Amboyna bowie

Matthew Gregory

Matthew Gregory

Chief Executive in charge of Entertainment
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Jan 12, 2005
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It's a little premature to be showing this, but I thought it might be good to get a little input from the gang here. This is a 9" slab-handled bowie that I forged at the Farr Compound earlier this year. It came from a 3/8" thick bar of 1095, and my wonderful bride found the perfect amboyna for the scales. Personally, i think the handle is too thick and chunky, but others whose tastes I trust think that the beefy handle matches the 'brute' blade. I'll let you decide for yourself.

Here's a link to the original forging trip thread:

Forging at Farr's

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Thanks for looking!
 
If it were me I would round off the back of the handle more and put a good deal more taper in towards the knuckle side

Nice taper to the tang and I like your flow from handle into blade
 
I'd also round off the back of the handle more and do something about the transition from the from of the scales to the blade.

Looking good other than that. I really like the sideways flow and the little bit of sapwood for a "pommel".
 
I think it looks great. Tons of activity in the Hamon. I have done handles that way before also and they are surpisingly pretty comfortable.

Shawn
 
+1 on the round butt:D
I'm loving the hamon.
 
I like the hamon a lot. Considering you have all kinds of trees reflected in the blade, I'd call it the "Arbor Day" hamon or something similar.

I do like the knife. Kudos to your wife on the wood. Did she stumble across that on one of her GPS treasure hunts?
 
Thanks for the comments, guys... you're confirming what I thought originally. You're dead-on, Stephan - I've got to thin the handle out a bunch. I agree with the butt comments - apparently these jeans DO make it look fat!


Burt, you're not kidding about the reflections - I didn't see ANY of them until it was too late, and by the time I realized it, it had started raining and my natural light was gone. Guess a controlled environment wouldn't hurt...

Also, I noticed after reviewing the pictures that there are two obvious flaws that aren't flaws at all - what looks like a gob of epoxy at the front of the handle isn't, it's oil that didn't get wiped off. Also, what appears to be a scratch across the ricasso and the blade are oil, as well. MAN, I can't believe how hard taking good pictures is!

I'll follow this up after regrinding and refinishing the handle - thanks for all the input!
 
Very nice Matt!:D You have come quite a way since that first day I dragged you up to that anvil kicking and screaming!;)
Awsome blade bro! Can't wait to see it in person.
Mace
 
not bad at all.

matt modeled the butt of knife after his own.... flat and pointy. no curves no flow.

super nice stuff matt i love that hamon man
 
Mace said:
What's the over all length on this bad chickin?
Mace
Click to expand...

I'll measure it later to make sure I'm right, but overall I think it's just shy of 15".


The knife is about that big, too...:D



Keith, I agree... hopefully I'll be addressing it tonight.
 
Hey Matt,
Looks good, nice work, your talent is evident. :thumbup:
Really like that blade shape and the activity in the steel.
Can't wait to see the handle slimmed/shaped.
Ya'll must have a ball when you get together. :)

Doug
 
Matt,
that is a CRAZY hamon for 1095! where did you get your steel? All the 1095 i have used has had so much alloy banding you can barely see the hamon at all. What were your normalizing/heat treating temps and times? gorgious!

i would agree with the other guys... round that sucker out a bit and it will make a world of difference. it looks like one heck of a knife. AWESOME!
the pics in the other thread were awesome as well.
thanks!
~Chris
 
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