- Joined
- Oct 8, 2001
- Messages
- 12,336
I got an order from a good friend to do a folder for his buddy's 40th birthday celebration. We looked over all the prospects and together we chose this combination of materials and finish.
Here's the skinny:
* Ironwood scales w/thin red liners (you can't go wrong with this selection!)
* Satin finished blade and bolsters
* Fully fileworked backspine
* Interior walls done in my special sanded & swirl pattern
He was SO excited about giving this that he was having remorse about having to give it up--even before I'd started it. (He doesn't own a nice pocket knife.
) Anticipating the desire, I decided to build not one, but TWO identical knives. Doing so takes about 1 1/2 times, not twice as long.
I HAD to complete them for his buddy's birthday deadline, so I wuz under the gun. Today I did an all-day stint in the shop. I called and invited him over for pizza and display. He was bowled over with the results, and I asked him why he didn't simply order two...
As he shrugged off his 'shoulda-coulda's', I pulled the second one out! I made him an offer he couldn't refuse, and he wrote me a check for the pair. Smiling ear-to-ear!
This is a departure from my norm, as I went back to a more rounded scale and bolster. I gave the handles a taper outward for looks and grip, and this made it especially hard to mate the bolster and scales. My now familiar fantail filework completed it, and heat coloring the liners with a torch gave it an elegant look.
Here's a pic of the pair of them together: Knives
Now *I* wish I had one!!!!

Coop

Here's the skinny:
* Ironwood scales w/thin red liners (you can't go wrong with this selection!)
* Satin finished blade and bolsters
* Fully fileworked backspine
* Interior walls done in my special sanded & swirl pattern
He was SO excited about giving this that he was having remorse about having to give it up--even before I'd started it. (He doesn't own a nice pocket knife.

I HAD to complete them for his buddy's birthday deadline, so I wuz under the gun. Today I did an all-day stint in the shop. I called and invited him over for pizza and display. He was bowled over with the results, and I asked him why he didn't simply order two...

This is a departure from my norm, as I went back to a more rounded scale and bolster. I gave the handles a taper outward for looks and grip, and this made it especially hard to mate the bolster and scales. My now familiar fantail filework completed it, and heat coloring the liners with a torch gave it an elegant look.
Here's a pic of the pair of them together: Knives
Now *I* wish I had one!!!!



Coop