Botswana 1st Blades

Tim-Gabz

Tim-Gabz

Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Messages
5,337
This is my latest attempt making knives. Still trying to find out what works and what doesn’t. I really need a proper belt grinder. The nicks are considerably fewer than my first attempt. The polishing is by hand, using finer and finer paper.

12C27. Linen micarta or Warthog tusk. I am trying to find someone who does laser engraving for a logo.

Camp Knife:


Kitchen Knife for home use:



Warthog hunter for Friend, he donated the tusks, really not as good a handle material as originally thought:



My utility knife for when I travel, works nicely, had to rehandle when I managed to source micarta as the original was general stained wood:


The glue is very difficult to clean off and comparing against some of the customs that I have accumulated is a bit disheartning!
 
Didn't think of acetone. There is a limit to what you can do with a razor blade.

The linen micarta is cheap but one of the best handle material I have come across.

I have done two other blades that have a nice profile but my wife calls the one with holo g10 a pimp blade, the other seems to be all pinned with titanium bits that sheared off. Very expensive and irritating.
 
Tim, glad to see your getting some nice knive done. Instead of a lazer for a logo you should try an etcher. Basically all you need is a very small 12 volt battery charger. The positive lead to the blade and the neg to a small piece of plate with a handle. Then cover the plate with a piece of felt held on with a rubber band. Dip it in salt water and then press to a sponge to dry abit. You have a stensil on the blade and when you press the plate to the stensil it will remove steel from the places the stencil doesn't cover. You do 5 seconds on and 5 off about 10 times or so depending on power used and depth wanted. You can make your own stenciles with vinyl or anything that insulates. Just cut out a simple logo. Play with scrap steel.The best are made by commercial companies. If you had a design a company called TUS would make you some. I will find you more info if interested. Let me know if I can help. Thanks for the cup and spoon and the nice letter. Best of luck with everything Jim
 
ib2v4u said:
Tim, glad to see your getting some nice knive done. Instead of a lazer for a logo you should try an etcher. Basically all you need is a very small 12 volt battery charger. The positive lead to the blade and the neg to a small piece of plate with a handle. Then cover the plate with a piece of felt held on with a rubber band. Dip it in salt water and then press to a sponge to dry abit. You have a stensil on the blade and when you press the plate to the stensil it will remove steel from the places the stencil doesn't cover. You do 5 seconds on and 5 off about 10 times or so depending on power used and depth wanted. You can make your own stenciles with vinyl or anything that insulates. Just cut out a simple logo. Play with scrap steel.The best are made by commercial companies. If you had a design a company called TUS would make you some. I will find you more info if interested. Let me know if I can help. Thanks for the cup and spoon and the nice letter. Best of luck with everything Jim
Click to expand...

Do you have the designs for a Etcher????
Let me know if you do.

Thanks
 
I have two logos, I am trying to paste them with better pics. Battling with band width.
 
Hey Tim,
good to see an ex-Rhodesian here. I am an ex-Saffa living in Canada now.
Keep up the good work with the knives, they look good.
A belt grinder will make life a lot easier.
Take care,

Mike
 
I have had a rough time uploading images and found that a colleague was down loading World of Warcraft client files,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

First I cut and formed the outline of the handle. Using a 1mm thick blade I cut deep into the handle. I widened the groove enough to accept the tang tightly. I then bedded the tang with Alcolin epoxy, very well mixed. I then used a thin, bench, belt sander to excavate the hand profiles.

Camp:

Camp tang profile:



Kitchen knife:


Camp&Warthog hunter:


Pimp dagger and Slim Bowie:
The bowie is pinned with titanium drill bits and occasional proper pin material.
My wife named the other as the Pimp dagger, I wonder why?




Logos being considered:
Acacia twig with thorns

Black on white = Zebra


Why do the books, well written, make it look so perfect and straight forward and exclude advice such as tape up your knuckles before you start or you will need to afterwards?
 
I am going to try for some vinyl today. Thanks for all your comments and help. Material and hardware is very difficult to get in Botswana and it has to all (but leather) be sourced from South Africa. The govt has not renewed some or other protocols and that means posting anything with leather (Foot and mouth), tusk (swine fever) or knife related is a no-no unless I send from South Africa.

I was also wondering how they could get me on Newcastles but don't know of any knife product using chicken?
 
Hi Mike,

I was, and still a, being interupted trying to post by all our Zim staff in Botswana, South Africa and Nigeria skyping about Zim elections.

Last year I tentatively tried to send a knife to my brother in Oz. It violated umteen rules and regulations on both sides of the ocean. 9" double edged dagger with ivory handle. Still got in in my collection. Beautifully made by Corne Smit in Norton (now ex).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top