Girl Bob's personal knife

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fisk

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This is my wife's bowie knife. It has an 11 inch blade with the balance being one inch in front of the guard and weighs 15 ounces.

The apprentice that the state of Arkansas gave me to teach for awhile used this knife to win the cutting competition the Arkansas knifemakers Association had at a recent shop visit to my house. As well as teach him how to make the knife I have been teaching him how to use a knife, with the thought that he will understand how and why he is building something a particular way by understanding it's end useage. As well as bowie knife use, he has had to learn kitchen knives and cook me two meals. :) We have had small knife use lessons as well. When he used the knife in the competition we had already cut 17 wood 2x4's and a bunch of rope so it was not resharpend before the contest.

I had put a slight acid finish on the blade just to help retard the rust but you can see it has had hard use.
Just thought I would show it. Any comments are welcome good or bad
 
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It looks really good, I would have given the ricasso a slight curve, but that's just me.
 
Ah, very good Miyagi San! Wise man once say: he who cut fly with bowie knife, accomplish anything!

Now apprentice go make lunch! :D
 
Nice knife and sounds like it performs very well also.

How does one get to be an appretice or at least study with you. I don't think you would like my cooking though.
 
fisk said:
View attachment 346742As well as teach him how to make the knife I have been teaching him how to use a knife with the thought that he will be understand how and why is is building something a particular way if he understands it's end useage.
Click to expand...

The importance of this can hardly be overstated.

That's a terrific big working knife Jerry, I don't doubt for a second that it performs exceptionally well.
 
Forge, here in Arkansas we have a strong arts council. They recognize making knives as a traditional art form. Therefore, they pay me to teach him for a period of time so that the art form does not die out.
 
The spine has a small sweep to it. Really a good cutter and I can cut one inch rope with the chisel ground clip using a back cut. I wanted her to have one that would take abuse on the handle and finish. I smacked the engraving on a 2x4 several times and it is holding up well. This thing takes a nasty edge. The engraving on the front and side of the guard was the only dress up part on this piece.

Next weekend I use the NRA donation knife and they are going to let me cut rope on stage there in Houston with it. First time they let someone take a knife to a gun fight :) Buddy posted a picture of it somewhere on here. Some of the steel in it was plain ole iron so I added a big of sugar to it so it would hold up well if someone did want to use it.
 
Very interesting to see Bob's knife and hear about the use it has gone through Jerry.

Thanks for posting it.

Peter
 
Hey Jerry, haven't seen Bob with that 'un yet. Is that like my dad posing with the gun he got mom for Christmas? LOL! Great cutter though! Young James did the knife justice...now teach him to clean the house! Young Ben
 
Jerry, what is the steel? Sure looks like a good user. Has a certain flair to it. Don't get Bob mad at you. I like it.
Brion
 
Great looking working knife!

You forgot to mention a few details.

What is the steel? Differential heat treat or mono tempered? Distal taper? (always important for us knife nuts to know. How do I know how tasty the cake is if I don't know what flavor it is!)

I remember, a few years ago, a local master maker was taking applications for an apprentice. I asked my wife if she would be OK with me quitting law school, and moving to Walla Walla Washington to learn to make knives. She was not sold on the idea, so I finished law school.

If I had had a program like your apprentice program, maybe I would be contributing to society, and enjoying what I do!
 
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Big, that was funny. No one could ever stand to work around me so I had to work for myself.
The blade is 5160 steel with the whole blade being water quenched. That is tricky.
The blade is a tad over 1 and 3/4 inch wide
Ubet on the distal taper.
Spine thickness at the ricasso .280 with the tip down to approx .030.
Chisel grind clip is approx 5/16 wide tapering to the tip with a width of 1/16 inch.
Handle thickness is 3/4 inch with the conceal tang going within 1/4 inch of the backend of the handle.
 
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I love seeing such a great knife put to use.

Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.
 
fisk said:
Big, that was funny. No one could ever stand to work around me so I had to work for myself.
The blade is 5160 steel with the whole blade being water quenched. That is tricky.
Ubet on the distal taper.
Spine thickness at the ricasso .280 with the tip down to approx .030.
Chisel grind clip is approx 5/16 wide tapering to the tip with a width of 1/16 inch.
Handle thickness is 3/4 inch with the conceal tang going within 1/4 inch of the backend of the handle.
Click to expand...

I asked my wife if she would mind if I quit Law School, and went to go be an apprentice and learn to be a blade smith. She turned with a straight face and said "would you mind if I married some one else?"
 
Jerry,

Thanks for sharing. Very nice! Care to share more about the quench? That had to be tricky.

Gary
 
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