Horsewright Knives and Leather

[Horsewright]

So are you building that folder from scratch or putting new handles on for someone?

I was wondering if someone would notice that one. Yes just handling it for a friend and building a belt sheath:

I like it there. About the best position for me when getting in and out of vehicles. Most other sheaths extend too far down the leg making vehicle in and out tough.

Good deal!

That is the key to a sharp knife. Then when you do need to go back to a stone, so much easier to bring them back to a keen edge without removing as much material.

It's so absolutely true. Here's a for instance from the shop yesterday. Bunch of sheaths to cut out:

All done. Stropped once part way through when the roundknife was starting to skate and not cut all the way through with one pass:

Took the weekend off from the shop and then jumped back in on Monday. We left our batch of knives at 220 grit so next we take them up to 400 and then to 600 grit. This is done with the 400 grit on a slack belt and our 600 grit on our rubber contact wheel again. On the 400 grit we are sanding the faces of the handle, rounding the corners of the handle and getting a crosswise scratch pattern on the spine and tang. On the 600 grit belt we are running it along the spine and tang as much as possible. This takes out the 400 grit scratches and gets us a nice smooth spine and tang. Here's our grinders that we've used to get to this step. Our 9" flat disc, (60 grit), this is used to hog off a lot of excess handle material and to set the angles of the bolsters and handles.

There's the 60 grit belt on top and this is used for very little. Just to make sure that the spine is straight and flat. Our first VFD controlled 2x72. Here it is set up in the slack belt configuration.

There is no platen behind the belt in its vertical part where I do the work. Here is our second VFD controlled 2x72. It is set up with an 8" rubber contact wheel and that's how it was used in this step with the 600 grit belt.

This old spindle sander I use to initially break the square corners on the handle and bolster. Its used as part of the first step and for like 20-30 seconds per knife.

So our next step after the 600 grit belt, is to clean up our inside curves on the handle with our small wheel setups. This Paisano needs to have its inside curves cleaned up:

This Vaquero already has: been cleaned up:

I have the tooling to use both 2x72s for this so it goes pretty quick. I use a 120 grit belt and then a 220 on the other grinder. After all have been done, we'll switch to the 400 and the 600 grit to finish off what we do all the grinders. The belt will go over this small 1 and 1/8th inch wheel:

. And on this one too:

So that pretty much takes care of all the grinding. Each knife will be hand sanded some, buffed and polished and cleaned up a couple of times as well as sharpened. That's it, they be done. Time for sheaths:

My wife often asks when I'm gonna retire from knife making. My answer is when I can't push my grinding workbench back up into the shop:

She doesn't know what a second row forward does (did) on a rugby team. She was busy yesterday too:

 

[echoscout]

Dave sure enjoying the in process pics and explanations

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

I was wondering if someone would notice that one. Yes just handling it for a friend and building a belt sheath:

Good deal!


It's so absolutely true. Here's a for instance from the shop yesterday. Bunch of sheaths to cut out:

All done. Stropped once part way through when the roundknife was starting to skate and not cut all the way through with one pass:

Took the weekend off from the shop and then jumped back in on Monday. We left our batch of knives at 220 grit so next we take them up to 400 and then to 600 grit. This is done with the 400 grit on a slack belt and our 600 grit on our rubber contact wheel again. On the 400 grit we are sanding the faces of the handle, rounding the corners of the handle and getting a crosswise scratch pattern on the spine and tang. On the 600 grit belt we are running it along the spine and tang as much as possible. This takes out the 400 grit scratches and gets us a nice smooth spine and tang. Here's our grinders that we've used to get to this step. Our 9" flat disc, (60 grit), this is used to hog off a lot of excess handle material and to set the angles of the bolsters and handles.

There's the 60 grit belt on top and this is used for very little. Just to make sure that the spine is straight and flat. Our first VFD controlled 2x72. Here it is set up in the slack belt configuration.

There is no platen behind the belt in its vertical part where I do the work. Here is our second VFD controlled 2x72. It is set up with an 8" rubber contact wheel and that's how it was used in this step with the 600 grit belt.

This old spindle sander I use to initially break the square corners on the handle and bolster. Its used as part of the first step and for like 20-30 seconds per knife.

