Beckerhead Knife Making and Modification Thread

[Ray Settanta]

That is just not right. May be we could "Anonymous" him.

 

[granitestateofmind]

My guess is that he had it made by someone else and didn't care for the result. I sent him an email expressing my thoughts about profiting from someone else's work and asked him to take the drawing off the listing. That is my drawing and, while the rest of it smells bad, it is morally corrupt to present someone else's design work as your own. I do wonder at times what allows some people to put their head on the pillow at night.

Thanks for everyone's support; especially to Dubz and tobiism for bringing to my attention. I'll see what shakes out. It's not like I stood to profit from that anyways.

 

[zzyzzogeton]

NO WAY!!

That is crazy. I see it on the bay as well.



Greg??

Looks like the one Granite did. A lot like it. But i have always thought his name was something else LOL

I thought GSOM's real world name was Greg. My 3 little brain cells have GReg and GRanite associated.
If it isn't, well,then I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time something like that's happened.

 

[cbwoods67]

GSOM is Mike.

GSO1962 is Greg.

Noobs.



Mike, hopefully he sees the error in his ways and makes a full apology. Unfortunately, intellectual property is not always respected.

 

[TravisH]

I would think an email to the bay about copyright infringement over the drawings would be warranted.

 

[granitestateofmind]

Just heard from the seller. As I suspected, it was unintentional and he did apologize and remove the drawing. Also as I suspected, he's not really going to profit because someone else did the work. We've all been there I'm sure; buy a knife and some more pressing shtuff comes up...and back out the door it goes. He'll probably be lucky to sell it and not lose money.

Again I would like to thank everyone for having my back, but we can put this one to bed.

 

[The Warrior]

Just heard from the seller. As I suspected, it was unintentional and he did apologize and remove the drawing. Also as I suspected, he's not really going to profit because someone else did the work. We've all been there I'm sure; buy a knife and some more pressing shtuff comes up...and back out the door it goes. He'll probably be lucky to sell it and not lose money.

Again I would like to thank everyone for having my back, but we can put this one to bed.

I noticed he removed the photo, and mentioned your name in the description, that you were designer of the handle shape. Good deal.

 

[granitestateofmind]

On to other stuff. My visit with Jim Bensinger at the Manchester Gun Show Sunday really got me to thinking about re-working a couple of my Beckers. Jim has some really cool traditional/traditionally inspired knives in his stable; I thought I might do my own take on my 5 & 4 in kinda the same vein. The 5, because I probably won't use it until I do something to it, since - apologies to fans of the 5 - it really hasn't found it's way into my hand at all. The 4....well, because it deserves it, and, since we have a permanent relationship now, could use a little TLC . The 5 is gonna require some thought. The 4, OTOH, I've already been thinking about......and thoughts have been thunk.

These thoughts consist mainly of two items, which are interdependent so actually only one item, really. I'd like to redesign and grind a new handle profile and making some wood scales/integrated handle out of katalox - also known as Mexican ebony. Handle profile to be a sheepsfoot hatchet style. The photo shows a hammer handle that I'll use as my basic template....this one will have to have some drawing done as well, but at least in my head I can see what I'd like it to look like and think it will come close.

Handle shape like this:

wood like this (the dark one):

I'll keep y'all posted.

 

[BackInKentucky]

I've noticed that a lot of you guys polish your beckers after you strip them. I also seem to see most people using really fine grit sandpaper to get the final polish. Has aanyone tried using metal polishes, like Brasso, at the final stages? It'd be interesting to see just how shiny you can get one...
And just in case this post has been adressed or is widely known already or something along those lines, I'll try to redeem myself by suggesting the use of Puma rather than Brasso. Its lesser known but WAY better at shining things, in my experience. Its also a lot more potent...

 

[james terrio]

Metal polishes remove very little actual metal, they just makes scratches shinier. If one goes far enough with fine grits of sandpaper to start with, they can certainly achieve a mirror finish with Flitz, Mother's, etc. (not so sure about Brasso, haven't tried it myself). Or you can just use them to brighten up a satin finish.

It's the same basic concept as using a buffing wheel with polishing compound.

Metal polishes work well on strops, too... I know of at least one guy (who works mainly on kitchen knives for local sushi/sashimi chefs)... his "secret" final step is Mother's Chrome Polish on a very hard "strop" - tempered glass.

 

[granitestateofmind]

I've noticed that a lot of you guys polish your beckers after you strip them. I also seem to see most people using really fine grit sandpaper to get the final polish. Has aanyone tried using metal polishes, like Brasso, at the final stages? It'd be interesting to see just how shiny you can get one...
And just in case this post has been adressed or is widely known already or something along those lines, I'll try to redeem myself by suggesting the use of Puma rather than Brasso. Its lesser known but WAY better at shining things, in my experience. Its also a lot more potent...

First off, you gotta work through the grits starting at about 80....Beckers are usually rough enough under the coatings that if you try and go straight to polishing, yer gunna be disappointed. On my 7 mod I just removed what was left of the coating with 80 grit on an aluminum block, and it was pretty easy to see that it wasn't going to be easy....

