BK2 permanent firedrill modification (pics)

R

retrobass

Joined
Feb 8, 2013
Messages
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So the quest to modify the old BK2 continues. I'm enjoying my very simple stippling and getting a good bit of use out of it splitting wood shingles and carving spindles to work on my first real bushcrafting project, the firedrill. Thus far my only successful embers have been formed with the almost frictionless inside of a tea candle holder, and I'm not having luck finding natural materials smooth enough to hold down my drill while I work the bow. Somebody on youtube inserted a dime into their knife handle, so I figured why not a quarter. After an afternoon of bending, shaping, reshaping, drilling, cussing, jb welding, I have what is now a very functional piece to hold down my firedrill spindle and it'll never leave my side if I'm in the process of making fire in this manner. While I was at it I found some stripper in grandpa's shop and went ahead and took off that rough black coating. I mean, I'm sure if I take off into the woods with only a blade when society ends oil will be abundant :P Either way, it looks cool. What is funny, and I'm sure everyone has already noticed it when stripping them, it seems to have a secondary coating of some sort, a weird checkered texturing on the blade that looks almost like galvinization, though I don't think thats what it is. What is this coating and does it do anything to slow rust? If not I'm going to take some flitz to her and make it shine like a mirror.

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its actually quite comfortable to rest my finger inside the concave quarter.

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And now finally, whats up with this inner blade coating I mentioned? Do I leave it on as a rust preventative, or do I flitz the hell out of her and make it mirror shine?

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--Jimbo
 
Damn fine work! I never would have thought of using a quarter like that. As for the coating, I'd leave it but it.
 
Now that's innovative! Very cool. Too bad you're under arrest now for the destruction of Govt. property :D
 
Carlos Oak said:
Looks unique have you ever tryed micarta handlesthen drill a concave in then?
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I reallly want some micarta handles, i'm torn between buying a set of premade ones or just the raw material. I may have to find something less goofy looking than a quarter if I go that route. I'll post up soon as I make my first fire with this knife as my spindle holder.
 
Very nice I thought about trying that before but didn't think it would work as well as yours did.
I think yhat you see as a blade coating is just the stone washed finish on the raw steel. I would leave it as is. Please update us on how your divet is working?
 
LG&M said:
Very nice I thought about trying that before but didn't think it would work as well as yours did.
I think yhat you see as a blade coating is just the stone washed finish on the raw steel. I would leave it as is. Please update us on how your divet is working?
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I took some pictures on my phone (much lower quality) as I did the modification, I'd be happy to attempt a sort of write up, but it ended up being so jurry rigged I'm not sure it'd be all that advisable to follow all my methods.

Out of an idle mind and the need to be stationary by the lady spending quality time for V day I took some flitz to one side of the blade already. Aesthetically its more pleasing, not sure how it'll affect my eventual forced patina.

Hopefully tomorrow, weather and time permitting, I'll tear into the dry cedar my neighbor brought by today and have a roaring fire courtesy of teh new BK2 :D
 
That finish under the coating is called a "tumbled finish" I believe. It involves running the steel in a vibrating tumbler with ceramic media that polishes and smooths the surface.

EDIT: Just seen LG&M's post. I think stone washed is more of the actual term.

Similar to this Hinderer XM24

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Thats a really interesting modification. It seems to be effective, I think the closet OCD in me would get annoyed after a while, but it's pretty dang inventive none the less:thumbup:
 
LG&M said:
Very nice I thought about trying that before but didn't think it would work as well as yours did.
I think yhat you see as a blade coating is just the stone washed finish on the raw steel. I would leave it as is. Please update us on how your divet is working?
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I left mine like that after I stripped her. No polish. A nice unfinished look is so.......caveman.....and effing cool. LOL
 
Flitz and elbow grease:

BK2Feb2013003-1.jpg


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Along with ample paracord to make a bowdrill or two, a swedish firesteel, and a teclock that didn't quite fit but holds tight nonetheless.

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Now I need to get away from this keyboardcraft and go whack some sticks :D :D
 
I like that you used a bicentennial quarter rather than any old quarter. looks good!
 
I like the polished grind with the stone washed spine look. You have a nice set their with the M6. Ready for almost anything.
 
Well, I ran into some SERIOUS frustration with my noob bushcrafting today. paracord and natural sticks seem to give more trouble than nylon rope and dowels :P It seems that the force of splitting a 9" cedar log was enough to dislodge my bicentennial beauty, but for the sake of testing I superglued it back in over the JB weld. Perhaps my spindle wasn't narrow enough, or the cedar not dry enough, but it KEPT jumping out of my recessed quarter. Glad I'm ordering micarta handles sometime next month anyway. As soon as smoke started to happen and the friction really caught on, POW, the stick flew off my paracord laced bow.

So maybe bowfires won't be necessary since we're not cavemen and all, therefore out of agitation I decided to try out my swedish firesteel for the first time. When I use the back (spine?) with 90* angle of my knife almost NO sparks fly. I tried over and over. I got pissed off and decided to use the sharp edge (it was rather dull anyway, I think my first efforts at learning to sharpen have done more damage than the splitting logs possibly) and there was a SHOWER of hot sparks. So what am I doing wrong with the back of my knife that is creating such sparse sparks from the firesteel?

Today was awfully cold, windy, and humid and I guess I'm learning from mistakes if nothing else :P
 
retrobass said:
Flitz and elbow grease:

BK2Feb2013003-1.jpg


BK2Feb2013004-1.jpg



Along with ample paracord to make a bowdrill or two, a swedish firesteel, and a teclock that didn't quite fit but holds tight nonetheless.

BK2Feb2013006-1.jpg


BK2Feb2013007-1.jpg


Now I need to get away from this keyboardcraft and go whack some sticks :D :D
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BK2 plus a M6 scout rifle,,nice combo
 
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