"BK151" Trailing Point Camp Paring Knife - Update: Piggyback 710 Comes Through!

Tj, I would research the finish polymer stuff you are wanting to use. I am not familiar with it. Some finishes need to be applied to a clean piece of wood free from all oils and dirt. If not it may turn cloudy under the finish or even bubble up or chip off? It should say on the package or have a number to call and ask questions.
 
Good point. I was just talking about the Tung oil and BLO. Unlike neatsfoot, they do harden.
Anyway, I took a look at some boating and furniture sites. All seem to recommend NOT using neatsfoot on timber.
But I have an idea, now, of what to use for the final finish (secret recipe - I MAY share it if it works out.)
Thanks again for the help! I love all the wood handles you've built up, so I put a lot of stock in your advice where those are concerned.
 
I'm actually at the store now buying tung oil and a few other things. Is that secret beeswax, linseed oil, and turpentine?

Good luck man!
 
Dexwithers said:
I'm actually at the store now buying tung oil and a few other things. Is that secret beeswax, linseed oil, and turpentine?

Good luck man!
Click to expand...

I forgot about the beeswax in my recipe! Some said to add a touch of spar varnish. I have some lying around from another project, so I may include a few drops.
Actually, I'm not sure I have any actual turpentine just now. Will need to take a look.
 
Had to take a look at these on the big screen (I'm too old to view pics on my phone...) and they look good au naturel. I like the pronounced grain pattern. Looks a lot like ash. Even a clear finish will accentuate the darker parts. SFSG!
 
I want to thank specifically Mike and Dexwithers, and also all the others who encouraged me and gave me tips, pointers and ideas.
My wife had a late-night school event, so I had to get the girls to bed and resigned myself to not getting a walk tonight.
So I worked on the knife instead.

Scales belt-sanded in alternating progression to 6000 grit, then hand-sanded similarly to 2000. Burnished with denim. Cleaned with mineral spirits and denatured alcohol.
I'm no good at keeping secrets. Finish is 3 parts turpentine, 1part mushy beeswax/mineral oil mix, 1 spar urethane, 2 BLO and 1 tung oil.
Buffed the first 2 applications with 1000 and wiped with terry; final application was wiped lightly then buffed with denim.
It's still a tad wet here, but you'll get the idea.

Sorry about the grainy photos. I set up my light box, and it seemed plenty bright, but I guess the camera was a little too far from the subject or something.

Profiled an 11 to complement a 15. I give you "The BK151":



Fits like a glove in the sheath Psyop made for my 24:


Here it is with said 24, to show how much the blade changed:



The scales:


The other angles:





Fits my hand better than stock:


And like my wife said, handles as smooth as a baby's bottom. Shaves hair, too, but no picture of that tonight.

I hope you enjoy it.
I'll try to get some more shots when I finish up the 15 scales and do something to protect the steel.
Comments / Compliments / Constructive Criticism are welcome.
Thanks for looking.

- Tom
 
That looks awesome, Tom. Clear finish on the "neighborhood tree" just kills it. The natural grain really pops, and I like the new blade (and handle) profile a LOT! Kudos (whatever the hell they are)!
 
Aren't kudos those wonderful little 100 calorie chocolate-dipped cereal bars?

Anyway, thanks much, Mike. 200 new views and not a single comment, I was beginning to wonder.
Regardless, after the oil/varnish dried today I burnished the handles with denim again. I also realized I'll never get a polished finish on the blade, so I touched it up at 400 for a decent satin finish. I'll be treating it shortly anyway.
The sun was out for about 5 minutes after work, between rain showers, so I got a couple half-decent shots that I think represent real life quite a bit better:







I took a shot with a bunch of arm hairs on the blade, but it didn't come out. Stropping at 1200mx under power and over black then green compound on leather, the thing is just wicked.

I couldn't be more pleased.

And I couldn't have done it without the strong bones and great underlying design that KaBar and BK&T put out, at exceedingly reasonable prices, day in and day out. Thanks Ethan!
 
I like it man!! Awesome job!
And you didn't epoxy then on did ya? So they are removable?
 
Thanks Dex!

Just epoxied the liners to the wood, and blue-loctited the screws. No epoxy securing them to the tang - still removable.
So when the wood shrinks and splits in a couple years I can still have tommythewho work up some really nice ones for me. ;)
 
Followed Daizee - the -wise's advice and made a knife board:


Stuck the 15 on there and set to hand-sanding:


Pretty good, but not as shiny as I wanted even after 2 hrs and working up to 2500, so I stepped it back down to an 800-grit satin finish:



Since I'm up, had to get a shot of the lunar eclipse:

That was about 11:30 Pacific.

Got the scales roughed out:

 
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We interrupt this mod thread broadcast to inform you that I have too many views in my PhotoBucket.
Pictures should return to their normal underexposed graininess around the 21st or 22nd of April.
 
Hopefully I'll be able to post a few more pictures this weekend.

Got the 15 blade nice and shiny, mounted the way-thick wood scales, and began forming them to the tang.
 
Updates of the 15 in progress:

Fat Scales:



Ready for a good polish:



Ooh, Shiny:



Scales mounted, and ready for shaping:






The Knife Board, with Backer and just Plain:

 
60 grit on the drum and 80 grit on the belt - finally got a little
Beckerness" to the 15 scales. Still a ways to go, but useable as-is:







 
Thanks!
It's slow going because I have a ton of projects and "Honey-Do's" right now, but I try to get a little in nearly every day.
 
I really like that blade shape on the BK11. Great mod. Handles for that 15 are coming along nicely and nice knifeboard. Can't wait to see the finished product.
 
Thanks Jordan.
I can't wait to see it either! Still a little ways to go.
I'm excited to see how the modded 11 looks next to the shiny 15.
I wish I'd gone slightly thicker on the red G10 liners. Between the black tang coating and black "pinstripe" liner the red kinda gets lost. But I'm not redoing it!

- Tom
 
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