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Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
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Enzo knife builder?
- Thread starter Gunbug
- Start date
I'm not a knifemaker, but a knife-knut and hobbyist. This is my first EnZo kit I put together (curly birch kit) and home-made sheath.
I've built a green Micarta kit w/ my sheath and I'm about 80% done with a rosewood scaled EnZo. I'll post pictures of the Micarta (finished) and the rosewood (partially finished) if you're interested.
I've built a green Micarta kit w/ my sheath and I'm about 80% done with a rosewood scaled EnZo. I'll post pictures of the Micarta (finished) and the rosewood (partially finished) if you're interested.
Here is a video I made (12 min) , on how to put an EnZo kit together. You will not need an experienced knife maker to do it. (Sorry for only basic english in the video)
http://www.brisa.fi/enzo4s.wmv (48 MB) small window
http://www.brisa.fi/enzo4l.wmv (99 MB) large window
cheers Dennis
http://www.brisa.fi/enzo4s.wmv (48 MB) small window
http://www.brisa.fi/enzo4l.wmv (99 MB) large window
cheers Dennis
WOW! that is what I am talking about.
Dennis, your English is far better than my hillbilly slang, I enjoyed your video, thanks.
StretchNM, e-mail me if you want to bule one for me. Yours look great.
j.boggs@att.net.
Dennis, your English is far better than my hillbilly slang, I enjoyed your video, thanks.
StretchNM, e-mail me if you want to bule one for me. Yours look great.
j.boggs@att.net.
The rosewood I did a tad differently. On a UK website, I learned that some guys were extending the scales forward a bit, almost to the cutting edge of the blade. I really like the looks of it that way, and you can't do that with the EnZo kits (because the scales come in a pre-finished length.
Also, I like the look of 3/16" pins as opposed to the "thicker" look of the 1/4" corby bolts. It's quite a bit more work, but worth it (I think).
Here's the rosewood:
Also, I like the look of 3/16" pins as opposed to the "thicker" look of the 1/4" corby bolts. It's quite a bit more work, but worth it (I think).
Here's the rosewood:
Next up? Another EnZo O-1 Trapper in EBONY! I have some mosaic pin left over along with some 1/4" tubing, so it's look just like the rosewood only darker and with less grain figure. White liners will be used on this one. I'm hoping it turns out classy and subtle. We'll see....
Ebony is resawn and ready for the thickness planer. These blanks will make two pairs of scales. There is a very subtle hint of white, wispy grain running through the blanks - almost like a hint of "smoke". I'm praying for the best on these. I'm pretty sure this is Madagascar Ebony but who knows and, I'm asking myself, does it matter?
Ebony is resawn and ready for the thickness planer. These blanks will make two pairs of scales. There is a very subtle hint of white, wispy grain running through the blanks - almost like a hint of "smoke". I'm praying for the best on these. I'm pretty sure this is Madagascar Ebony but who knows and, I'm asking myself, does it matter?
Gunbug,
I will put one together for you, but I think you can do it. I have a shop full of tools but, after having put together several of these, I'm confident anyone with a little time and patience can do it.... and do it well. It's easy with the pre-drilled blades, pre-formed scales, and corby bolts.
- using your finger as a guide, put a pencil mark underneath each scale 1/16" or so back from the top edge (to avoid squeeze out at the top near the blade edge). Make coressponding marks on the blade. Don;t worry about squeeze out anywhere else - just up near the blade edge;
- clean the blade, holes, and spacer material (already glued to the scales) with denat. alcohol;
- mix up some extra-time set epoxy (60 minute);
- spread an even, thin, layer on one scale/liner and on one side of the blade;
- put a little in the two blade holes for the corby bolts;
- assemble one side with corby bolts inserted;
- spread glue (thin and even) on the other scale and blade;
- put a tiny amount inside the female sides of the corby bolts;
- screw them together reasonably tight and then clamp the scales with two clamps;
When dry (next day)
- cut off the corby bolts as close as possible to the scales (I use a flex-shaft Vigor with a metal cutting blade);
- use a mill-bastard file to bring the bolts down even with the scales;
- use a drum sander on the drill press to bring scales even with the blade;
- sand the scales (AND blade spine) beginning with 100 or 120 and working through to 320 or so;
- finish with (wax, or shellac and wax, or poly, or oil/varnish, etc) rubbing thoroughly between coats with 00 steel wool and using 0000 steel wool as a final before the wax coat.
- done.
I will put one together for you, but I think you can do it. I have a shop full of tools but, after having put together several of these, I'm confident anyone with a little time and patience can do it.... and do it well. It's easy with the pre-drilled blades, pre-formed scales, and corby bolts.
- using your finger as a guide, put a pencil mark underneath each scale 1/16" or so back from the top edge (to avoid squeeze out at the top near the blade edge). Make coressponding marks on the blade. Don;t worry about squeeze out anywhere else - just up near the blade edge;
- clean the blade, holes, and spacer material (already glued to the scales) with denat. alcohol;
- mix up some extra-time set epoxy (60 minute);
- spread an even, thin, layer on one scale/liner and on one side of the blade;
- put a little in the two blade holes for the corby bolts;
- assemble one side with corby bolts inserted;
- spread glue (thin and even) on the other scale and blade;
- put a tiny amount inside the female sides of the corby bolts;
- screw them together reasonably tight and then clamp the scales with two clamps;
When dry (next day)
- cut off the corby bolts as close as possible to the scales (I use a flex-shaft Vigor with a metal cutting blade);
- use a mill-bastard file to bring the bolts down even with the scales;
- use a drum sander on the drill press to bring scales even with the blade;
- sand the scales (AND blade spine) beginning with 100 or 120 and working through to 320 or so;
- finish with (wax, or shellac and wax, or poly, or oil/varnish, etc) rubbing thoroughly between coats with 00 steel wool and using 0000 steel wool as a final before the wax coat.
