sentimental, thought it would be neat to be able to give her a piece of Damascus I'd forged myself. I love feather pattern on Daggers as well. I've seen it look quite amazing with the right wood on a hunter pattern also.


adinb114 said:
Just from the outside looking in:
Keep in mind that, unless your wife is a knife nut, she probably wont care what alloy you make the blade out of.
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I just wanted to give the edge the best possible chance of surviving her attacks. :D
 
I'm also flopping back and forth with the silver thing. I really want this to be a special piece, but I'd also like her to be able to use it, so 416ss is more attractive from that standpoint. Time will tell I suppose.

Have you considered having sterling silver electroplated with rhodium or palladium? A jeweler could easily do it if you if you bring him the dis assembled(or preassembled) pieces, and the finish doesn't tarnish like silver does.
 
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