Another in Denim 1 of 4

E

EdgarFigaro

Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Messages
186
A friend of mine, probably currently my best customer since I've not really sold too many yet, ordered a few knives off me.
He'd ordered a pair in the past for friends after I'd made him and his wife both a knife for all the help he'd given me.
So this time he ordered four, and I've been working on them and have begun to start finishing them up. I've got two down with the other two left to go.

Blade : One inch cable that I'd forged into the blade, differential hardening.
Guard : Brass
Handle : Homemade denim micarta and a mosaic pin.

I'm quite happy with how it turned out, especially as I thought I'd try something different to see how it turned out.
I glued up the full knife before trying out any shaping of the handle. Usually I'll shape out some of the guard first.
Used a different method to shape the underside of the handle/guard which is an area I've been working toward getting just as I want it. Also been trying more sculpting on the handles.
This one has a pretty good feel and hand, and you can get a real good grip on it.
The blade was etched twice by just brushing on the ferric rather than a soak then polished.
The hamon stands out a bit more this way, but you can still see the cable patterning.
Feel free to ask questions and make comments.

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Beau Erwin
 
Very nice ,a question, what type of epoxy did you use to make a slab of denim that thick without it getting hot.

Richard
 
Very nice, looks ready to bust some trail or someone's skull if needed. I like that mycarta too, well done.
 
Looks good. Yours is the second knife with homemade denim micarta i've seen recently.

Nice looking material.

Peter
 
Thanks for the comment everyone.

Keith, the blade is just a touch shy of 6", over all it is 10 15/16".

Peterinct, I'd also posted one I'd made my great uncle a couple months back, as well as another I'd had kicking about a while that also both had the denim.

Will, The Denim slab is made using Bondo Fiberglass Resin, and it does get a fair bit warm while it's curing. I've been using granite slabs that it gets clamped between. A friend is working on some steel plates for clamping. The handles on both knives were made starting as scales. I do have some of the Olive that is a full block though. Little more work to make it thicker due to resin set times. I just took the slabs and cut the tang slot in each half, which is fairly easy, but it'll definitely dull the chisel, and then expoxy the halves together. Glue and pin to knife and shape =]

Beau Erwin
 
I have to say those Micarta handles are Beautiful. What do you apply to the plates to keep the fiberglass resin from sticking to them? I would Love to try to make some.
 
I use wax paper, although since I've been using granite for my clamping plates, it might not really stick to it, but it helps keep the resin contained a little. I usually get it all clamped up then heft it all out the door to set in the grass where it's welcome to ooze.

One whose tutorial I'd learned from said he found aluminum foil to work real well as well, as it comes off easier, as the wax paper can sometimes stick, but since I grind them flat and such before use, I don't find it much of an issue.

If you want to try to make some, check out Joel Bolden's tutorial over on the British Blades forum, that's where I learned.
 
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