So our next step after the 600 grit belt, is to clean up our inside curves on the handle with our small wheel setups. This Paisano needs to have its inside curves cleaned up:

This Vaquero already has: been cleaned up:

I have the tooling to use both 2x72s for this so it goes pretty quick. I use a 120 grit belt and then a 220 on the other grinder. After all have been done, we'll switch to the 400 and the 600 grit to finish off what we do all the grinders. The belt will go over this small 1 and 1/8th inch wheel:

. And on this one too:

So that pretty much takes care of all the grinding. Each knife will be hand sanded some, buffed and polished and cleaned up a couple of times as well as sharpened. That's it, they be done. Time for sheaths:

My wife often asks when I'm gonna retire from knife making. My answer is when I can't push my grinding workbench back up into the shop:

She doesn't know what a second row forward does (did) on a rugby team. She was busy yesterday too:

You always come with the most amazing pic updates. I really enjoy the neat little insights. Hell of a view you got there too, you make it look more like fun and less like hard work Every time I see your leather cuts I get jealous of your round knife lol. The sheaths couple with the knives so perfectly.

Now for the dumb questions... where are you plugging up your mobile grinding bench and what happens with the grindings/dust?

That was an epic post, thanks for bringing us along for the ride!!

 

[cudgee]

I was wondering if someone would notice that one. Yes just handling it for a friend and building a belt sheath:

Good deal!


It's so absolutely true. Here's a for instance from the shop yesterday. Bunch of sheaths to cut out:

All done. Stropped once part way through when the roundknife was starting to skate and not cut all the way through with one pass:

Took the weekend off from the shop and then jumped back in on Monday. We left our batch of knives at 220 grit so next we take them up to 400 and then to 600 grit. This is done with the 400 grit on a slack belt and our 600 grit on our rubber contact wheel again. On the 400 grit we are sanding the faces of the handle, rounding the corners of the handle and getting a crosswise scratch pattern on the spine and tang. On the 600 grit belt we are running it along the spine and tang as much as possible. This takes out the 400 grit scratches and gets us a nice smooth spine and tang. Here's our grinders that we've used to get to this step. Our 9" flat disc, (60 grit), this is used to hog off a lot of excess handle material and to set the angles of the bolsters and handles.

There's the 60 grit belt on top and this is used for very little. Just to make sure that the spine is straight and flat. Our first VFD controlled 2x72. Here it is set up in the slack belt configuration.

There is no platen behind the belt in its vertical part where I do the work. Here is our second VFD controlled 2x72. It is set up with an 8" rubber contact wheel and that's how it was used in this step with the 600 grit belt.

This old spindle sander I use to initially break the square corners on the handle and bolster. Its used as part of the first step and for like 20-30 seconds per knife.

So our next step after the 600 grit belt, is to clean up our inside curves on the handle with our small wheel setups. This Paisano needs to have its inside curves cleaned up:

This Vaquero already has: been cleaned up:

I have the tooling to use both 2x72s for this so it goes pretty quick. I use a 120 grit belt and then a 220 on the other grinder. After all have been done, we'll switch to the 400 and the 600 grit to finish off what we do all the grinders. The belt will go over this small 1 and 1/8th inch wheel:

. And on this one too:

So that pretty much takes care of all the grinding. Each knife will be hand sanded some, buffed and polished and cleaned up a couple of times as well as sharpened. That's it, they be done. Time for sheaths:

My wife often asks when I'm gonna retire from knife making. My answer is when I can't push my grinding workbench back up into the shop:

She doesn't know what a second row forward does (did) on a rugby team. She was busy yesterday too:

This just shows the cost involved in the whole process, it is not just the man hours it is the initial set - up then the ongoing replacement of equipment and consumables. We may think that knives are expensive, but if you want hand made by a skilled craftsman or reputable company you will have to pay. My dad always said buy the best tools you can afford they will last you a lifetime. Buy Right, Buy Once. Love those small slips.

 

[Sacto]

I was wondering if someone would notice that one. Yes just handling it for a friend and building a belt sheath:

That’s kinda what I suspected. Didn’t think the first folder I saw from you would be Damascus with a thumb stud. Handles look good

Cool post. Always interesting to see the process.

 

[AusLoX]

The cowboy survived the hike just fine,

View attachment 2651640

Looks great! What’s the blade length on that one?

 

[Horsewright]

Dave sure enjoying the in process pics and explanations

Good deal We're gonna do some more too!

You always come with the most amazing pic updates. I really enjoy the neat little insights. Hell of a view you got there too, you make it look more like fun and less like hard work Every time I see your leather cuts I get jealous of your round knife lol. The sheaths couple with the knives so perfectly.

Now for the dumb questions... where are you plugging up your mobile grinding bench and what happens with the grindings/dust?

That was an epic post, thanks for bringing us along for the ride!!

Thank you for the kind words! It is fun to me. I mean it is hardworking no doubt but I enjoy it. Kinda hot right now though. Bout time to make another one, roundknife that is. I keep thinking about it. Got the blank heat treated already.

We had a commercial electrician completely rewire the entire shop. Brought in numerous heavier circuits. An important thing to remember is a VFD, (variable frequency drive), CAN NOT be plugged into a GFI plug. Bad things will happen. So I've got a heavy duty cord that I plug the bench into. When buffing there is two of those eight foot benches outside. Ya can see the other bench over the ice chests to the left of Ruby, (the quad).

