Bowie

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

joalexvoss

Joined
Dec 5, 2008
Messages
68
Hi, fellas!

This is the first time I post here, and I would show them a recent work, a bowie knife.

Forged Carbon steel, SAE 1075, "Bowie" style knife
Carter, guard and rivets in stainless steel
Handle in "guajuvira" (a brazillian wood)
Filework in the handle, nitric acid etchin in the ricasso
OAL: 260 mm
Blade lenght: 260 mm
Blade width (max): 38 mm
Blade thickness (max): 6 mm

I hope u enjoy!

Best regards from Brazil

João Alexandre

001.jpg


002.jpg


003.jpg


004.jpg


005.jpg


006.jpg


007.jpg


008.jpg
 
Well my friend. That is what a Bowie is supposed to look like. I would buy it in a heartbeat.
 
Hi João -

Wonderful work!

Thank you for the pictures, I enjoyed looking at your work.

best regards -

mqqn
 
Beautiful!! The fit where the guard meets the blade is very tight and clean - shows exceptional work. Could you give a brief description on how you do the acid etching? That's something we don't see very often.

With regards,
Jacque
 
Thanks, folks, for your comments.
About the etching, I use nitric acid and an ink from a recipe of spahish engraver Montejano.
I have no photos of the etching process of this bowie, but the technique is quite simple. I use the ink to isolate the site to be etched, and I do the design by hand. The following photos of another study, illustrate the method.

I hope u enjoy, and thanks again!

campeira_002.jpg


campeira_003.jpg


campeira_006.jpg


campeira_007.jpg


campeira_008.jpg


campeira_009.jpg


campeira_010.jpg


campeira_013.jpg


campeira_014.jpg
 
That is cool!! (american slang for something good - just in case you don't use that phrase in Brazil)

"nitric acid and an ink from a recipe of spahish engraver Montejano."

Can you give us the recipe for the ink?

Beautiful job - thanks for sharing.

J.
 
I really don't have words to express how amazing that is. There are SO many talented knifemakers and artisans on BF. I'm honored just to be able to admire their work.
 
Thakns, fellas!

About the recipe, I apologize for not knowing the equivalent term in English. You will need:

1 - Breu (Pitch or resin rosin??)
2 - Terebentina (Turpentine??)
3 - Betume da Judéia (Bitumen of Judea??)

The recipe is the ink: 1 part pitch, 3 parts of turpentine and bitumen / solvent is necessary to dilute.

The pitch must be heated in a water bath and bitumen added gradually.

In fact you can use any asphalt-based paint, such as those for the sealing of water tanks. any solvent to dilute - if needed - , and the ink is ready.

I hope I have been clear, sorry about my English ...

Best regards!
 
Many thanks for the recipe - we'll figure it out. And your English is much better than my Portuguese.

Jacque
 
well, here's some pieces of the puzzle- - - -

Bitumen of Judea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The photographical process known as Bitumen of Judea is quite possibly the oldest modern photographing technique. The technique was first used by French lithographer Nicéphore Niépce in the 1820s. In 1826, using a tarlike material that covered a pewter plate, he took a picture of the countryside near his home. The process took 42 hours. Normally soluble in oils, the bitumen hardened (probably polymerized) and became insoluble on exposure to light. Coated and exposed copper plates were thus placed in a solvent which caused the image to appear, following which the copper was etched in acid, forming a printing plate. (Beaumont Newhall, "The History of Photography," 2001, ISBN 0-87070-381-1, page 14)

Pitch (resin)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pitch has a viscosity approximately 100 billion times that of water, as demonstrated in this pitch drop experiment.Pitch is the name for any of a number of viscoelastic, solid polymers. Pitch can be made from petroleum products or plants. Petroleum-derived pitch is also called bitumen. Pitch produced from plants is also known as resin. Products made from plant resin are also known as rosin.

Pitch was traditionally used to help caulk the seams of wooden sailing vessels (see shipbuilding). Pitch was also used to waterproof wooden containers, and is sometimes still used in the making of torches.

It is black in color, hence the adjectival phrase, "pitch-black".
 
and now the nitric acid part - a quick google shopping search shows there to be at least 2 types of nitric acid - a 70% concentrate and a 'normal' concentrate at 10% (if I'm reading it right). It also shows that the stuff is real dangerous to work with. One needs proper ventilation, protective gear, etc. I've also found several references to 'Aqua Regia' - a combination of 1 part nitric acid to 3-4 parts of muratic (hydrocloric) acid. So, to our new Brazilian friend, what concentration of nitric acid are you using?? Are you using Aqua Regia?? And, what safety measures are you using??

Thanks for contributing -
Jacque
 
Which strength of acid do you use? The 70% concentrated or the 10% normal? That will make a big difference.
Thanks for the information.
Jacque
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top