A pair in 52100 and Koa - Making good the bad...

SBranson

SBranson

Joined
Oct 29, 2006
Messages
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I haven't posted in a while but I have been busy. You may remember this knife I made for Roger Pinnock back in December.

RogerKnives_4.jpg


Well as is wont to happen with natural materials, the sheep horn moved in the climate change from a damp British Columbian coastal winter to Toronto area's real winter.
The horn shrank and so at the very least needed repair or a complete rehandle.:(:(

So Roger sent it back with a big block of Koa in case it couldn't be fixed. Back in BC's climate the horn swelled a little but it was clear that I would have to take the handle off and redo it. Roger mentioned that the block was pretty big so if it was at all possible, making a matching hunter would be pretty cool if I could do it.

I pondered this as the block was really only just around 2" thick. But with a very thin kerfed bandsaw blade and a very slow cut I manage to split the block on a diagonal so that I could get two handles with a butt wide enough for a decent handle.

So using the left over piece of 52100 from the bearing the large knife came from and bookmatched blocks from the same piece of Koa I made these.

RogerKnives_2.jpg


RogerKnives_1.jpg


Here's a pic of how they book matched.

RogerKnives_3.jpg


And here's the sheaths I finished last weekend; from the same cow.. :p

RogerKnives_6_01.jpg


RogerKnives_7_01.jpg


I'd like to thank Nick and Lorien for the WIP thread which not only made the rehandle process much less daunting but also gave me the confidence to try peening the pins for the first time.

Thanks for looking.
 
Outstanding work! Great job on the pins and making the handles a touch proud of the fittings. Beautiful chunks of wood, nicely finished.
 
Great job, Stuart.

Each absolutely outstanding on it's own, and the pair a super treat. Roger had a stroke of luck when the horn "moved."

John
 
Great work Stu! That is an excellent package indeed, even your photos have improved. Man, you're on your way, that's for sure!
 
Stuart, I have already commented on the sheaths over in the Sheath forum. Your knives are truly something to behold. You are remarkably talented as evidenced by these photos and the back story. Your talent is probably the result of hard work and attitude, but it is the attitude that impresses me the most. Be it knife or sheath you do not subscribe to "good enough" or "finished". Your position is that it is not good enough nor finished until it is perfect regardless of what it takes. For that, my young friend, I stand and applaud you.

Paul
 
John White said:
Great job, Stuart.

Each absolutely outstanding on it's own, and the pair a super treat. Roger had a stroke of luck when the horn "moved."

John
Click to expand...

A case of somethin' bad leading to somethin' good. Well, good is an understatement. That's some dynamite koa, and surely you must have really been feeling proud when you put these two side-by-side for the first time and checked 'em out, Stuart.

Real beauties. Roger, you lucky man, you!

Bob
 
Holy Smokes Stuart who thought Koa could look so good...they're absolutely fantastic......
 
"A pair in 52100 and Koa - Making good the bad..."

More like making dazzling the unfortunate :thumbup:
 
Stuart those are both very nice I am really looking forward to my sheath making lesson in may when you come up to make damascus and I may have a machine by then
 
Talk about things turning out for the better.... wow! I was really completely happy with the knife in its original form - but man, it was wild how quickly that horn shrunk up. I have to say that Stuart was great to deal with on this - he felt way worse about the shrinkage than I did. As I have said many times - there's no guarantee with natural materials. You want peace of mind, put micarta on everything. I wish Stuart had taken a pic of cutting the block of Koa. I had sent him the dimensions and he thought it would be close getting two handles out of the block. I thought he had no freakin' chance whatsoever and was waiting on his e-mail asking me to send him another block. Instead, I got the e-mail showing the book matched handles. SWEET!

Can't wait to have the bowie back with it's new duds and a little brother to tag along. John nailed it - I got lucky when that horn moved.

Roger
 
AWESOME pair Stuart. Well done on the knives AND sheaths! Congrats Roger! You must be ecstatic!

Horn is EVEN more volatile than antler, bone and other natural materials as its properties are essentially the same as hair!

Peter
 
Thanks very much! I also like the Koa better than the first handle. I did make them proud of the fittings and over on your thread Mike someone mentioned how it looks easier to do than it is.. well ain't that the truth.

Glad you like them Roger.

The horn problem was a shock to me as I never thought it would move that much. I have a sheep horn handled knife I've been wearing on my hip for 3 months, assembled at the same time as Roger's knife and it hasn't moved at all. Go figure..
 
Oh my god what a pair! And the sheathwork is spectacular. Love your domed pins. Stellar, stellar work. :thumbup:
 
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