When grinding steel the dust goes straight down and so I sweep that up. Sanding dust from handle materials dissipate readily. Tehachapi is a hub or Mecca of the wind energy industry for a reason. Everyone in a while I will sweep up the shop too.

That’s kinda what I suspected. Didn’t think the first folder I saw from you would be Damascus with a thumb stud. Handles look good

Cool post. Always interesting to see the process.

20 years ago, plus, I'd built that guy one of the few folders I ever did. It was from a kit. I was seeing if building folders was something I really wanted to do. I built up four or five. He has one, his sister in law has one, our ranching partner had one on his chinks (short chaps) and quien sabe. Anyhoo he'd worn this old thing into oblivion, I mean used er up. She was smoked! So he found another kit and I went to put it together for him and folks love seas can't drill straight holes. It blew up, absolutely grenaded when I went to test fit the sides together. So he found this one that was already put together and I put a handle on it for him easy enough. I'm not a folder maker, not enough of a mechanic/machinist/engineer in me!

This just shows the cost involved in the whole process, it is not just the man hours it is the initial set - up then the ongoing replacement of equipment and consumables. We may think that knives are expensive, but if you want hand made by a skilled craftsman or reputable company you will have to pay. My dad always said buy the best tools you can afford they will last you a lifetime. Buy Right, Buy Once. Love those small slips.

Absolutely correct! Doesn't mean I like it but you are absolutely correct! Problem is, there come a time when these will be the good old days. Whadya mean ya only gave $425 for that custom knife!


So yesterday I was working on getting the tooling done on the sheaths we cut out the day before. Got most of it done and this morning we'll finish that off and start putting sheath parts together. Tooling the brand on this one. There are two with this same brand. A grandfather is getting these for his grandkids.

Six oak carved and two flower carved in this batch:

 

[cudgee]

Problem is, there come a time when these will be the good old days.

And hopefully i'm still upright when those days come.

 

[AusLoX]

Horsewright thanks for the call earlier. Don’t know how I missed the sizing option on the slip

 

[Horsewright]

And hopefully i'm still upright when those days come.

Me too!

Horsewright thanks for the call earlier. Don’t know how I missed the sizing option on the slip

Ya bet sir, we strive to getcha what you're looking for.

 

[Old Biker]

Every time I see your leather cuts I get jealous of your round knife lol.

I feel fortunate to have gotten this one before Dave decided to quit making them.

O.B.

 

[Horsewright]

I feel fortunate to have gotten this one before Dave decided to quit making them.

O.B.

That's a cool one. Thanks for showing it! I use to make quite a few of these but quit. These guys wanna jump off the grinder and bite ya, bad! Most knife grinding is done standing directly in front of the grinder. Grinding these I would stand off to the side and not in line with the belt. Even stilI, I quit while I still had ten digits. When ya start with .040 stock its almost already sharp before ya starting grinding on it. The points certainly are. A few more I made back in the day:

The roundknife always cut out its own sheath. It was kinda a test I would do.

Measuring behind the edge on one:

So I had a day of tooling to get this batch done. Here, I'm finishing off the backgrounding on this oak carved sheath:

All the tooled ones are now tooled and we'll start putting parts together.

All the Horizontal sheaths are ready to have their stitching started. Sewing one of these is a three step process. That's why I do them all together so I get the sewing done right on that particular sheath:

After sewing the Horizontal sheaths I sewed up the two Slotted sheaths in this batch. So they and the Horizontals are waiting to go swimming:

Then it's the Pancakes Sheaths turn. Already to sew up here:

All done and I'll cut/melt the threads with a soldiering iron.

Now everybody is done and waiting to go swimming:

Ya know what they say about dyeing brands or initials? It'll make ya take up drinking, it'll make ya quit drinking or it'll make ya meet your eye doctor at the bar! Slightest slip and it's an unfixable oops. I was pleased with how these two in this batch came out. Well the sheaths are gonna have to wait for their bath as that is where I quit for the day yesterday. Did cook up some chicken for dinner on the Blackstone:

Nichole my wife had been painting the fascia boards on the house over the last couple of weeks:

She got er all done and Brother Bill, our ranch cook by the weekend but really he owns a metal fabrication and construction company had his crew put up seamless gutters all around the house. This we'll really help out in the shop in the winter time.

Even in the winter time I'll do most of my grinding outside and this will redirect rain and snowmelt away from the overhang where I can now work without getting all my electronics wet. Brother Bill not at his day job:

Serving up some of the crew:

 

[Hatchet_Jack]

Dave have you done much with ebony/blackwood? Haven’t seen any examples but I think it would look beautifully against your knives.

