Here's a knife I finished exactly a year ago...

[Phillip Patton]

...and re-did a week ago. I just didn't like the handle, and the guard was too wide. Plus the edge was way too thick, and the heat treat was questionable.

Originally, it had an osage orange burl handle. I changed the wood and the spacers. I also re-heat treated it (in my oven this time) and reground it.

Here's some "before" pictures:

Here's the "after" pics:

For the new handle I used some box elder I saved from the firewood pile.
I used the same guard, just reshaped it.

 

[Matthew Gregory]

Wow, man... talk about reborn! Wasn't a bad looking knife to start with, if you ask me - but what an improvement!

 

[Phillip Patton]

Thanks! That's what I think. It cuts better, too.

 

[Wulf]

Yeah, HUGE improvement. Gorgeous wood too.

 

[Hengelo_77]

Ik like the way you reshaped the guard, but to be honest I like the old wood better. I love this osage orange burl !!
But I must say I usualy prefer lighter woods. Just a matter of personal taste.

Still, I'd wish I was making knives like yours.

 

[Phillip Patton]

Thanks guys!
Hengelo, I liked the osage orange burl too, it was mainly the shape of the handle I didn't like. I would have used the O.O.B. when I re-did the knife, but I had this piece of box elder, and wanted to give it a try.

 

[Hengelo_77]

I've never seen a piece of osage orange like this before.
I like it's natural look with the small knots etc.
But still, yes, the way it came out with the box elder makes it a very handsome knife.
It would have been to bad if that piece of wood would have ended up in a fireplace!
Do you use osage orange a lot?

 

[Phillip Patton]

It would have been to bad if that piece of wood would have ended up in a fireplace!

I know! Most of it did get burned. Most of it was pretty straight grained, but quite a bit of it was curly like this piece. I wish I'd saved more of the curly stuff.
BTW, the box elder was almost white naturally. I dyed it with leather dye to get this color.


[/QUOTE] Do you use osage orange a lot?[/QUOTE]

Sometimes. I have practically tons of it. My property inludes a strip of woods along the (Saint Mary's) river. going through the woods is a line of Osage Orange trees, obviously planted for the purpose of a hedge. (osage has lots of thorns.) I had a tree milled into boards several years ago. Unfortunately, that was when I was doing mostly full tangs, so most of it's too thin now.
It's nice and tough, but unless you find some burl or something, the grain can be pretty boring.
Awhile back I posted some pics showing the color variation I've found in O.O.
If you'd like, I can post the link to that thread.

 

[Hengelo_77]

Please do, this handle just does something to me.
(I am checkin Ebay as we 'speak')
I like the fact that it is very regonisable a a piece of wood.
I have some exotic woord over here, but this wood looks to me more like wood should look.
Most people dón't like knots etc in there wood, I just love that for it shows the natural inperfection and it shows that it has been alive.
I like your taste.

 

[Phillip Patton]

Here's the link: http://bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=391735

However, the attachment system is down right now, so you won't see the photos.
But here's a link to another knife I did recently with the O.O.B.

http://bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=401611


And here's a couple better pics of said knife:

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i238/ppatton/osageknife3.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i238/ppatton/osageknife2.jpg

 

[mdoyle]

Great looking knife Phil!:thumbup:

 

[Will52100]

Awsome! It wasn't a bad looking knife to start with, but you realy gave it new life and it looks so much better with the reshaped gaurd and new handle. That box elder is some realy nice looking wood.

 

[Hengelo_77]

I'm sold.
I am only a beginner, but I will be using osage orange myself!

 

[mlovett]

The new incarnation is a beautiful piece! Mike http://www.lovettknives.com/