Horsewright Knives and Leather

[MarbReds]

Package has arrived. It's a dandy

View attachment 2665714

Wow, that’s a nice one! What model is that?

 

[echoscout]

Wow, that’s a nice one! What model is that?

Mestano

 

[Sacto]

Package has arrived. It's a dandy

View attachment 2665714

That’s a cool one. I like the rough out sheath too

 

[DocJekl]

Yeah those boot sheaths are very popular and really, outside of a Buckaroo Pouch the only sheath I make not for a specific knife, it seems to work with most. I have on special request made them a lil bigger and taller. My neighbor across the street likes to carry a Sonoran Hunter in one and he keeps it in the tool pocket of his Carhartt jeans. I'll make 5-10 of these at a time and so we try to keep them in stock at all times so it's ready to ship on order. Doesn't always happen though as like many things they seem to go in spurts. Won't sell any for a bit and then 5 or 6 in a row. If we run out it doesn't take too long to get some more built up. Closest thing I make to pocket sheath. My original thought on it:

Dave, is it a Sonoran Hunter in Elk and Torqoise that we talked about you making me? I forget the model now (been a while), but it was about 7" long or so and smaller than a Sonoran Camp Knife?

 

[echoscout]

That’s a cool one. I like the rough out sheath too

Thanks Bart! The rough out sheath really compliments this knife.

 

[DocJekl]

Dave, is it a Sonoran Hunter in Elk and Torqoise that we talked about you making me? I forget the model now (been a while), but it was about 7" long or so and smaller than a Sonoran Camp Knife?

Actually, now I think it might have been a Ranchero we talked about ordering. Am I right?

 

[pat9198]

Package has arrived. It's a dandy

View attachment 2665714

That's beautiful! Mestano will be my next model in some sort of wood. Sheath looks great too. I may order a boot sheath later today.

 

[Horsewright]

Outstanding bit you got Nichole for her 50th! One of the local feedlots I use to work at 30 + years ago. The head of maintenance had cutting horses. He competed and did well. Three of his sons were pen rides at that feedlot. I'm sitting here waiting on a package from Dave. More later.

Package has arrived. It's a dandy

View attachment 2665714

Thanks on the bit. We have several bridle bits and each a pair of spurs by our friend. That's a great pic. That elk swelled the handle just right didn't it?

That’s a cool one. I like the rough out sheath too

Thanks. I did quite a few roughout sheaths in this batch too for some reason, just felt like it.

Dave, is it a Sonoran Hunter in Elk and Torqoise that we talked about you making me? I forget the model now (been a while), but it was about 7" long or so and smaller than a Sonoran Camp Knife?

Actually, now I think it might have been a Ranchero we talked about ordering. Am I right?

Yes sir I just went out to the shop and checked its a Ranchero. I was assigning handle materials and trimming the turquoise for it yesterday. Today we'll be working on getting the bolsters on.

That's beautiful! Mestano will be my next model in some sort of wood. Sheath looks great too. I may order a boot sheath later today.

Sounds good. and thanks. I'm working on four Mestanos in this batch that has Larry's knife in it too. Two are going to be donated as prizes at that event I'm riding in next month. Be kinda funny if I won my own knives. Anyhoo. The other two, one is in elk and one is in bocote. I just donated another Mestano in walnut to a Wounded Warriors deal, a dinner and auction:

 

[echoscout]

Thanks on the bit. We have several bridle bits and each a pair of spurs by our friend. That's a great pic. That elk swelled the handle just right didn't it?

