EnZo Trapper in O1 tool steel - my 1st ever attempt at something like this!

F

fmajor007

Joined
Apr 1, 2010
Messages
1,583
Greetings all!

As a result of my desire to be a "credible", outdoorsy-type knife user, I decided to get a proper knife for the job. However, I couldn't financially swing the purchase of a "Woodlore" knife nor wanted to wait 10+ years to get the privilege (?) to buy one. So, having read so many great things about the EnZo Trapper and my preference for O1 tool steel I decided to buy a knife blank and make my own handle scales.

For the scales, I have a few big chunks of walnut given to me from my former landlord when I live in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The log had been in the garage since before I moved there and our family lived in that apartment for 4 1/2 years. This is a very nostalgic knife for me to say the very least.

So, here are the initial blocks of walnut that I "harvested" from splitting a large chunk of the walnut from one of pieces I have. I used a piece of planed board to sand a flat surface on one side for which I would epoxy to the tang.
Walnut%20Scales%20-%20rough%201_zps1t0rz5t2.jpg

Walnut%20Scales%20-%20end%20grain%201_zpsgf1tr3yk.jpg


After the knife blank arrived, I realized the tang was a bit wide for my hands so I had to do some careful grinding. I traced the outline of the blank before I ground the material away to record for posterity sake how much material was taken away:
My%20NEW%20EnZo%20blade%20MODDED%201_zpsnnzibpyy.jpg


and another photo to see more closely:
My%20NEW%20EnZo%20blade%20MODDED%202_zpsvqp2xh3m.jpg


Here is the blank, the rough sides of the scales, my Breeden field knife and a small ruler for scale:
My%20EnZo%20n%20Field%20Knife%201_zpsvdh8hoco.jpg


OK, I'll stop here for now and post the next step in another post.
 
Alright, if you're still with me thanks for your interest!!!

So, after I had made the proper "adjustments" to the knife blank it was time to get the scales going. After lots of "elbow grease", I sanded a nice, flat surface for which to epoxy to the tang:

Rough sides out -
Walnut%20Scales%20-%20SANDED%202_zpseuxmvxur.jpg


Flat sides out -
Walnut%20Scales%20-%20SANDED%201_zpst0bdnzxb.jpg


Next up was the initial shaping of the blank profiles to match the tang profile. This was HUGELY stressful for me and made me acutely aware of how much closer I must become to my coping saw!
Walnut%20Scales%20-%20Relief%20Cuts_zpsbuizanab.jpg


After a zillion relief cuts, I had a reasonable facsimile of the tang profile on the very thick scales:
spine side -
My%20EnZo%20ROUGH%20SCALES%20-%20BF_zpsk9b2xbgb.jpg


grip side -
My%20EnZo%20ROUGH%20SCALES%20-%20FF%201_zps4ohridx9.jpg


and the general level of the coarseness I would eventually have to grind down....
My%20EnZo%20ROUGH%20SCALES%20-%20FF2_zps66ivnqrs.jpg


Up next - GRINDING AWAY
 
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Again, if you're still with me here thanks for your interest!!!

Not sure if I mentioned this earlier, but at no time did I use power tools in shaping the walnut for this project. I did use my el-cheapo 6" Harbor Freight (bought at Goodwill!!!) bench grinder to mod the blade blank and my cordless drill to bore the holes for the Corby rivets and for the lanyard tubing.

So, back to grinding away at the scales! Oh what fun is to..... no wait, different song..... So yeah, loads of "fun(?)" with my hand-rasps was had here:
Walnut%20scales%20contoured%201_zpsy7uq73mw.jpg


but things began to show promise:
Walnut%20scales%20contoured%20-%20almost%20final%20shape%201_zps72x7i3ay.jpg

Walnut%20scales%20contoured%20-%20almost%20final%20shape%202_zpsvbtodpvk.jpg


Next up: LINERS!!!
 
So, LINERS AWAY my friends! I choose purple because it is a lovely color and in many cultures is indicative of royalty. I am, by absolutely no possible stretch of the imagination nor by anyone's definition "royalty", but am a follower of Jesus and I pursue His royalty so purple got the nod!!!

