So one of my winter projects was to begin learning how to customize my knives, starting with the 2 I use the most, the BK15 and the BK4. Sorry in advance for the crappy photos, I am not a photographer and I have a 10 year old digital camera.
Both blades received a Fisk-style convex edge after I got my Work Sharp, but I wanted to take these knives next-level and make them mine. I learned a lot. These knives are far from perfect, but they are mine.
The BK4 is my go-to woods knife. After the Fisking the coating had been smoothed out and had the characteristic "stripe," but I wanted to get rid of the coating entirely. So I stripped it (many tutorials on this forum, I did nothing different). When it was stripped, I then discovered how Kabar is able to produce such great knives at such a low cost..... the finish! Using the coating means that the manufacturer doesn't have to sand down the grinding marks. I thought they were kind of ugly, so I got to work with some sandpaper (220 grit and 1200 grit). MANY MANY hours of sanding later, I still have some grind marks visible but it looks a lot better.
I then experimented with a forced patina, using various hot sauces and vinegars, but concluded that I didn't really care much for the look of it. So I sanded the patina off a bit with some 1200 grit, leaving the patina as only a mild "shading" in spots of the blade.
All of my knives are beaters, I use them. I don't see the point of show pieces since I'm not a collector. I didn't want to force a "perfect" patina only to have it wear away with use.
I view these mods as starting points. I will continue to use the knives and they will develop their own patinas over time. Again these knives are used.
One other mod I wanted to highlight a bit. One of the problems with a newbie like me going to town with a Work Sharp (or any other belt sander) is that it is very easy to round the tip of the knife. I did this despite my best intentions, so I decided to re-work the point/swedge just a tiny bit. Here I was greatly inspired by granitestateofmind's recent Hank Sr Machax mod, though I didn't want to take off that much metal.
I used the belt flex to give the point a bit of a "convex" feel, where the point curves ever so slightly down, rather than the straight swedge that comes stock:
It's almost not noticeable, but I think it's kinda sexy.
Knives are probably always a work in progress. The BK15 is likely about finished, it is likely to be relegated to kitchen duty (meaning, it will go into the wife's hands mostly). For now it is still my main carry knife, until I replace it (most likely with a BK16), at which point the BK15 will live in the kitchen.
The Machax on the other hand still needs more work before I will call her "finished." As soon as budget permits I want to replace the scales with some nice wood scales, and get her some leather pants for that beautiful voluptuous body. There is a chance I will try to DIY these but most likely tommythewho will have an order soon, as well as one of the fantastic leatherwranglers here on the boards.
Both blades received a Fisk-style convex edge after I got my Work Sharp, but I wanted to take these knives next-level and make them mine. I learned a lot. These knives are far from perfect, but they are mine.
The BK4 is my go-to woods knife. After the Fisking the coating had been smoothed out and had the characteristic "stripe," but I wanted to get rid of the coating entirely. So I stripped it (many tutorials on this forum, I did nothing different). When it was stripped, I then discovered how Kabar is able to produce such great knives at such a low cost..... the finish! Using the coating means that the manufacturer doesn't have to sand down the grinding marks. I thought they were kind of ugly, so I got to work with some sandpaper (220 grit and 1200 grit). MANY MANY hours of sanding later, I still have some grind marks visible but it looks a lot better.
I then experimented with a forced patina, using various hot sauces and vinegars, but concluded that I didn't really care much for the look of it. So I sanded the patina off a bit with some 1200 grit, leaving the patina as only a mild "shading" in spots of the blade.
All of my knives are beaters, I use them. I don't see the point of show pieces since I'm not a collector. I didn't want to force a "perfect" patina only to have it wear away with use.
I view these mods as starting points. I will continue to use the knives and they will develop their own patinas over time. Again these knives are used.
One other mod I wanted to highlight a bit. One of the problems with a newbie like me going to town with a Work Sharp (or any other belt sander) is that it is very easy to round the tip of the knife. I did this despite my best intentions, so I decided to re-work the point/swedge just a tiny bit. Here I was greatly inspired by granitestateofmind's recent Hank Sr Machax mod, though I didn't want to take off that much metal.
I used the belt flex to give the point a bit of a "convex" feel, where the point curves ever so slightly down, rather than the straight swedge that comes stock:
It's almost not noticeable, but I think it's kinda sexy.
Knives are probably always a work in progress. The BK15 is likely about finished, it is likely to be relegated to kitchen duty (meaning, it will go into the wife's hands mostly). For now it is still my main carry knife, until I replace it (most likely with a BK16), at which point the BK15 will live in the kitchen.
The Machax on the other hand still needs more work before I will call her "finished." As soon as budget permits I want to replace the scales with some nice wood scales, and get her some leather pants for that beautiful voluptuous body. There is a chance I will try to DIY these but most likely tommythewho will have an order soon, as well as one of the fantastic leatherwranglers here on the boards.