Yes sir it does. Feels real good in my old hands. Reckon I'm quite smitten by this knife. When I took it out of the sheath and saw how the blade to handle are just the right ratio and how it fit my hand. I got that feeling you get sometimes. Thanks Dave for another great knife

 

[echoscout]

Couple Mestanos. Elk and Mesquite

 

[Horsewright]

Yes sir it does. Feels real good in my old hands. Reckon I'm quite smitten by this knife. When I took it out of the sheath and saw how the blade to handle are just the right ratio and how it fit my hand. I got that feeling you get sometimes. Thanks Dave for another great knife

Good deal, you are welcome and thank you! Now stick it next to your Cowboy and you'll see the Mestano is really a shrunken down version of the Cowboy. And it really is. Some few years back a friend of mine, (another pro leather maker, he specializes in cowboy leggings, chaps etc, buckaroogear.com), got a cnc laser outfit for cutting out metal. He does a lot of signs, gates all kinds of deals. He got it mostly cause he fabricates rock crawlers too. Anyhoo we were playing with seeing if it would be worthwhile to have him cut out on his laser my knife blanks for me. I sent him a sheet of AEB-L and he cut out a few blades for me. I'd experimented with water jet before in the past and like the water jet the laser just really wasn't gonna work for me and the way I work. But he sent back three Mestano blades too. He said he just shrunk the Cowboy on the computer. He felt it would be a good riding knife at that size and here we are. So my buddy Carlos came up with the Mestano design by shrinking my Cowboy on his computer. Kinda an interesting deal.

 

[echoscout]

Good deal, you are welcome and thank you! Now stick it next to your Cowboy and you'll see the Mestano is really a shrunken down version of the Cowboy. And it really is. Some few years back a friend of mine, (another pro leather maker, he specializes in cowboy leggings, chaps etcbuckaroogear.com), got a cnc laser outfit for cutting out metal. He does a lot of signs, gates all kinds of deals. He got it mostly cause he fabricates rock crawlers too. Anyhoo we were playing with seeing if it would be worthwhile to have him cut out on his laser my knife blanks for me. I sent him a sheet of AEB-L and he cut out a few blades for me. I'd experimented with water jet before in the past and like the water jet the laser just really wasn't gonna work for me and the way I work. But he sent back three Mestano blades too. He said he just shrunk the Cowboy on the computer. He felt it would be a good riding knife at that size and here we are. So my buddy Carlos came up with the Mestano design by shrinking my Cowboy on his computer. Kinda an interesting deal.

That's a real interesting bit of history Dave.

 

[AusLoX]

Good deal, you are welcome and thank you! Now stick it next to your Cowboy and you'll see the Mestano is really a shrunken down version of the Cowboy. And it really is. Some few years back a friend of mine, (another pro leather maker, he specializes in cowboy leggings, chaps etc, buckaroogear.com), got a cnc laser outfit for cutting out metal. He does a lot of signs, gates all kinds of deals. He got it mostly cause he fabricates rock crawlers too. Anyhoo we were playing with seeing if it would be worthwhile to have him cut out on his laser my knife blanks for me. I sent him a sheet of AEB-L and he cut out a few blades for me. I'd experimented with water jet before in the past and like the water jet the laser just really wasn't gonna work for me and the way I work. But he sent back three Mestano blades too. He said he just shrunk the Cowboy on the computer. He felt it would be a good riding knife at that size and here we are. So my buddy Carlos came up with the Mestano design by shrinking my Cowboy on his computer. Kinda an interesting deal.

Sometimes great things come from happy accidents. Do you have a side by side pic with the cowboy?

 

[Horsewright]

Sometimes great things come from happy accidents. Do you have a side by side pic with the cowboy?

I don't. Not of finished knives anyway. just went out to the shop and snapped this pic of heat treated blanks. Cowboy on top and the Mestano on the bottom:

And for Larry DocJekl here's his Ranchero I'm working on. The blade, elk scales and the turquoise spacers. The pic kinda makes it look almost like its 26C3 but it's not, its AEB-L, just a shadow. Notice the black Sharpie mark on the turquoise. That's so that both pieces will be orientated the same way when glued in.

Drilling the holes in the bolsters today and hopefully get them pinned on too.

 

[echoscout]

Cowboy and Mestano

 

[Horsewright]

Cowboy and Mestano View attachment 2666840

Very cool pic thanks!!