- done.
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- Joined
- Nov 25, 2005
- Messages
- 3,838
Outstanding work:thumbup: Both the knives and sheath work. You will have to elaborate on the lanyard tube. I see the pre-drilled hole for it, but this isn't part of the kit, right? The mosaic pins are pure art Stretch. Also, Bensbackwoods does not seem to have any of the 01 steel kits in stock. Where are you getting these kits
Thanks, Iuke12! I bought Ben's last O-1 blade a couple of weeks ago. The tip was severely damaged and Ben offered to take it back, paying shipping both ways. In the end, I kept it, reground the tip, and used it for the green Micarta knife ((( 
)))
I had the rosewood blade waiting around for the right wood. I got it from Ben too, I believe. The last one that'll get ebony scales I bought from Thompsons Scandi Knife Supplies. His last O-1 Trapper too
. There won;t be any more O-1's available for a couple of three months now.
The lanyard tube: for homemade scales it's easy, of course. BUT.... when adding the lanyard tube to an EnZo kit's already pre-sized, pre-shaped scales, it's a little more difficult. What I do for the pre-shaped kit scales is this:
- take a block of wood, say 3/4 x 1-1/2 x 6". Make sure it is of the same thickness throughout (I plane a piece down in the thickness planer, then cut it at 6");
- lay the EnZo blade on top and mark a place for one of the 3/16" tang holes;
- drill the block on the drill press with a 3/16" bit all the way through;
- insert a short piece of 3/16" dowel into the hole so it sticks up about 1/4" or so;
- lay the EnZo blade on top and hold it down tight;
- drill through the other 3/16" tang hole, all the way through the block of wood again;
- insert another short piece of 3/16" dowel in there.
Now, the Enzo blade is on the block and cannot move laterally.
- chuck a 1/4" bit in the drill press and, while holding the blade down tight, drill through the lanyard tang hole, all the way through - STOP the drill press while holding the block tight against the table;
- clamp the wood right where it is, without moving it (test it with the drill press and bit to make sure the bit is still centered with the lanyard hole);
- remove the blade and take one of the scale sides, slipping it over the two dowel pieces;
- drill the lanyard hole through that scale;
- flip the block and get the lanyard hole centered again with the drill bit;
- clamp the wood block down;
- slip the other scale over the dowel pins and drill the lanyard hole;
- done.
Sometimes the coating that EnZo puts on its blades get inside the holes. Even after drilling through with the appropriate sized bit, it's not enough to get the lanyard tube through. I take a chainsaw sharpening stone on the flexshaft and enlarge the lanyard hole. I also round the edges on the lanyard tube to help it enter during glue-up. A little pounding with a mallet goes a long way .
)))I had the rosewood blade waiting around for the right wood. I got it from Ben too, I believe. The last one that'll get ebony scales I bought from Thompsons Scandi Knife Supplies. His last O-1 Trapper too
. There won;t be any more O-1's available for a couple of three months now.The lanyard tube: for homemade scales it's easy, of course. BUT.... when adding the lanyard tube to an EnZo kit's already pre-sized, pre-shaped scales, it's a little more difficult. What I do for the pre-shaped kit scales is this:
- take a block of wood, say 3/4 x 1-1/2 x 6". Make sure it is of the same thickness throughout (I plane a piece down in the thickness planer, then cut it at 6");
- lay the EnZo blade on top and mark a place for one of the 3/16" tang holes;
- drill the block on the drill press with a 3/16" bit all the way through;
- insert a short piece of 3/16" dowel into the hole so it sticks up about 1/4" or so;
- lay the EnZo blade on top and hold it down tight;
- drill through the other 3/16" tang hole, all the way through the block of wood again;
- insert another short piece of 3/16" dowel in there.
Now, the Enzo blade is on the block and cannot move laterally.
- chuck a 1/4" bit in the drill press and, while holding the blade down tight, drill through the lanyard tang hole, all the way through - STOP the drill press while holding the block tight against the table;
- clamp the wood right where it is, without moving it (test it with the drill press and bit to make sure the bit is still centered with the lanyard hole);
- remove the blade and take one of the scale sides, slipping it over the two dowel pieces;
- drill the lanyard hole through that scale;
- flip the block and get the lanyard hole centered again with the drill bit;
- clamp the wood block down;
- slip the other scale over the dowel pins and drill the lanyard hole;
- done.
Sometimes the coating that EnZo puts on its blades get inside the holes. Even after drilling through with the appropriate sized bit, it's not enough to get the lanyard tube through. I take a chainsaw sharpening stone on the flexshaft and enlarge the lanyard hole. I also round the edges on the lanyard tube to help it enter during glue-up. A little pounding with a mallet goes a long way
.
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