Another Nessy

Fiddleback

Fiddleback

Knifemaker
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Messages
19,793
I did this one as Oupa did a demonstration on his process at Rammy. Its hidden tang. The woods are jatoba (Brazilian cherry), ebony, and the spacer is American cherry. This is the first time I've worked with ebony. What a result you get from it. There is a buncha errors in this knife, but it came out pretty in the end. Those pins are mosaic pins. Little ones at 1/8". I got tired of making my own, so I bought these. 1/8" pins aren't too expensive. The lanyard tube I made. Its brass and fiberglass. The blade is 4.5" and so is the handle. This may be my most comfortable handle.
 

Attachments

  • eb35.JPG
    eb35.JPG
    42.5 KB · Views: 70
  • eb38.JPG
    eb38.JPG
    32.3 KB · Views: 56
  • eb43.jpg
    eb43.jpg
    88.8 KB · Views: 49
LOL. I read it. My wallet is a little put off by your wallets threat of a nut kicking, btw.;)

I'm about to have to invest in more belts, and still tring to find a decent anvil.
 
First, that's really pretty. I mean, really pretty. Your skills are certainly moving in an upwards direction.

Second, though ... now that you've built a bunch of Nessmuks ... what's your opinion of them as a solid user design? What do you feel it's optimized to do? Wood work? Field dressing game?

I really like the design ... but haven't yet quite figured out why I need one, as opposed to a Sarge knife, or a puukko, or my little bird and trout. 'Course, when did needing a knife ever stop a person from buying a pretty one anyhow!:D
 
Thanks Tom!

I have handled a few now. I just sent out the Razorback Nessmuck from the Ramanon passaround. It was sweet too. Check out sweet pic action in this thread.

http://www.ramanon.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42868

The design, IMO, is just about ideal for a bushcraft knife. A little longer than the sarge, and wider than the puukko. I reprofile the edge on mine to come to a fully convex wicked sharpness. You already know the benefits of that geometry. Mine have a nicely rounded handle that doesn't begin to get uncomfortable after extended use. They've been softened along the spine so you should be able to beat em up pretty good ie batoning them.

Hollowdweller knows better than me, and has one by Ariel that is phenomenal.
 
Thanks Andy!!! Keep messing around and you'll be here in no time. I've only been at it a year. This place is where I got the training and ideas. I'd never heard of Nessmuk before here.
 
wow!!! :eek: sweet knife andy!!!
thanks for sharing... keep up the good work :) :thumbup:
 
Damn! I have to get over the that forum more often! That is a real beauty. I would have liked to have gotten in on that one and handled it. Thanks for the great pic and for sharing Andy.

BTW, I spoke a couple of times to Harold Corby, who I am fortunate enough to have 3 knives by, and he said that ebony is nice but he doesn't use it as it has a tendency to crack. He would go with cocobolo instead. On this one though it isn't the main part of the handle and it looks great.

Norm
 
Amazing work Andy, keep it up. :thumbup:

That has got to be one of your best looking, IMO, handles you have done so far, I really love the contrast of the ebony and the Brazilian cherry. You have me curious as to what sheath you will put on this one.
 
I've worked ebony before. Don't like it. Work it too fast and it likes to crack. Found that out the hard way.
 
Same experience I've had with it. hate the darn stuff. I typically don't even find it to be very attractive. I have much better luck with either black walnut or dark stained walnut.

That being said... that's a very, very nice looking Nessy, and the handle looks like one I'd have a hard time letting go of and putting it away.
 
Very nice Andy.
It's good to see you improving. That handle looks very comfortable.

A question...Why did you line the brass lanyard tube with fiberglass?
Why not go with just one or the other?
 
You guys are the best. As to the sheath Skyler, I've got to get back on the leatherworking train for sure. But I'm quite a bit behind.:(

I've never worked ebony before, and I did have this ebony crack on me. I'd be suprised if anyone could find that crack, and it isn't the flaw I was speaking of. It happened after I had gotten the scales PINNED on, so there was no going back. The decision was to trash the project, or go on with a cracked bolster. Then I thought, heck, I fix cracks in handles quite often. So I finished it off.

I think the ebony is beautiful when you get it polished, and will be using it in the future. Some handle materials are a PITA to work with. I'm about to try ivory, and I can't imagine it'll be any more forgiving.


shappa said:
Very nice Andy.
It's good to see you improving. That handle looks very comfortable.

A question...Why did you line the brass lanyard tube with fiberglass?
Why not go with just one or the other?
Click to expand...

Two reasons. Firstly, those two layers were part of a bigger mosaic pin I had made. I couldn't get the fiberglass out to use just the brass as a lanyard tube, and IMO that tube is too big anyway. So... I really like how it turned out. Kinda highlights the lanyard tube. I'm going to chamfer it on the inside, so it won't look as thick.

Matt Heaton, good to see you! I'd think you're right about personal touches on handmade knives, but the flaw is an open wood/wood joint, and for a woodworker, thats just lousy.

BTW, anybody got a majic wand that will allign the jointer knives perfectly... Every time I take mine off its a PITA to get em right again... If I had had any sense, I'd have spent time with my grandad in the shop more as a kid instead of fishing all the time.
 
aproy1101 said:
I think the ebony is beautiful when you get it polished, and will be using it in the future. Some handle materials are a PITA to work with. I'm about to try ivory, and I can't imagine it'll be any more forgiving.
Click to expand...

I've got the very last 4.5" or so of a walrus tusk a Native gave me. It's been driving me nuts what to do with it. use the whole thing, or cut a few spacers? surely, don't use it on a beat up old file knife, but a pre-made blade would be kinda cheesy too....maybe it's time to ante up and actually buy a piece of dedicated knife steel, and have it professionally heat treated....decisions, decisions....

I'll just keep it on the back burner for now, and watch you go first.:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top