 

[MarbReds]

Some handsome cowboys in those pics

 

[AusLoX]

Cowboy and Mestano View attachment 2666840

Very nice. Thanks!

 

[Horsewright]

Worked on bolsters yesterday. First deal was to get the pin holes drilled in the brass. I use a pair of vise grips to clamp the first piece of brass onto the blade and then drill the holes using rivet holes in the blade as a guide. Then using another pair of vise grips I clamp the tow pieces of brass together and use the holes in the first to guide drilling the holes in the second. First two here are drilled:

All the holes drilled. The knives in a row on the right are the ones with bolsters. The others more to the left don't have bolsters.

This Rodeo is getting ready to have its bolster put on. I use a coat of JB Weld underneath the bolster. Not so much for adhesion but more of a sealant. The pin holes have been tapered and the pins will be peened so they become rivets and that's what holds the bolsters on. The JB Weld is more to just keep moisture and gunk from getting under the bolster.

I grind the excess pins off and then peen on this small anvil:

After peening I'll clean any excess that's been forced out with a Q Tip soaked in WD 40. WD 40 is a great solvent for cleaning up wet JB Weld. That's also why the blades aren't taped yet at this stage. That stuff is gonna get one them. Best to leave em untaped now and wipe down with WD 40 on a paper towel. pretty clean joint.

As it dries a hair more JB will squeeze out. This will be cleaned up later with the back of an Xacto knife.

I'll let them dry for a couple hours before doing anything more to them. I'll use that time to start processing handle materials, sanding flat, trimming to size etc. And that's kinda where we're at now as I had horses to ride and Tri tip to grill:

Kinda interesting cooking. Our son Josh was over and he was helping Nichole replace the window motor on our old Chevy:

The original was getting a lil tired on this ol 05. He likes his beef real rare, Nichole and I are medium rare kinda folks and Nichole's mom who lives with us is a well done type. So it's a challenge to get it right for everybody. A trip tip is a great cut for that deal.

 

[cudgee]

Worked on bolsters yesterday. First deal was to get the pin holes drilled in the brass. I use a pair of vise grips to clamp the first piece of brass onto the blade and then drill the holes using rivet holes in the blade as a guide. Then using another pair of vise grips I clamp the tow pieces of brass together and use the holes in the first to guide drilling the holes in the second. First two here are drilled:

All the holes drilled. The knives in a row on the right are the ones with bolsters. The others more to the left don't have bolsters.

This Rodeo is getting ready to have its bolster put on. I use a coat of JB Weld underneath the bolster. Not so much for adhesion but more of a sealant. The pin holes have been tapered and the pins will be peened so they become rivets and that's what holds the bolsters on. The JB Weld is more to just keep moisture and gunk from getting under the bolster.

I grind the excess pins off and then peen on this small anvil:

After peening I'll clean any excess that's been forced out with a Q Tip soaked in WD 40. WD 40 is a great solvent for cleaning up wet JB Weld. That's also why the blades aren't taped yet at this stage. That stuff is gonna get one them. Best to leave em untaped now and wipe down with WD 40 on a paper towel. pretty clean joint.

As it dries a hair more JB will squeeze out. This will be cleaned up later with the back of an Xacto knife.

I'll let them dry for a couple hours before doing anything more to them. I'll use that time to start processing handle materials, sanding flat, trimming to size etc. And that's kinda where we're at now as I had horses to ride and Tri tip to grill:

Kinda interesting cooking. Our son Josh was over and he was helping Nichole replace the window motor on our old Chevy:

The original was getting a lil tired on this ol 05. He likes his beef real rare, Nichole and I are medium rare kinda folks and Nichole's mom who lives with us is a well done type. So it's a challenge to get it right for everybody. A trip tip is a great cut for that deal.

Thanks Dave for showing us the process, i'm sure i can speak for all who call in here that it is much appreciated. And you are correct, cooking meat for different peoples preferences is a task.