Beckerhead Knife Making and Modification Thread

Hmm, I didn't even realize you guys went ahead with this thread. Guess I gotta get out a little more. Late to the party.


OK, first topic: How would you suggest finishing homemade canvas "my"carta? I've successfully made some (I think) but I'm concerned that the cotton will bleed color onto my hands, as it's showing a little proclivity to do so already.

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I also don't want the purple dye to bleed into the orange cloth. Like I said, it's cotton duck canvas made with 3M fiberglass resin. Anyone got some ideas?


I'd like to see ore on the home made micarta.
 
Time for a Becker mod.....

Im a big fan of being able to have my finger right next to the edge of the blade. Especially when peeling fruit, but all the time really, i just like being able to feel what im cutting as i cut it.

So i started slow, and didnt wear any gloves, soon as the knife started warming up even a little i stopped and dipped it in cold water for a minute to avoid ruining the heat treat.

But now i can have my finger right up to the edge. Its a SMALL mod, but it makes a lot of difference in use for me. I know everyone is not a fan of this, but its the reason i like choils so much as well.

I still need to clean it up some, and then i will go ahead and strip the rest of the coating and dip it in Ferric chloride to darken it back up some.... Just figured id share what i have done so far to it.

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Flickr
 
I like that 14 mod, ww. I've been thinking about doing the same thing to my 11 and 14.

I bought an old Hay-Budden anvil today. Someone dropped it and busted off part of it, but I think it will still work for my uses.
 
Thanks fellas!

I been thinking about doing it since i got my grinder but i have been talking myself out of it. Worried id screw it up. But tonight i just said screw it, i wanted it done so it was time to try it. First i profiled out that weird looking blade beside it just to get in the rhythm and then grabbed the 14 and took it slow. I like how it came out, could be prettier i guess but functioning wise its exactly what i wanted. Now i have more handle room and i can grip it right next to the blade.

The other thing in the picture is just practice. Im grinding out shapes like that just to practice doing bevels. i figure double edged gives me the most practice per piece of steel.
 
hmmm...I think I recognize that 14...

I find that if I polish a knife too much I end up not using it; it looks too pretty to me. Lately I have been forcing myself to go no farther than 300 grit when sanding a blade. Basically, all that time spent on sanding to end up with something really nice to look at. But hey guys, go for whatever you like, after all you set your own limits when it comes to making a blade.
 
hmmm...I think I recognize that 14...

I find that if I polish a knife too much I end up not using it; it looks too pretty to me. Lately I have been forcing myself to go no farther than 300 grit when sanding a blade. Basically, all that time spent on sanding to end up with something really nice to look at. But hey guys, go for whatever you like, after all you set your own limits when it comes to making a blade.

Yea... You may of seen this one before LOL... Back when it looked more like a normal 14 :D

I have no intentions of high polishing anything im making or modding at the moment.... Not saying i never will, but for now its not even on my mind.
 
Nice work, WW. But, clumsy as I am, if that apple fought back, the edge would be all the way back to my little finger. And I would definitely "feel what I'm cutting as I cut it".:upset:
 
Hmm, I didn't even realize you guys went ahead with this thread. Guess I gotta get out a little more. Late to the party.
I'd like to see ore on the home made micarta.

Better late than pregnant.

Here's the link to my 7 thread containing the pics and description; it's cotton duck canvas that I got on sale at JoAnn's Fabrics. Nice thing about having daughters that like that stuff is they'll go in with me so I don't have to shop for fabric on my lonesome. I'm very familiar with the drill, tho, as my mom sewed a LOT and was always dragging me into fabric stores when I was a kid. Taught me how to sew, too, which has been a pretty handy skill at times.

link: !Pics-added!-Taking-the-7-towards-quot-tactical post #2

WW: Nice job on the 14. Also lets you get more hand on the handle; I did that when I modded my 11 and I'll do it to my 14 in the near future. It was one of the things we were discussing at the Gathering - "the wattle" - that little bump in the front of the handle that makes it hard to choke up for fine work....
 
if that apple fought back, the edge would be all the way back to my little finger. And I would definitely "feel what I'm cutting as I cut it".:upset:

LMAO!!!

Thanks brother! Yea everyone likes different things, makes the knife community 10 times better!!

WW: Nice job on the 14. Also lets you get more hand on the handle; I did that when I modded my 11 and I'll do it to my 14 in the near future. It was one of the things we were discussing at the Gathering - "the wattle" - that little bump in the front of the handle that makes it hard to choke up for fine work....

Thanks man, it sure does give you more room on the handle. Surprisingly it made more difference than i expected.

Only down side is it doesnt stay in the sheath anymore.
 
Thanks man, it sure does give you more room on the handle. Surprisingly it made more difference than i expected.

Only down side is it doesnt stay in the sheath anymore.
Time to learn how to bend kydex. ...can't go having a custom sheath made for every knife you make now, can you? Plus, it's wrong to give sharp things as gifts with nothing to cover the edge.....probably breaks any number of socially acceptable rules for that sort of thing.
 
Time to learn how to bend kydex. ...can't go having a custom sheath made for every knife you make now, can you? Plus, it's wrong to give sharp things as gifts with nothing to cover the edge.....probably breaks any number of socially acceptable rules for that sort of thing.

Yea i need to get or make a press before too long and try bending myself. The mini project i have in the works will be getting sheaths from 710 though, but i cant do that for every knife i make. Would get expensive.
 
Check the usual junk spots/yard sales for these old saw sharpening vises. They are usually around 10 bucks and handy as the dickens.

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I think I'm going to build a forge.

Been reading up on different methods and what not. Probably can get it done pretty inexpensively.
 
I think I'm going to build a forge.

Been reading up on different methods and what not. Probably can get it done pretty inexpensively.

I've been tooling around with that too. Hell, your just one state over, we ought coordinate our time, you come down for that weekend and we can use my shop. I should have all the tools covered.
 
I've been tooling around with that too. Hell, your just one state over, we ought coordinate our time, you come down for that weekend and we can use my shop. I should have all the tools covered.

:thumbup: I'll bring a pony keg of Wee Mac.
 
I think I'm going to build a forge.

Been reading up on different methods and what not. Probably can get it done pretty inexpensively.

You can do it on the cheap pretty easily-
I hate to tell you how many years I just forged stuff with hardwood charcoal in my dad's grill back in the early '80's-building a little coal forge is very simple.
 
I have a couple questions,

1. Would a jigsaw and metal cutting blades work good enough for cutting steel?

2. Can you use a cheap bandsaw on steel? Do they make metal cutting blades for the cheap bandsaws? Or does it take one of the porta band saws?

Im looking for the cheapest yet still effective way of cutting stock to size.... Without always using a hacksaw LOL

Thanks!!
 
I don't know about the jigsaw but I doubt it would work.

If by cheap you mean woodcutting bandsaws for cutting steel, then no. The run way to fast for cutting steel. I looked into that at well. They are useful for cutting out handles though. They don't cut as accurate as a scroll saw does but it will get you close.

Jeremy
 
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