Bowie/fighter- mosaic damascus harpoon tip

NickWheeler

NickWheeler

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Dec 3, 1999
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Hi folks- :)

This one is a mosaic damascus "harpoon tip" Bowie blade with 416 guard, African Blackwood handle, and tooled leather sheath. (more detailed description to follow pics)


Blade- 8-3/16" Long, 1-5/8" wide at widest point.
OAL- ~13-3/16"

Thanks for checking out my work! :)

$1700 shipped in the states, and will happily look into int'l rates :)

[video=youtube;ODVjhv2IrO0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODVjhv2IrO0[/video]

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This photo is really crummy, but I was trying (without much luck) to catch a glimpse of the color and figure in this Blackwood. It's the nicest piece I have ever worked.
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The blade was forged from a tiled, mosaic billet made up of 1084 and 15N20. Most guys won't forge mosaic damascus because it disrupts the pattern, and I totally get that... but sometimes I think it's cool to have a mosaic blade that shows it's "hammered to shape origin." The clip is sharp too. :)

The guard is 416 stainless and has an 800X satin finished face and sides, with a mirror polish on the inside of the lugs and scallops. The spacers are 416 and black G10.

The handle is the prettiest piece of African Blackwood I have ever worked with. It was completely finished by hand up to 3M 4,000X polishing paper. It looks black in my photos, but it's actually more of a cinnamon color with black veining, and there are a handful of "burly birdseye" type figure in it.

Sheath is hand saddle stitched (8 tpi on chevron, 5 tpi on sides) and tooled leather. The tear-drop shaped stud was made from mosaic damascus.

All work was done by me. Thanks! :)
 
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I wanted to add in a little info here to help give an idea as to the kind of work that goes into making a knife like this.

The tear-drop mosaic damascus stud--- it's a small detail, but it doesn't happen with the snap of a couple fingers. First you have to forge steel for stock, then send it through an annealing cycle.

The stock is chucked up in a 4 jaw chuck in the lathe. The semi rough, rectangular stock is faced, and then the pedestal shape is turned. Then it's drilled and tapped for an 8-32 screw. Then it's sanded up to 500X in the lathe. The stock is parted off, and the tear drop is shaped by hand and sanded to 500X.

The stud then has to be hardened so it will etch properly, then tempered. After that, the oxides from hardening/tempering must be sanded off. Everything has to be cleaned, and then the etching/polishing starts. This stud ended up needing 4 etches before being sanded out with 2,000X paper. Etched again for 1 minute and polished with 4,000X paper, then cold blued and polished with 8000X paper.

I'm sure not complaining here! I just have been realizing that a lot of folks don't understand just how much work goes into trying to create a complete package entirely from raw materials. :)

Thanks guys! :)

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Mr. Nick, had I the funds I'd be all over this one! I wouldn't even know what to do with it. I do realize what work goes into this... I'm just starting with stock removal (please don't lol too much...) and there's a pretty good amount of work that goes into that (files... and miles of files! I don't have a grinder). I can imagine how much work goes into making something of your caliber.

PS I still go to stuck in the metal with you for inspiration!
 
As they say Nick, the devil is in the details, and I think you have his number!! :D
Great blade and it comes with a sheath like that! Awesome deal. :thumbdn:
 
Nick, as many have said, I am in awe of the work you do. I have been trying for an hour to convince my wife that I "Need" this knife but she is not budging. :(
I'll keep trying but it doesn't look good.
Thanks for all you have taught me/us.
 
I'd like to add something here, I'm not saying that you're charging too much for your work, honestly you're probably not charging enough... (please don't raise your prices and thanks for giving us a deal!)

Anyways I got a question about that stud... Did you put a bit of an etch on that before you began shaping to get the pattern where you wanted it, or is that just how it came out'?

EDIT: Eric... it's sometimes better to ask for forgiveness than permission =D
 
theHobbyist said:
I'd like to add something here, I'm not saying that you're charging too much for your work, honestly you're probably not charging enough... (please don't raise your prices and thanks for giving us a deal!)

Anyways I got a question about that stud... Did you put a bit of an etch on that before you began shaping to get the pattern where you wanted it, or is that just how it came out'?

EDIT: Eric... it's sometimes better to ask for forgiveness than permission =D
Click to expand...

Haha, that is very true.
 
I was knocked out when I saw this knife over in the makers' forum. By coincidence, the asking price is pretty close to my mortgage payment which is due tomorrow. Choices, choices...
 
Holy Guacamole!......That is one magnificent blade.

My apologies for the gross understatement.
 
It's a stuning work.:thumbup:
Nick, I will take it if you can ship it internationally to Taiwan.:)
 
Nick , $1700.00 ? Are you out of your mind . That package is beautiful/outstanding . Double that price .
 
Indeed, very beautiful! This gives me something to aspire to. How many hours would you estimate went into this?
 
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