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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Kind of a Persian fighter build, final pictures, for now
- Thread starter Mark Knapp
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2011
- Messages
- 176
Just checked in on this thread after a while...i've been glued to my screen for the last 15 minutes catching up on everything i've missed, such a cool thread here!
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2008
- Messages
- 760
this is a great thread. thanks for taking the time to document your progress. I know what an added burden that can be. You have some very nice techniques, and the knife looks great.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2009
- Messages
- 4,421
Thanks for all the kind words everybody, Bob we should meet some time seeing how we're purt' near neighbors.
I got some other work out of the way, I forged up some blades to try and have ready for the Seattle show. This knife will be there, I will be taking offers on it... Just joshing (I think Terry would shoot somebody, I just wanted to see if I could get his heart rate up a little).
Anyway, I took the handle apart to work on the guard and the liners. All the components separated nicely.
I put all the handle parts on a clip to keep them all together and in order while I work on the guard.
Using the first nickle silver liner as a pattern I scribed a line that represents the end of the handle on the inside of the guard. It is to this line that I will shape and polish the surface of the guard. Since the handle is already fit to that surface, I don't want to change it inside the line.
Then, using the height gauge I scribed two lines .200" apart around the center of the guard. These lines will help me keep the guard symmetrical as I taper the quillions, they also indicate the thickness of the quillions on the ends.
The first side of the diamond shaped guard it cut.
All four sides are roughed in.
Another shot of the guard roughed in. Ultimately the sides will "S" shaped but this is a good start, knocking the big chunks off first.
Using needle files I cleaned up the inside of the swedged diamond piercing.
Tomorrow the guard will be whittled down some more, all the corners and hard lines will go away. Maybe do some file work on the liners too.
This knife is screaming for a sheath with nickle silver throat and end cap with mokume and amber insets.
Stay tuned.
I got some other work out of the way, I forged up some blades to try and have ready for the Seattle show. This knife will be there, I will be taking offers on it... Just joshing (I think Terry would shoot somebody, I just wanted to see if I could get his heart rate up a little).
Anyway, I took the handle apart to work on the guard and the liners. All the components separated nicely.
I put all the handle parts on a clip to keep them all together and in order while I work on the guard.
Using the first nickle silver liner as a pattern I scribed a line that represents the end of the handle on the inside of the guard. It is to this line that I will shape and polish the surface of the guard. Since the handle is already fit to that surface, I don't want to change it inside the line.
Then, using the height gauge I scribed two lines .200" apart around the center of the guard. These lines will help me keep the guard symmetrical as I taper the quillions, they also indicate the thickness of the quillions on the ends.
The first side of the diamond shaped guard it cut.
All four sides are roughed in.
Another shot of the guard roughed in. Ultimately the sides will "S" shaped but this is a good start, knocking the big chunks off first.
Using needle files I cleaned up the inside of the swedged diamond piercing.
Tomorrow the guard will be whittled down some more, all the corners and hard lines will go away. Maybe do some file work on the liners too.
This knife is screaming for a sheath with nickle silver throat and end cap with mokume and amber insets.
Stay tuned.
Last edited:
Erin Burke
KnifeMaker...ish
- Joined
- May 19, 2003
- Messages
- 1,330
Hey Mark... I'm guessing that this one may make it to the Seattle show???
I look forward to meeting you there. :thumbup:
Great WIP!!
Erin
I look forward to meeting you there. :thumbup:
Great WIP!!
Erin
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2009
- Messages
- 4,421
Yes it will be at the show, display only. Looking forward to meeting you too, and all my west coast friends.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2009
- Messages
- 4,421
I appreciate you saying that Gary. Looking forward to spending some time with you guys.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2009
- Messages
- 4,421
This is the most time consuming part of the knife for me, the hand work. Partially because I have to think about my approach a little bit, what I want the finish shapes to look like and just because hand work takes longer. Mostly because we are getting close to the finished piece, I would hate to screw it up now.
I made some hardwood blocks to hold the guard in my milling vise. I just cut them out on the band saw after tracing the shape onto the block. With these blocks I can hold the guard securely without deforming it and use an eighth inch end mill to rough in the piercings and the detail on the guard. The piercings are cut in by just plunging the end mill through the quillion, then, cut out as much as possible while staying inside the lines.
The blocks can be tilted in the vise to whatever angle I need to rough in the detail.
I blued the quillions so I can mark the edges of my piercings. I have a cool little marking gauge that works well on outside curves and straight lines. The dividers will be used to scribe inside curves. The jewelers saw and needle files will be used to clean up the piercings.
Using the marking gauge to scribe the edge of the piercing. I will make the same mark on both sides of the quillion.
Using dividers on the inside curves.
The edges are all marked, that's a better shot of the marking gauge.
Using the jewelers saw to open up the piercings a little more. This blade cuts in all directions.
Then needle files. It's best to sneak up to the line on one side first, then the other.
The piercings are pretty good for now, they will be tuned up a little more as the outside detail of the guard gets closer to finished.
Stay tuned, more to come.
I made some hardwood blocks to hold the guard in my milling vise. I just cut them out on the band saw after tracing the shape onto the block. With these blocks I can hold the guard securely without deforming it and use an eighth inch end mill to rough in the piercings and the detail on the guard. The piercings are cut in by just plunging the end mill through the quillion, then, cut out as much as possible while staying inside the lines.
The blocks can be tilted in the vise to whatever angle I need to rough in the detail.
