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Just Finished this one and want your opinions Please

Bruce Evans

Bruce Evans

Joined
Sep 26, 1999
Messages
4,486
Ok,I have been awhile getting this finished as I learned a new way of doing some of the parts..Thanks to Tim Watson for his time coming to my shop and teaching me how to sand cast the parts for the antique Bowies...Then I had to tear out a wall and remodel part of the shop so I had a work area to do the casting...Now I finally got it finished including the sheath..
Alex Daniels sent me a master form of the half hoarse half alligator pomels like is normally on a Woodhead Bowie,I already had this blade rubbed out so decided to put the parts on it.

I casted the two pommels and also the handle frame from nickel silver then siilver brazed them together,added some bark Mammoth Ivory scales,Then I casted the guard also from nickel silver and finished putting the knife together.I also casted the frog button for the sheath.
Now the sheath is also a new idea I have been woking on.Thanks to Bob Hankins for the Kycex forming instructions when I was at his shop ..I first formed to half bodies for the sheath in Kydex then lined them with velvet and then glued the two halves together with pvc cement then I contact cemented the thin leather over the body of the sheath and seamed it in the back.Then I pressed all the parts for the sheath tip and throat and assembled them..It is very secure and snug fitting.
Now here are some pictures (no Donna this time,to early and I haven't gotten here up yet..Yes another all nighter for me)
Please let me know what you think,
Bruce
Edited to add spec's..
Blade is 5 3/4 inches of forged 5160 from round bar,The handle is just under 4 inches due to the fact that the casting mold would only make 4 inches and didn't leave any sand thus I had to shorten the handle some.I have that problem took care of already though so I won't have anymore short handles.

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OK Bruce Dammit where do I buy the sand.

That one is outstanding!! That collector from Europe is going to be a happy happy man. You are breaking new ground. I hope you will still talk to us after you hit the top.

As a side note: I understand Nickel/Silver is the highest heat thus making it difficult to cast. If Bruce can do NS he can surely do gold and silver. Giant step Bruce! Cant wait till the Blade Show to see more.
 
Bruce, there must be a law against being that good:mad:

Is there a tutorial on sand casting?
 
Well done Bruce. It looks like you are learning some new skills on every knife and the skills are very well executed! Great work.

Luke Smart
 
Show off! I'll have to teach you to make a real knife.

That casting really turned out fine, sure glad you gave up doing finger nails. You've got a real gift and I can see it just getting better. Whats better than perfect? Just keep it up, I guess....Ray
 
Geee Thanks for the compliments everybody:o :o
I am not worthy though.I still feel that I have a long way to go to get good at this.

The casting isn't really that hard.Here is a instruction type set of pages on line,It will help get you in the correct direction.
http://www.frii.com/~katana/castindex.html

You can also get all the supplies from Rio Grande,and there are a few places on the web that carry the sand and stuff you need just search the web for sand casting..

Ray I would love to get to come visit again and learn more about knives from you,I had a blast while I got to visit with you during my trip.
Again Thanks everybody,Your making my head swell to much though.
Bruce
 
WOW:eek: :eek: :eek:

That is way too cool Bruce. I wish I lived close by so I could see some more of your work, besides the beauty that I treasure.:D

Let's see more casting!!!!

Mark
 
Very nice Knife! The cast fittings are a superb touch and the sheath sounds like a great idea! A couple questions if you don't mind:
How much cleanup is involved with the fittings after casting?

What thickness of kydex did you use for the sheath liner?
 
Opinions .... Opinions !? You don't need no stinking Opinions.

Buddy, you're in the world of art now! All you're gonna get from here on out is oogles and ahhhs.

BTW Don't miss posting a single picture - I want to see them all.

Steve
 
Great job on the casting! The handle does look just a tad short. Glad you got that problem taken care of.

How much clean up did you do on the casting?
 
That is so cool Bruce! I have all the things I need to put a casting furnace together, I feel motivated to assemble the thing and try it
myself now! Thanks for sharing!
 
Thanks everyone...

As for the clean up on the castings.I used the dremal tool to hollow out the back of these pommels as I couldn't hollow out the master form that I borrowed (though I have my own master to cast from now and will not have to do that carving anymore either) orther than that I just flattened the back side of the pommels and then the edges after I silver brazed them to the tang,then pickeled it and that was it.I* did have to flatten off the handle frame after I casted it,Also I had to do a little flattening and final shaping on the guard after casting it.
Not really anymore clean up than normal on saw cut parts though.

The Kydex was some I had gotten from Bob,and it is around 1/16 inch thick.Since the originals were paste board and wrapped with book binding leather (that is why they didn't last long)I thought this would make them last a long time and could always be recovered if need in a few years.
Bruce
 
Your usual excellent work Bruce.

I really like your Kydex idea for this type of sheath. I've never been able to get a glue to hold kydex, including PVC cement. What kind are you using?
 
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