Dang it JDP

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
3,930
You're driving me bonkers posting all those pics of neat old kardas. I feel like a dog that's stumbled across a whole mess of rabbits and he's about to crap himself trying to figure out which one to chase.

Seriously though, thanks, and please keep it up. You're adding to my education and inspiring me to try my hand at copying some very unique and useful "small knives".

Sarge
 
Sarge, you just have to remember that John is (was? Leopards do not change their spots) an O-6. It gets easy once you know this.
 
Dang it, dang it, dadgummit, my hands are raw and my back is stiff, but something's in yonder baking in my oven, and it ain't biscuits boys, it's "Kardas Maximus"..............dang it

Sarge
 
Originally posted by Sylvrfalcn
Dang it, dang it, dadgummit, my hands are raw and my back is stiff, but something's in yonder baking in my oven, and it ain't biscuits boys, it's "Kardas Maximus"..............dang it

Sarge
Click to expand...

Kardas Maximus? this should be nice, considering what you've shown in the past. I want pics when you are done!

Bill
 
Started polishing the blade last night. Got the temper spot on perfect, a file will sing along the edge without biting in, but I was able to easily hone it to shaving sharp with nothing but a regular old Arkansas stone and a strop. This is going to be a good one.:D

Sarge
 
It'll be wood Bruise, most likely rosewood. The handle is going to be short, so I'll run the tang all the way through and peen it down onto a brass buttplate. The bolster is going to be a simple steel ferrule, like some of those old timers JDP posted pics of. That is, if I can find the right piece of steel to make it from. If not, it'll be brass, I've already got some of that.

Sarge
 
Dang it, see, that's what I'm talking about. Brass is so much easier to work with hand tools, but steel it is.......I reckon......dang it.:grumpy: :D

Sarge
 
Pewter?
non-lead type is mostly tin I think.
Look more like steel, but easier to work.
Ragner carries it:
http://www.ragweedforge.com/BladeCatalog.html#pewter


Or........Silver!

Get a couple of old silver quarters or dimes (~89-90% silver).
An old silver quarter cost about 90-cents last year.

Or get a plain 1-oz bar or round of 99.9% silver.
Not sure of the price now, $5 last year at local coin store.

The pure silver is very malleable, maliable, mallieable........
:rolleyes:
easy to hammer & file.
 
Nope, JDP says steel, it's steel. There had to be some reason so many of the old khukuris and their accessories had steel fittings. Come to think of it many medieval examples from Europe had steel hilt bands. Basically just a simple ferrule/bolster that looked like a short piece of steel pipe. Most of those knives had "stick" or "rat tail" tangs, if you will, and the handle was predrilled, after a fashion, prior to being pounded onto the tang with a bit of pitch (cutler's resin) in the joint. The hilt band served to keep the wood handle from splitting while being mounted, and to prevent swelling/splitting that could result from the wood being exposed to moisture (moisture in Northern Europe? Nahhhh). I suspect I'll be chasing the same fox with my steel mounting on this karda I'm making.

Besides, JDP says "steel", Sarge says "yes sir, yes sir, three bags full, how many pushups would you like, sir?";)

Sarge
 
Yup, yup, uh huh, uh huh, it ain't "finished", but it's done, and riding in a temporary sheath stuffed into my pocket so I can tote it around and cut stuff.:D Used a piece of steel pipe to make the bolster, and some of that incredibly heavy, reddish brown, Amazonian hardwood that Pappy gave me for the handle. This one sings.:D When I get it all polished out I'll take some pics. I'm pretty sure JDP is gonna like this little tater peeler.;)

Sarge
 
When you were baking that thing in your oven, was that the one in your kitchen or do you have a knife-dedicated blast furnace out in the garage? I would like to take a crack at making one of those fancy kardas too at some point.
 
I use the oven in my kitchen, got a little window in the oven door, and a light inside, so I can observe the color change that's consequential to the tempering process (dark straw yellow is the color I'm looking for). Takes a little while to gradually bring the heat up to just under 450 degrees (not scientifically measured, kitchen ovens can vary pretty widely, have to experiment with your own), but you do want to do it gradually so that the steel can heat evenly and not generate localized "hot spots". Good luck and don't forget the oven mitts.:eek:

Sarge
 
Iron if you have to. Silver was only on kardas that matched a kukri that had silver furniture.
 
Like I said, it ain't polished out yet, but here it is "Kardus Maximus". For comparison purposes, I laid the karda from my BGRS beside it.
attachment.php


Sarge
 

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Nice work.

I need about 10 handles & bolsters put on some old karda blades. Know anyone who does that kind of thing?
 
Originally posted by Sylvrfalcn ......Used a piece of steel pipe to make the bolster,
Click to expand...
Let's hope the 'pipefitters local' doesn't hear about this.

:rolleyes:
 
Real fine job. Looks alot like some of the knives the old Finnlanders made around here when I was a kid. They used birch for handles and copper pipe for bolsters. Haven't the slightest idea how they tempered them though. Nice work.
 
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