A long way to go!
Walnut%20scales%20n%20liners%201_zpsynuhk7ii.jpg

Walnut%20scales%20n%20liners%202_zpshrmcbn8d.jpg


getting closer now -
Walnut%20scales%20n%20liners%203_zpscbj72qbu.jpg


spine view -
Walnut%20scales%20n%20liners%204_zpstlik1hxu.jpg


grip view -
Walnut%20scales%20n%20liners%205_zpsjb8gx0yb.jpg


Incidentally, I chose to use brass Corby rivets and a brass tube for hardware because brass seemed to me to be a "newb" friendly material (and it proved to be so!!!).

Next up -
 
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Alrighty friends - again, if you're with me so far thanks for your interest in my humble project. It has been a lot of work and a thoroughly satisfying project.

For finishing, I researched and studied wood finishes for hours and hours on the internet. I finally decided on using a product called WaterLox which a "wipe-on" tung oil-type sealer/finisher and is renowned for hard-use applications (ie hardwood floors, etc).

Over two days, I put on 5 light coats of WaterLox. Each coat dried as it baked in the sun and breezes which are the daily weather here.

So, here she is:

right side -
FMs%20EnZo%20Trapper%20RSP%201_zpslyit0max.jpg

FMs%20EnZo%20Trapper%20RSP%202_zps3svqjj9d.jpg


spine - (there are no areas anywhere on the spine or grip area where the scale or liner is "proud" standing above the tang despite what the images appear to show)
FMs%20EnZo%20Trapper%20Spine_zpsrivkjuas.jpg


grip -
FMs%20EnZo%20Trapper%20Belly_zpsuf2ryo41.jpg


and finally the left side -
FMs%20EnZo%20Trapper%20LSP%201_zpsbt5yjrgl.jpg

FMs%20EnZo%20Trapper%20LSP%202_zpsy18ki4ek.jpg


Incidentally, there are no scratches, dings, runs or anything else in the finish despite what it looks to be in the images.


Initially, I was quite disappointed in the final color of the wood grain as well as my lack of woodworking skill. There are more than a few short-comings, but in the end I am overall very satisfied with my EnZo Trapper knife. Time will tell just how good the heat-treat EnZo applies to their O1 tool steel... The knife blank came shaving sharp, but over the few weeks I've had it and only thumbing the edge it is in need of some time on my sharpening stones and strop.

Next up is a sheath, but that's gonna be awhile!!!

Well, that's it folks. I hope you all enjoyed it and thanks for visiting!
 
The Enzo Trapper is a fine knife
You invested a lot of elbow grease
Excellent results

Enjoy
 
druid189 said:
looking good so far!
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druid189 said:
Like I said, you did a really good job. Very nice
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Thank you druid189 for your kind words!

c.t.smith said:
I like it. and i like 01 steel. :)
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Thanks c.t.smith - I like O1 as well!

mistwalker said:
Nicely done man, it looks great.
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Thanks Mist!
ETA - I've seen some of your designs and your compliment means a lot. BTW, I hope you enjoyed your, albeit brief, stay in my "home" state and am also happy for you that you're back in more "home-feeling" place. I do very much miss the boreal forests, but I also really love the mountain-scape I see daily as well.
 
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Ultimately, this knife will become my son's. I will not physically give it to him until after he graduates high school, college or some other important event in his life, but certainly after he has passed those irresponsible years moving about quickly through life where he's more prone to losing it. However, it will happen certainly long before it's ownership is conveyed via my death.

As he was born within the 1st 6 months after we had moved to Bosnia it is appropriate for it to become a part of him as much as Bosnia is forever a part of his life.

So, I will take the knowledge I gleaned from this 1st-ever knife-handling/making, maybe as early as this next year (gotta save up some more pennies!), and make/handle another EnZo Trapper for myself (I am thoroughly impressed by the blade/edge profile). I'm not yet sure of the specifics, but am thinking of using either CPM S30V or Sandvik 12C27 with some form of "stabilized" wood burl for handles and will use thicker purple G10 liners than this one.
 
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