9 year project - Final Photos Added

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I have a knife I have been working on for 9 years...off and on. I forged the blade from a special mosaic billet Chris Marks made up for me. I let it sit after forging for several years deciding how to refine the shape in final grinding. Once I had that decided and through HT, it had been several years. I had a nice handle idea, but I wanted more..so I set it back down and just picked it up every now and then until the light went on. I decided that the shaped handle I wanted had to be custom laminated, so I made the dies and stacked the laminates in them for a couple years to take a set. This spring I finally got around to doing the lamination with System Three Clear Coat resin. It came out well. I had to make a second part to be inset into the main handle part. All total, there are 60 laminations in the handle. then I had to inlay fifty pieces of silver into it. That got finished up to ready for final sanding today, so I took a few shots of it. I made the guard and butt plate parts during the summer from mosaic damascus. I put a shot of the guard in this post. The blade is ready for its final etch, and I will assemble everything before Ashokan. I will unveil it there and post photos after I get back.

So, here are the teaser shots of the handle and guard. My only comment is that if you like these, you are going to love the blade. The knife has a name ( unusual for me) - The 4th of July.
 

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I just had the overwhelming need to stand up and salute my computer ;0)

Great looking handle I just love the patriotic knives I have seen over the years
 
I like it so far... Now I want to see the whole thing!

I could also see myself putting off a project for years like this.
 
The 'merica aspect doesn't mean much to me, but I know someone will snatch it up in a second

It's different and pretty


Can we see the handle pressing dies?
If it more complicated than wood with a bandsawn curve ?


Are you hearing the layers or something to try and set the curve ?

Did you have any issues with a delamination ?

did you do one layer at a time, or put them all in at once?

How did you prevent the layers from slipping as you press them together
 
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That is very creative. I bet the silver heats up quickly on a belt. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished knife.
 
An intriguing project. Looking forward to the finished piece; hope I don't have to wait another nine years.

Fred
 
Wow, 9 years.....craaazy man. Well, that makes me feel a little better about taking a week to build a knife. Seriously though, I'm with Fred and I hope we see the finished knife before 2020. :p
 
So what will be completed first, this very intriguing knife . . . or your book that that I've waited a long time to purchase?

Honestly, the layered handle is very impressive and I can't wait to see the final product. Nine years in the making.

Mike L.
 
12345678910 said:
The 'merica aspect doesn't mean much to me, but I know someone will snatch it up in a second

It's different and pretty


Can we see the handle pressing dies?
If it more complicated than wood with a bandsawn curve ?


Are you hearing the layers or something to try and set the curve ?

Did you have any issues with a delamination ?

did you do one layer at a time, or put them all in at once?

How did you prevent the layers from slipping as you press them together
Click to expand...


I think the dies are still in the scrap wood box. If so, I'll get them out. They were just an "S" curve the shape of the flowing handle cut in a 2X6. The 39 sheets of thin phenolic were layered in them ( three per color stripe) and clamped until it took a set. Then I applied resin to all the strips and layered up the whole red/white block and re-clamped. It had no de-lamination problems. I then laminated the blue field, and inserted that into the area I removed for it. The 3mm silver rounds were laid out by eye and hand set with CA.





logem - Yeah, yeah, the book, the shop...its working.
 
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Totally feel ya on the 'wait til it hit me' aspect, very creative indeed. I will be anxious to see it come to a conclusion brother.

Nice work Stacy!!
 
What? No star shaped silver inlays? ;) Seriously though that is amazing The guard is a fantastic touch and I've never seen or thought it possible to do a mosaic damascus like that with the stars in it. That would've made a hell of a WIP to see that done. I can't wait to see the final pics!!
 
I really dig it Stacy. While I might not be an outspoken advocate of everything American, the flag represents something meaningful and sacred to me. The way you put it together is nothing short of jaw-dropping, and I can't wait to see it come together as a final product...
 
Matt,
I actually started making hand cut six pointed stars ( much easier to cut, and they wouldn't be upside down on the reverse side) for the inserts. I quickly realized that:
1) It would be a major PITA to make fifty of them.
2) The dyed resin I would have to use to set them with would probably look bad compared to the perfect fit I get with rounds.
3) There was no way to get perfect uniformity.
4) It was the "idea" of stars that I wanted to convey...and rounds did that just as well.
5) Sometimes "simpler is better".


I also made a trial mosaic rivet with a round 3mm tube and 1mm wires. It was too small for the detail of the "star" to show well, and cutting it into fifty 4mm length pieces would be a nightmare.
 
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