I blued the quillions so I can mark the edges of my piercings. I have a cool little marking gauge that works well on outside curves and straight lines. The dividers will be used to scribe inside curves. The jewelers saw and needle files will be used to clean up the piercings.
Using the marking gauge to scribe the edge of the piercing. I will make the same mark on both sides of the quillion.
Using dividers on the inside curves.
The edges are all marked, that's a better shot of the marking gauge.
Using the jewelers saw to open up the piercings a little more. This blade cuts in all directions.
Then needle files. It's best to sneak up to the line on one side first, then the other.
The piercings are pretty good for now, they will be tuned up a little more as the outside detail of the guard gets closer to finished.
Stay tuned, more to come.
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2002
- Messages
- 12,297
Great thread Mark! I somehow missed this one earlier. You have skills bro!!!
- Joined
- Dec 2, 1999
- Messages
- 9,910
Intriguing build Mark. I always enjoy your designs. This handle is a work of art, can't wait to see the rest.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2009
- Messages
- 4,421
Thanks Don and Bruce, I appreciate it.
Using a rotary tool, and a steady hand, the detail is carved in.
From here on out, it will be hand sanded and refined with needle files.
In the very end, the engraver will be used to crisp things up a little and put in final details. Not too much though.
Will start file-working the spacers soon.
Thanks for looking.
Using a rotary tool, and a steady hand, the detail is carved in.
From here on out, it will be hand sanded and refined with needle files.
In the very end, the engraver will be used to crisp things up a little and put in final details. Not too much though.
Will start file-working the spacers soon.
Thanks for looking.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2009
- Messages
- 4,421
Hi Mark I am back home and now I can pester you. Just plain OUTSTANDING.. My memory is coming back and now I remember why I asked you to make this for us. Its because your the best . Thanks Terry
Glad you're well again. That's very nice of you to say, I have way too much respect for the other knife makers (and the critics) around hear to let anyone think you meant I was the "best Knife maker", not even close, I think I may be just starting to catch on.
Lets just say I am the best looking, and probably the best fisherman amongst them.
I know, "them there's fighting woyds"Anyway, nice of you to say. It won't be long now and we'll get to see what it looks like.
Damn, Mark, looking good! I think that guard is going to be worthy of the handle and blade, which is saying something. You've put an amazing amount of work into this knife. I imagine it will be hard to part with. Lost love is always tough.
And you're right, we need to get together. Maybe this summer. Or possibly at the upcoming Seattle show if I can make it work out on the way back to Alaska in a month or so.
Looking forward to the finished product.
Bob L
And you're right, we need to get together. Maybe this summer. Or possibly at the upcoming Seattle show if I can make it work out on the way back to Alaska in a month or so.
Looking forward to the finished product.
Bob L
- Joined
- May 31, 2009
- Messages
- 443
Glad you're well again. That's very nice of you to say, I have way too much respect for the other knife makers (and the critics) around hear to let anyone think you meant I was the "best Knife maker", not even close, I think I may be just starting to catch on.
Lets just say I am the best looking, and probably the best fisherman amongst them.
Mark when I said you were the best I wasn't talking about knife makers and then I remembered Angel and shes better looking than you. Terry::highly_amused:
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- Joined
- Dec 20, 2009
- Messages
- 4,421
OK back to work on the Persian build.
Riffling files and needle files, sometimes called jewelers files, are used to refine the shape.
I cut sand paper into strips and form sanding sticks to shape to get the details of the guard polished. This is abrasive cord folded over the end of a sanding stick. It's handy for the small details. I go through all the sanding grits to 600 grit. The guard is close to being finished.
Next I'm going to mark the spacers for the file work. I glued two knife-edge needle files together with the appropriate size spacer to mark the spacers evenly.
I left space on the bottom side of the files for a working edge.
I went all the way around each of the nickle-silver spacers, marking them. When I get all the way around the spacer to where I started I take care to make sure the last notch is evenly spaced. When I start to get close, I cheat the marking files one way or the other a little bit on the last few notches so I don't get an uneven space on the last one.
Next, with a triangle needle file I cut a diagonal groove at each of the marks.
The diagonal grooves are cut all the way around each spacer.
Using a muslin wheel and white diamond rouge, each spacer is polished. They are ready for assembly.
Next I will be going over all of the components one more time to make sure make sure all is how I want it and nothing got scratched and I will counter-bore the butt cap for a hidden nut. We are getting close to final assembly now but first the inlays will need to be prepared.
Riffling files and needle files, sometimes called jewelers files, are used to refine the shape.
I cut sand paper into strips and form sanding sticks to shape to get the details of the guard polished. This is abrasive cord folded over the end of a sanding stick. It's handy for the small details. I go through all the sanding grits to 600 grit. The guard is close to being finished.
Next I'm going to mark the spacers for the file work. I glued two knife-edge needle files together with the appropriate size spacer to mark the spacers evenly.
I left space on the bottom side of the files for a working edge.
I went all the way around each of the nickle-silver spacers, marking them. When I get all the way around the spacer to where I started I take care to make sure the last notch is evenly spaced. When I start to get close, I cheat the marking files one way or the other a little bit on the last few notches so I don't get an uneven space on the last one.
Next, with a triangle needle file I cut a diagonal groove at each of the marks.
The diagonal grooves are cut all the way around each spacer.
Using a muslin wheel and white diamond rouge, each spacer is polished. They are ready for assembly.
Next I will be going over all of the components one more time to make sure make sure all is how I want it and nothing got scratched and I will counter-bore the butt cap for a hidden nut. We are getting close to final assembly now but first the inlays will need to be prepared.
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