"An Evening Project", or "The Mythical BK-2/3"

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daizee

daizee

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Dec 30, 2009
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Greetings Sub-Forum members.
This being my 5th new thread in the Becker sub-forum, I hereby submit my candidacy for Beckerhead membership. Mods, I will reply to the Beckerhead thread as per the requirements.

Last night I was kicking around the basement, itching to fiddle with some tools. The knife-in-progress I posted earlier is still waiting for heat-treat.

I had three old files that were annealed in the woodstove earlier in the week, and a couple big usable files discovered in an old toolbox. Unfortunately, all my current designs require wider material as they have a long curve to them. Itching to use hand tools rather than make drawings, I cast about for a quick straight-spined design that would fit inside the file's dimensions.

Hmm....

A little camera action...
A little CAD tracing action..
A little calculator action...
Some scaling action...
A little printer action...
Voila!
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.
Oh yeah, baby.

IMG_20110202_225214-small.jpg


After hacksawing and some grinding with the 1x42.

IMG_20110202_234108-small.jpg


Profiling finished with files and the 1x42.
Primary Bevels well on their way. This project was also an excuse to cobble up a platen for my little grinder and experiment with angle block guides.

IMG_20110203_015645-small.jpg


Spine. File teeth still slightly visible.

IMG_20110203_015704-small.jpg


Underside.

IMG_20110203_015713-small.jpg


Sanity check - Solid tang with pommel extension (unlike my Ka-bar gen-1).
This is the end of the work for the night. Besides, I need fresh drill bits and it's 3am.

IMG_20110203_111148-small.jpg



The next evening, the work continues.
Here we see all the holes, and some color from the crude torch heat-treat. I considered using the woodstove, but I don't have any good long tongs. Gotta remedy that. Handles are roughed out of some lightly figured maple I pulled out of the woodpile a couple winters ago. I used the little bandsaw, grinder, and sandpaper.

IMG_20110204_000936-small.jpg


Oops, skipped a step.
This is post coating!! Yeah, baby! The grinds will be in the white.
Handles have their pins and are gluing up. I only epoxied the pins, not the entire scales. The lanyard hole is lined with a brass tube for strength. I was going to do the whole business with little hex bolts, but alas the hardware store is closed and I'm impatient. Besides, 1/8" holes would have worked better for that. 3/16" holes would mean huge bolt heads and nuts. Shoulda thought of that in advance.
Oh, I put the secondary edge grind on too.

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Sanded down the pins on the 1x42, removed the tape, and tru-oiled the scales. The uncoated bevels are much shinier in person. Silly camera.

IMG_20110204_012859-small.jpg


Spine. Crude shaping - sort of a Russian Constructivist feel to it. I'm no artist, alas.

IMG_20110204_012921-small.jpg


And the Family Shot.

IMG_20110204_013551-small.jpg



And so, dear members, I give you the Unofficial, Unauthorized BK-2/3, a 65% scale version of the famous, indominable BK-2. And 10 hours of my life.

Specs are:

3.25" blade
3/16" thick
Probably W1 steel
Torch differential (ha ha) brine-quenched heat-treat
5-degree primary bevel
20-degree edge bevels on a semi-slack belt
medium-grit sandpaper-on-pad convex shaving-sharp edge
3/16" brass pins and lanyard liner


So in closing, I simply wish to remind everyone that when a Rat Packer loses his knife, he cries for his Mommy.
A Beckerhead MAKES ONE!

Yes, this IS the most fanboy thing I've ever done.
Cheers,

-Daizee
 
That my friend is good shit. You got the first tweener.

The mod's are gonna try and get it from you.
Homage or somethin like that. Just you wait for it, wait for it, wait for it,
 
sweetness! a bk-2-weener. what's the 2nd knife in the first pic? curious how that one looks when it's finished.
 
Wicked cool! Can you explain about the torch differential heat treat? Was the whole knife put to the torch or just the blade?

Vin
 
OREGON FAL'ER said:
The mod's are gonna try and get it from you.
Homage or somethin like that. Just you wait for it, wait for it, wait for it,
Click to expand...

Mods, my butt. Send it to me. ;) :D
Really nice job all around. :thumbup:
 
I REALLY like it.....I also really like the post, pictures and the quality of work......I am also most flattered, thank you......Very Nice, Very Nice indeed.....

All Best.....

ethan


Question....Are you gonna be at BLADE Show and, if so, would you please bring it for me to see ?????

eb
 
Nice work. I like how it looks. It would be great to have a mini bk2 mass produced. Although we have the bk 11
 
Cool little knife. Thanks for the pics and tutorial.

I used to live on Boston's North Shore, there was a guy in Peabody, MA
that did a similar thing out of old truck leaf springs. Peter Tomas ? (Tzoras ?)
Something like that, can't rememeber his name, been 30 years.

Just reminded me of his work. Had that same look.
 
My vote goes to you for best Beckerhead number request. That is an excellent job, and very cool :thumbup:
 
Thanks, all for your kind feedback.

And now you know why custom knives cost so much.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I figured that out the first time I tried to make a knife last year. Having appropriate tools and a little bit of experience makes a HUGE difference. A mentor ain't a bad idea either.

This is my second complete knife. The first is kinda hilarious. You can search for it over in the maker's forum if you want a giggle.

sweetness! a bk-2-weener. what's the 2nd knife in the first pic? curious how that one looks when it's finished.
Click to expand...

The second knife on the workbench in the first pic is a 3" hunter of my own design. It's a simple design with lots of traditional influences, but aimed at my own spec. It's the result of a year of drawings (since that first hilarious knife). It's waiting for a proper heat-treat. A friend with lots of experience and tools helped me get it this far.

Wicked cool! Can you explain about the torch differential heat treat? Was the whole knife put to the torch or just the blade?
Click to expand...

It just means I only treated the blade. :-) And the pommel, and warmed the surface of the handle. One reason I only epoxied the pins instead of the entire scales is that I might go back and fully heat-treat thet hing. But I'm currently dependent on outside help for that, AND who knows exactly what steel this thing is made of.

Question....Are you gonna be at BLADE Show and, if so, would you please bring it for me to see ?????
Click to expand...

Now THAT, Sir, is the very definition of flattery. :-)
If I ever make it to Blade, by some airborne porkchop, I will bring it.
As the maker of only two knives (so far!) it may be a stretch.
I'm delighted you enjoyed the product and the post.

sweet! ive been thinking becker needs a smaller version of the 2.
Click to expand...

One thing became quite clear during this process.
Ethan got the good ol' BK handles right. I wouldn't change a thing on the full-size handle. However, they don't scale very well. And that's no surprise. The handle is designed to be held inside, and it's just not long enough at this size. Better contoured scales would improve the situation, but it wouldn't be perfect. I think Ethan has done absolutely the right thing with the upcoming Tweeners (the pix I've seen anyway) by re-designing the handle for a smaller knife instead of trying to maintain the theme simply for the sake of style.

Come to think of it... this is a 2/3 scale knife. 2/3 of a fully-grown human is about 12 years old (incorrectly assuming a linear growth curve). An average 12-year-old might find this knife fits their hand nicely!

-Daizee
 
I'm fiddling with this thing at my desk, carving on the handles lightly with my BK-11. Gee, a thumb-ramp would be nice.
A 2/3-scale Crewman would ROCK!! :-D
1/8" stock... slightly wider to accomodate the ramp...
Oh man, I need more sleep.

-Daizee
 
I LOVE YOU, MAN!

















did I just write that? hmm, well nice job, great work, seriously, that is titties.
 
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