Boker Albatross, Clipped point and jigged titanium

WValtakis

WValtakis

Hand engraving & Titanium anodizing
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
May 29, 2004
Messages
24,297
I really like Enrique Pena's jigged titanium folders, but one's not in the budget right now. So I thought I'd give it a crack on a Boker I had laying around...





I'm pretty pleased with it, I still need to strip it and figure out how I want to anodize it. I'll post more pics as I get things figured out :)

~Chip
 
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the heat anodizing on the bottoms of the grooves gives it some character just as is, like how the hollows in bone are generally darkened. I like it.
 
I agree with gadget, the character of the work there has a nice look. I like the contrast. I wonder if you simply polished the top layer if that would be fine or more of a dull, brushed look just to clean it up on the surface. Kind of want to say rock it as is as long as those edges won't cut you from the jigging.
 
Thanks for the input/compliments guys :) I think I'll take your advice and just clean up the flats a little more then put it back together (I had done a lot with a scotchbrite pad before the pics, so there's no sharp edges already). I can always strip it later if I want, I also toyed with bead blasting the jigging then polishing the flats for contrast (most of the Pena's I've seen look blasted). I'll post more pics when I get it reassembled.

~Chip
 
Die grinder with a cutoff wheel.

~Chip
 
Practice on some scrap, it's REALLY easy to screw up ;) Oh, and I used my mill for the "bolster" groove to get a clean transition.

One more thing to note, where the lockbar cutout is the jigging is the same(ish) width and length, but the depth is only about 0.010" to avoid weakening the lockbar.
~Chip
 
Got the tool marks sanded out of the bolster groove, and scotchbrited the flats some more. Still not sure about the heat coloring, mainly because of my OCD (I've spent a lot of time perfecting my anodizing, so the imperfections drive me nuts) but I'll rock it for a bit and see if it grows on me. It does do some cool stuff as the light angle changes, I'll try to get a video up to show you guys.



~Chip
 
Yeah, if I go that way I'll use Multi-etch...I've found it to be the best at removing Ti anodizing without altering the surface finish. Originally I was thinking gold for the jigged area with bronze indents, but blue in the indents with bare Ti flats might be cool too.

~Chip
 
All back together :)





~Chip
 
Went with Blue/Bronze and bare edges/bolsters :)

So, this thing never gets carried because the point is almost useless for me. I've been thinking of regrinding it for a while but I'm torn between a tanto and a clip. Both will get me a pointer tip, which do you prefer?





~Chip
 
Thanks! Do you have an opinion on the two blade shapes sharpied on the blade?

Thanks,
~Chip
 
So since I haven't anodized anything yet, but it's something I'm reading up on, how do you get certain parts one color and other parts another?

Also I think Option #2 Will takes some useless weight off the blade and make it a better slicer at the same time.
 
WValtakis said:
Thanks! Do you have an opinion on the two blade shapes sharpied on the blade?

Thanks,
~Chip
Click to expand...

I think the 2nd marking will make the knife look less beefy and look more appropriate for the handle. I do tend to favor the look of shorter blades (less tall) for visual appeal but I do like the function of my spydercos which tend to have vary tall blades.

I almost wonder if the blade would look nicer if you started to pull off some material closer to the thumb stud to create more of a trailing point look vs a clip point.

For the 1st marking, I tend not to be a big fan of tanto points even if they look cool on many knives. I tend to like them more on fixed blades though.
 
So, I went with a clip... preserves the belly and removes the most weight (balances nicely at the finger groove now). Thought about a swedge, but in the interest of tip strength crowned/polished the spine instead. I think I really like this thing now ;)









~Chip
 
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