Lots of dips and waves which equates to a shitload of elbow grease to get it flat. Once it is, though, you then gotta work your way up to about 1200 before you're going to start getting anything other than a satin finish. This one was finished off with 2000 and then green compound on a muslin wheel.

...and it's still not mirror polished....

 

[J W Bensinger]

If you're going to do a kydex sheath, a high polish is kinda wasted unless you're doing it to reduce cutting drag-the scratches bug me and I don't hafta hand sand anything. Scotchbrite satin is renewable and a LOT less work, IMO.

 

[J W Bensinger]

On to other stuff. My visit with Jim Bensinger at the Manchester Gun Show Sunday really got me to thinking about re-working a couple of my Beckers. Jim has some really cool traditional/traditionally inspired knives in his stable; I thought I might do my own take on my 5 & 4 in kinda the same vein. The 5, because I probably won't use it until I do something to it, since - apologies to fans of the 5 - it really hasn't found it's way into my hand at all. The 4....well, because it deserves it, and, since we have a permanent relationship now, could use a little TLC . The 5 is gonna require some thought. The 4, OTOH, I've already been thinking about......and thoughts have been thunk.

These thoughts consist mainly of two items, which are interdependent so actually only one item, really. I'd like to redesign and grind a new handle profile and making some wood scales/integrated handle out of katalox - also known as Mexican ebony. Handle profile to be a sheepsfoot hatchet style. The photo shows a hammer handle that I'll use as my basic template....this one will have to have some drawing done as well, but at least in my head I can see what I'd like it to look like and think it will come close.

Handle shape like this:

wood like this (the dark one):

I'll keep y'all posted.

I used to make quite a few bolo/parang handles out of axe and hammer handle ends (I'm kinda rough on wooden handles)- that shape is a very good choice. If you have access to a MIG or TIG setup you can even build up the tang profile, as long as you have a heat sink for the blade and don't do anything at the tang/blade juncture.


this was a very well used GI machete i bought new when I was 18-thought it needed a more Filipino groove so I shortened it and MIGged the tang to change the pommel shape

 

[granitestateofmind]

Did a little drawing last night. There are still a lot of construction(?) details I need to figger out, but I think it's going to be a hidden/dogleg/full tang (whatever is left of the original after grinding to fit the new handle shape) with hidden pins. I think there will be plenty of original tang left for strength and glue surface, but I plan on filling all the voids with wood/epoxy; pins for shear strength and hidden because:
a): drilling hardened steel is nigh impossible and
b): I want to keep the pins through the steel for some extra security and
c): I don't feel that exposed pins are aesthetically pleasing for this handle shape, especially if they fall in weird places.

Concept:

Drawing (couldn't seem to edit it without serious distortion, :

I like the top one so far, but I almost don't know where to start trying to fit a bolster/guard. Going to do a few more that might allow easier use of the blade near the handle. I like the idea of making (maybe) it easier to chop with, but I don't want to lose the versatility; that's one of the things I like best about the 4.

 

[tobiism]

Did a little drawing last night. There are still a lot of construction(?) details I need to figger out, but I think it's going to be a hidden/dogleg/full tang (whatever is left of the original after grinding to fit the new handle shape) with hidden pins. I think there will be plenty of original tang left for strength and glue surface, but I plan on filling all the voids with wood/epoxy; pins for shear strength and hidden because:
a): drilling hardened steel is nigh impossible and
b): I want to keep the pins through the steel for some extra security and
c): I don't feel that exposed pins are aesthetically pleasing for this handle shape, especially if they fall in weird places.

Concept:

Drawing (couldn't seem to edit it without serious distortion, :

I like the top one so far, but I almost don't know where to start trying to fit a bolster/guard. Going to do a few more that might allow easier use of the blade near the handle. I like the idea of making (maybe) it easier to chop with, but I don't want to lose the versatility; that's one of the things I like best about the 4.

I really like where you are going with this. The Ontario Machete I redid with the hatchet handle is one of my all time favorite blades now.
Here is another machete Im working on

 

[granitestateofmind]

I really like where you are going with this. The Ontario Machete I redid with the hatchet handle is one of my all time favorite blades now.
Here is another machete Im working on

That looks like a serious project. All new handle or reconstruction?

Got a semi-final "form" drawing done, now I have to figure out the "function" part.

 

[tobiism]

I slimmed down the original handle to a stick tang, it goes all the way to the aluminum pin in the hatchet handle. if you end up going with that last drawing that foUr is going to be amazing!

 

[crimsonfalcon07]

GSOM, I really like the looks of that 4. Nice work.

 

[granitestateofmind]

GSOM, I really like the looks of that 4. Nice work.

Thanks, but maybe let's see if it ever becomes anything more than paper.

 

[daizee]

Thanks, but maybe let's see if it ever becomes anything more than paper.

well the front half is already done!