Beckerhead Knife Making and Modification Thread

[daizee]

Same head shape, longer handle and larger eye - just need a bit of cord wrap at the bottom.
Wood may be Osage orange sapling. It's been drying bark on for a couple years, but developed a few long cracks while shaping - still doesn't bend when I lean hard on it, so not actually worried, especially since I doubt it'll ever get used much

View attachment 3162369

oh damn, that's gonna be moving FAST when it impacts :-o

 

[1066vik]

And another - same head pattern, slightly different edge angle, and 42 ish inch long helve of probably jatoba (when I got it, I was told it was tauari, but the color isn't quite right for that)

 

[plumberroy]

Could be a nice walking stick

 

[1066vik]

Here's one for Daizee - I forged a bronze knife out of silica bronze.
Zero stars, do not recommend.

But it came out ok.
Used no power tools on the metal bits, used drill press and belt sander on the chunk of antler.
Friction fit tang, there's better than 2" of it in the antler and that's as far as it was willing to go.
There's 3.125 tip to hilt, 3/16" spine tapering to the top, 3/4" tall, and about 2.5" of shaped blade.
The starting piece was nominally 2.25x3/8x3/8

 

[daizee]

Here's one for Daizee - I forged a bronze knife out of silica bronze.
Zero stars, do not recommend.

But it came out ok.
Used no power tools on the metal bits, used drill press and belt sander on the chunk of antler.
Friction fit tang, there's better than 2" of it in the antler and that's as far as it was willing to go.
There's 3.125 tip to hilt, 3/16" spine tapering to the top, 3/4" tall, and about 2.5" of shaped blade.
The starting piece was nominally 2.25x3/8x3/8View attachment 3180384

*LOL*
that's fun!
The forge finish on the blade is gorgeous. Any idea how hard it gets? Welding/brazing material?
How does it cut??

 

[1066vik]

It cuts paper ok ish.
The first edge was too shallow and while it cut well, it chipped when I was making a feather stick and hit a baby knot.

 

[daizee]

It cuts paper ok ish.
The first edge was too shallow and while it cut well, it chipped when I was making a feather stick and hit a baby knot.

The vintage materials (not *exactly* in this case, but not far off) journey is fascinating.
Does silicon bronze harden when worked and soften when quenched, like brass? Finding a useful balance of hardening treatments could be tricky.

I know a local Anthropology/archaeology professor who was re-creating the pre-historic slate fish skinning knives of some of the Pacific Northwest peoples - and then went out there to butcher with them for the salmon harvest. I almost got around to making a handle with him, but he had a deadline.

 

[1066vik]

yeah, for the most part any of the high %age copper alloys work backwards from ferrous metals.
bronze, like brass, work hardens quick, doesn't typically like being worked hot, and anneals via fast thermal cycles.
I'm tempted to go back with a needle scaler and see if I can harden the edge a bit more without causing it to crack.

 

[1066vik]

Latest axe: the blade is my take on a crusader axe, but the recipient wanted a 5' haft instead of a more reasonable 3- 3.5' helve.
1084 hung on hickory with a walnut stain


Head weight is just under 1.75 pounds at 3/16 thick. Roughly 9" point to point and 8 or so edge to back

 

[The Warrior]

Too freakin' cool man.