3 knife set progression pics

[C-Camerer]

Last year at the Spirit of Steel show I was commisioned to make a three knife set consisting of a D-guard bowie, a hunter and a bird and trout knife. I was to use stag for the handles of the hunter and the bird and trout knife. While utilizing mammoth ivory for the D-guard. I was also asked to make the blades out of one bar of damascus. The damascus pattern that was decided upon was a modified ladder pattern on 496 layer billet. I did forge the bird and trout knife form the billet when it was at 248 layers as I was afraid the pattern would get too tight for the small knife. Below is the photos as the knives were being made.

Here is the steel that I started with to forge the intial billet. I made three bilets like this and then combined them together for the final billet.

Preheating the welding dies.

The forge is up to welding temperature.

The billet is at forging temp. The camera is playing tricks with the colors of the hot metal and forge.

 

[C-Camerer]

Here I am welding the billet.

In this pic I am brushing the scale from the billet.

Fluxing the billet.

Here is the billet sitting at 248 layers. from here I forged a small piece of this down and forged the bird and trout knife from it.

Here is the billet split and gettting ready to go back through the forging process for a total of 496 layers.

 

[C-Camerer]

Here I am in the process of grinding the grooves for the modified ladder pattern. The grooves are deeper toward the edge and then taper out to almost nothing as they aproach the spine. this was done to all three blades.

This is a pic after the grooves were forged back out of the knives, they are forged to final shape and then rough ground. I did a quick etch to check out the pattern.

This pic shows the blades, handles and all of the fittings that will be used to complete the knives. I had already taped up the two smaller knives before I remembered to take a pic. By the way, I forgot to take any pics of the completion of the hunter and the bird an trout knife.

Here I am rough fitting the fittings and guard of the D-guard. I did a quick etch on the spacer to make sure I had the damascus pattern flowing in the correct direction.

Filing the groove around the spacer.

Test fit after the groove has been filed.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

What a wonderful project.

 

[C-Camerer]

The bird and trout knife is 7 1/4" over all with a blade that is 3 7/8" long. The handle is stag, the fittings are nickel silver and maroon linen micarta. there is also a mosiac pin in the butt of the knife. This knife is designed as a three finger knife. It really excells when held upside down with the thumb resting against the guard to open up small game. I have a little bit of oil on the blade near my name. I should have wiped it down better before the photo.

The hunter is 10" over all with a 5 5/16" blade. The handle is stag with nickel silver and maroon linen micarta fittings. This knife also has a mosiac pin in the butt of the knife. The damascus mix on all of these knives is 1084 and 15N20. Later today I will have the pics of the bowie on this thread.

 

[Starkman1]

Very nice Craig! Progression threads certainly give me more insight into how much work & talent is required to produce such fantastic knives.
Bob

 

[rbmcmjr]

Wow. I really like seeing these in-progress documentaries. Beautiful work.

Rick

 

[Kevin Jones]

You guys always make it look so easy.

Great looking knives Craig and thanks for taking the time to share the progressive photos with us.

 

[Wulf]

Cool thread, Craig!

 

[T.K.C.]

This is indeed a very cool thread!! Those knives are amazing!! WOW!!

 

[dredd8]

Great thread and even gooder knives. LOL

 

[C-Camerer]

Here is a pic of the pins in the smaller knives. Sorry about the dirty hands.

The big D-guard. The blade is 13 3/4" while the overall length is 18 3/4". The blade is just over 3/16" at the spine and has nice distal taper to the point. The balance point on the knife is just in front of the plunge line. It is very fast in the hand.

The set together.

 

[C-Camerer]

Here are the last of the pics. They are different angles of the handle. The last on I tried to get a better shot of the damascus but it still didn't capture the shimmer the pattern has in natural light. Thanks for looking at the knives.

Craig

 

[canineforge]

Thanks for sharing the story and progress of this trio. Very nice set, Craig!


- Joe

 

[Doug C]

Thanks for giving us a look,Craig,love these in progress threads. :thumbup:
All three amazing but the D-guard is just incredible,great work.
Wouldn't worry to much about dirty hands.
Thanks again for giving us a look at how you create these beautiful knives.

Doug

 

[Chuck Gedraitis Knives]

How thick was that big blade when you cut the groves for the ladder pattern?
How much length did you gain when you flattened it back out?
Thanks,
Chuck

 

[batshitloco]

Thats great stuff.

 

[C-Camerer]

Thanks everyone. The blade was a 3/8" thick when I grooved it and about 11" long. I gained almost 3 inches when forging it ack out.

 

[cane_arrow]

Great build-a-long, thanks for the pic's:thumbup:

 

[BRTATCK]

Great stuff Craig and great looking knives. The customer will be very pleased. That D guard is really nice. I will see you in a week and a half. Again really nice work.

Brion Tomberlin