Can't wait for the Tweener, so I made my own!

bush-haus

bush-haus

Joined
Oct 15, 2010
Messages
924
Hey Beckerheads! I could not wait for the Tweeners any longer, so I thought I would make my own from a file. I have put roughly 20 hours of hard work on this knife as it's not only my first knife ever to make, but I have only used another file to shape/grind it with. I did not have a cutter or grinder so I had to use the file to literally take both ends off of the file. I did use a Lansky Sharpening system to get the angle of the Scandi edge where I wanted, but 80% of the grind was from the file. I also but a design on the tang.

I have used three grits of sandpaper including 80, 600, then 2000. Not perfect but it works for me. I plan to heat treat, then put some scales on. I have not decided what kind yet. ANY SUGGESTIONS ??

1/8" thick
4" blade and about 8.5 inches OA
not 100% sure what the steel is but I think it's O1.
HOPE YOU ENJOY

It's rough shape:
YwIED.jpg


after a LOT if work and some sandpaper!
z8m2R.jpg


Putting some file work on the tang
17hPn.jpg
 
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That's a lot of work there man, nice job. Did you anneal it before you went at it with a file?
 
WHEREISMYCLOCK - Thank you!

tradewater - I annelled the file in my Bar-B-Q Pit before starting. Made it very soft!

Akbound - Much appreciated !

Rsmith_77 - I can't wait either. I will order the scales within a day or two and am hoping to get a few suggestions regarding the type. I am looking at Cocobolo but that seems a little too standard. Might want to do something a little different. I am also thinking about scale liners, but I have read that they can be difficult to adhere properly to the scale/tang.

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Beckerhead #32
 
are you going to drill holes through the tang?? or try and glue the scales on?
you should look at some exotic wood, ebony or something, this is a part of you, you should enjoy using it as well as making it

remember, life is too short to carry an ungly knife ;)
 
Rsmith_77 said:
are you going to drill holes through the tang?? or try and glue the scales on?
you should look at some exotic wood, ebony or something, this is a part of you, you should enjoy using it as well as making it

remember, life is too short to carry an ungly knife ;)
Click to expand...

I agree 100%, which is why I have put 20+ hours of love into this thing. Yes, I will be drilling two holes for the pins as well as using some epoxy. I might have to break down and use my dremel for the scales though. I might still be talking about this work in progress this time next year with just sandpaper!

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Beckerhead #32
 
Very impressed bush-haus!

I've been thinking about doing some file work on my BK9. It'll be my first attempt at doing that kind of thing on steel. If you wouldn't mind, could you take a pic or three of what kinds of files were used on which parts of the pattern? I'm thinking you just used a triangle and a rat tail. In any case, it looks awesome. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Blues
 
I can't wait to see the finished product.
Are you going to post details on the materials and the processes you used?
 
BluesStringer said:
Very impressed bush-haus!

I've been thinking about doing some file work on my BK9. It'll be my first attempt at doing that kind of thing on steel. If you wouldn't mind, could you take a pic or three of what kinds of files were used on which parts of the pattern? I'm thinking you just used a triangle and a rat tail. In any case, it looks awesome. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Blues
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot! Below is a picture of the set of files I bought, but only two were used. One is semi-circle and the other is rectangular. The file work on the tang was done with a circular diamond rod not pictured and the squaure file. The semi-circular file was the work horse as it was able to take much more metal off and was used for the shaping and grinding.

dallastxco said:
I can't wait to see the finished product.
Are you going to post details on the materials and the processes you used?
Click to expand...

I literally used nothing but two files pictured below, a circular diamond hone for the tang design, and sandpaper for the pollish work. No grinders or sanders were used.


dJHVz.png


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Beckerhead #32
 
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That is RIDICULOUSLY awesome. Honestly one of the coolest things I have seen. Your hard work definitely shows. I would proudly carry and use that knife.
 
BushOgre said:
That is RIDICULOUSLY awesome. Honestly one of the coolest things I have seen. Your hard work definitely shows. I would proudly carry and use that knife.
Click to expand...

Thank you Sir! Means a lot. She will be carried often... and photographed often :thumbup:

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Beckerhead #32
 
dallastxco said:
I can't wait to see the finished product.
Are you going to post details on the materials and the processes you used?
Click to expand...

To anneal, I started a fire in my Bar-B-Q Pit and waited for a bed of coals. I spread the coals long enough to accomidate the entire length of the file. After placing the file on the coals, I put a lot more fuel on the fire and let it burn out on its own. I let the file completely cool on its own which in turn anneals the steel.

Once annealed, I used files to scracth and claw my way to a knife design.

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Beckerhead #32
 
Nice work, It would have taken me much longer then 20 hours. I think Walnut would make nice scales for that baby.
 
bush-haus said:
To anneal, I started a fire in my Bar-B-Q Pit and waited for a bed of coals. I spread the coals long enough to accomidate the entire length of the file. After placing the file on the coals, I put a lot more fuel on the fire and let it burn out on its own. I let the file completely cool on its own which in turn anneals the steel.

Once annealed, I used files to scracth and claw my way to a knife design.

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Beckerhead #32
Click to expand...
What is "anneal" and why do you do it.
 
Idaho Guy said:
What is "anneal" and why do you do it.
Click to expand...

DISCLAIMER - I am no expert and all that I have learned has been through this forum and Youtube !! This IS my first knife...
Metal-working files come hardened as they are used to shape other metal objects. They must be harder than the steel they are shaping. In order to use one of these files and turn it into a knife, I had to soften the steel so that the file I use to shape it is harder and won't ruin the file after 50 cuts. So, you have to anneal the metal (taking the carbides out of the metal--the carbides are what make it so strong). Once you Re-heatreat the steel after you have completed the knife shaping, you are putting the carbides back. You do this by reversing the process you undertook to anneal it.
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Beckerhead #32
 
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