Beckerhead Knife Making and Modification Thread

DavidCAndersen said:
Here is my own attempt at a four-inch Kephart. I still have a great deal to improve upon, especially my blade grinding consistency, but this is the best knife yet that I have personally made.

While the handle profile is of course different from the ur-Kep, I did try to do the convex grind like the Colclesser, where it convexes back toward the spine as well. Not as successfully as I would have liked, but I tried.

I also hadn't planned on contouring the handle the way I did from the beginning. The blank I cut out had a straight handle, but when it came time to finish it, I just kind of went where I was feeling it on the spot. Sometimes the knife tells you the way it wants to be.

Steel is 1095, heat treated for me by Todd Hunt... The only part I didn't do myself.

The handle is made with natural micarta, black G10 liners, and copper pins and lanyard tube. Feels great in the hand, and the thumb scallops help put it over the top.

Still a few details to finish up, but I'm pretty proud of this one.

View attachment 758487 View attachment 758488 View attachment 758489
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Looks great! The natural micarta and copper hardware is a nice combination.

Hope to see it at the Gathering.
 
Well I worked the tip down some and I'm liking it. I also shortened the lower guard/bolster a tad. The top guard was a little more challenging. The angles don't or won't work out so good. If I try to take it down to the spine then the guard is going to be open topped. Plus thd micarta scales are pretty wide at that junction. Its hard to explain. It was easy to visualize but when I started removing material reality jumped in. I took it out back and trimmed up an Elm tree. Works good and I'm quite satisfied now. Thanks for the feedback earlier everybody.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/153781516@N05/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/153781516@N05/

Original Buck124 and my Modified 124
 
Definitely improved. Yes, you're limited in the top guard mods. I'd stop there. I think the nose of the drop point could be blended back even a little more. I much prefer your version to the original.

Awhile back I turned a trailing point guarded Western Cutlery piece into sort of an American puukko by going through a similar process. If doing it again, I would have left a tiiiiny bit of the lower guard. The front taper to the handle makes it a little slippery in the hand. You wouldn't have that problem with the Buck.

http://bladeforums.com/threads/western-fixed-blade.1333991/#post-15321968
 
daizee said:
Definitely improved. Yes, you're limited in the top guard mods. I'd stop there. I think the nose of the drop point could be blended back even a little more. I much prefer your version to the original.

Awhile back I turned a trailing point guarded Western Cutlery piece into sort of an American puukko by going through a similar process. If doing it again, I would have left a tiiiiny bit of the lower guard. The front taper to the handle makes it a little slippery in the hand. You wouldn't have that problem with the Buck.

http://bladeforums.com/threads/western-fixed-blade.1333991/#post-15321968
Click to expand...

That turned out to be really nice looking puukko. Yep a little bit-O-guard would have been a nice insurance policy lol. I might play with the blade a little more but my OCD is kicking in. I have a Gerber Flayer I just picked up and I'm going to try and convex the edge. Very interesting shape.
 
liking the latest version of that 124 -- a lot closer to a spear point now.
and Daizee -- that's a sweet puukko!
 
More tease...

IMG_20170915_210608-small.jpg
 
Yeah, Hawk!
How did you dish out the butt so evenly like that? I've got a puukko blank ready for grinding too.
 
Nice work gents.
 
91bravo said:
That's a good looking blade profile. My friend Justin just got his Muck knife from you and it's a beauty!
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Thx. It's gonna be dramatic when it's done (I hope).
Oh cool, have you seen that 'muk in person? I was thinking basic black was going to be boring, but it turned out pretty classy. That one was hard to let go.
 
daizee said:
Thx. It's gonna be dramatic when it's done (I hope).
Oh cool, have you seen that 'muk in person? I was thinking basic black was going to be boring, but it turned out pretty classy. That one was hard to let go.
Click to expand...

Not in person, although he'd send it to me if I wanted! I did recommend a leather sheath maker to him for a nice sheath!
 
I vote for this and Dex's BK-11 as the best Ka-bar mods *ever*.

Finished up this kitchen kwaiken tonight. Proper gallery and website post when I get some outdoor lighting pix:

IMG_20170918_210148-small.jpg

IMG_20170918_210214-small.jpg

IMG_20170918_210347-small.jpg
 
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