 

[Horsewright]

Looks great! What’s the blade length on that one?

My cowboy models tend to run about 2 7/8 on the blade. Always some variation though.

 

[Horsewright]

Dave have you done much with ebony/blackwood? Haven’t seen any examples but I think it would look beautifully against your knives.

I did use some Blackwood some years back. I kinda backed off getting anything bound by the CITES treaty as it makes international shipping difficult.African Blackwood is a rosewood and so is affected. Probably my favorite wood to use, cocobolo, I no longer use for the same reason.

Here's a couple of Compadres in cocobolo.

I no longer make the Compadre. It was so similar to the Vaquero it was kinda a why?

 

[Hatchet_Jack]

I did use some Blackwood some years back. I kinda backed off getting anything bound by the CITES treaty as it makes international shipping difficult.African Blackwood is a rosewood and so is affected. Probably my favorite wood to use, cocobolo, I no longer use for the same reason.

Here's a couple of Compadres in cocobolo.

I no longer make the Compadre. It was so similar to the Vaquero it was kinda a why?

That’s a shame you can no longer use Blackwood and ebony, and even moreso regarding the cocobolo because those knives are sensational!

 

[Horsewright]

That’s a shame you can no longer use Blackwood and ebony, and even moreso regarding the cocobolo because those knives are sensational!

Thank you sir. Yeah it was kinda more of our simplifying things over the years. It kinda made a dent for sure. Prior to CITES this whole kitchen set went to Norway:

 

[Horsewright]

So after the sheaths had completely dried it was time to rub their edges.

I use a power tool called a Finisher for this job.

I dampen the edge using a foam brush and water and then rub a little paraffin over the edge. Then using the right side of the finisher we rub/burnish those edges. Burnished on the right and raw on the left:

So then some finish is applied. The roughout sheaths in the top row just have finish applied to the edges.

Carved and certain tooling patterns will get highlighter/antique application. This is my own proprietary mixture that I've been using for years. Seems like the commercial ones are too stark, too contrasty, whereas this mixture warms the tooling just right.

The secret is to flood it on and then wipe it off quickly with a paper towel, a small section at a time:

A coat of finish after everything has dried and this batch is done! The top five are special orders and the bottom row are In Stock knives to go on our website.

This one is unique, a one of a kind deal. I call it the Semi Skinner. 26C3 high carbon steel that was clay coated during heat treat for a working hamon. Loveless bolts on the handle along with highly figured Desert Ironwood:

I did three Paisanos in this batch. Two were a special order and the third was In Stock:

Roughout sheaths are always popular, just very durable. Bout as bullet proof as leather will get, so ya see a lot of it in the cowboy world . Saddle, boots all kinds of hard use items.

A Coyote in sheephorn:

My wife and I, when we put a batch of knives on the website, always place a guess as to which knife will be the first to go. She picked this Coyote with its oak carved sheath:

I picked the Paisano above.

We were both wrong this time. This Mestano was the first out of the gate:

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

So after the sheaths had completely dried it was time to rub their edges.

I use a power tool called a Finisher for this job.

I dampen the edge using a foam brush and water and then rub a little paraffin over the edge. Then using the right side of the finisher we rub/burnish those edges. Burnished on the right and raw on the left:

So then some finish is applied. The roughout sheaths in the top row just have finish applied to the edges.

Carved and certain tooling patterns will get highlighter/antique application. This is my own proprietary mixture that I've been using for years. Seems like the commercial ones are too stark, too contrasty, whereas this mixture warms the tooling just right.

The secret is to flood it on and then wipe it off quickly with a paper towel, a small section at a time:

A coat of finish after everything has dried and this batch is done! The top five are special orders and the bottom row are In Stock knives to go on our website.

This one is unique, a one of a kind deal. I call it the Semi Skinner. 26C3 high carbon steel that was clay coated during heat treat for a working hamon. Loveless bolts on the handle along with highly figured Desert Ironwood:

I did three Paisanos in this batch. Two were a special order and the third was In Stock:

Roughout sheaths are always popular, just very durable. Bout as bullet proof as leather will get, so ya see a lot of it in the cowboy world . Saddle, boots all kinds of hard use items.

A Coyote in sheephorn:

My wife and I, when we put a batch of knives on the website, always place a guess as to which knife will be the first to go. She picked this Coyote with its oak carved sheath:

I picked the Paisano above.

We were both wrong this time. This Mestano was the first out of the gate:

Love the insights!

Your "raw" edge on the left looks pretty burnished too.

 

[Horsewright]

Love the insights!

Your "raw" edge on the left looks pretty burnished too.

They were done once before as part of the wet molding and fitting process, right after edge beveling. So they have a start but they aren’t very smooth after the drying process. Needs one more go at it.