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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.
Laminated Bowie WIP - Photo Heavy!
- Thread starter Burt Foster
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2003
- Messages
- 270
Some handle grinding...
Can't see what's happening - there's some big oaf in the way.
Using the small wheel to set the radius on the back of the guard (another wonderful shot
).
The 10" contact wheel for roughing in the palm swell. Actually, it's not a swell, it's the opposite, but that what we all call it.
And hand sanding - super fun!
Using a leather covered steel rod (W-2 I think) to blend the curves.
Can't see what's happening - there's some big oaf in the way.
Using the small wheel to set the radius on the back of the guard (another wonderful shot
).
The 10" contact wheel for roughing in the palm swell. Actually, it's not a swell, it's the opposite, but that what we all call it.
And hand sanding - super fun!
Using a leather covered steel rod (W-2 I think) to blend the curves.
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2003
- Messages
- 270
Here I'm using a little cutter to slot the nut.
And here it is sanded flush with the butt.
A quick buff of the handle and fittings after they're sanded.
The guard and nut in the ferric chloride to etch.
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2003
- Messages
- 270
And while they etch, here's a few leather sheath pics:
This piece will be the belt loop on the back. On this knife, it'll run the full length of the sheath, meaning the back side of the sheath will have a double layer of leather for rigidity.
The edges of the belt loop have been "beaded" smoothed and dyed.
Here's the front piece. You can see the faint guideline where I'll start the tooling. This sheath will not have a lot of tooling, just a nice border.
This is the first row. This is a "meandering" type stamp I made a few weeks ago.
And this is the second row. The meandering stamps create an image between the stamped rows. Basically, your eyes notice the area between the rows and not the rows themselves.
Staining the leather. I'm a big fan of pre-dyed leather, and in fact, this leather is pre-dyed. But I'm getting back to the antique stains because I like the effect they give. It's a little warmer and richer than the pre-dyed colors. At least I think so... It loos terrible right now, but I promise it looks better when it's wiped down and finished.
This piece will be the belt loop on the back. On this knife, it'll run the full length of the sheath, meaning the back side of the sheath will have a double layer of leather for rigidity.
The edges of the belt loop have been "beaded" smoothed and dyed.
Here's the front piece. You can see the faint guideline where I'll start the tooling. This sheath will not have a lot of tooling, just a nice border.
This is the first row. This is a "meandering" type stamp I made a few weeks ago.
And this is the second row. The meandering stamps create an image between the stamped rows. Basically, your eyes notice the area between the rows and not the rows themselves.
Staining the leather. I'm a big fan of pre-dyed leather, and in fact, this leather is pre-dyed. But I'm getting back to the antique stains because I like the effect they give. It's a little warmer and richer than the pre-dyed colors. At least I think so... It loos terrible right now, but I promise it looks better when it's wiped down and finished.
Matthew Gregory
Chief Executive in charge of Entertainment
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2005
- Messages
- 6,390
Wow...
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2004
- Messages
- 6,212
wish i had a pile of $$ so i could pick up one of your blades
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2003
- Messages
- 270
And the final knife....
The flush damascus take-down nut.
Close up of the guard and handle.
And the whole deal.
Some knives are fun to make, and others are a challenge. Others are just a royal pain. This one was fun. The process went rather smoothly, and each part came together pretty much the way I was hoping it would.
Thanks David for a chance at another take down piece for your collection, and for your willingness to trust me with our unusual payment method.
I don't do these work-in-progress things often, because they take a bit of work to pull off, not the least of which is sorting and editing all the photos! But I'm glad I did this one, as I'm really pleased with the final result.
Hope ya'll enjoyed.
The flush damascus take-down nut.
Close up of the guard and handle.
And the whole deal.
Some knives are fun to make, and others are a challenge. Others are just a royal pain. This one was fun. The process went rather smoothly, and each part came together pretty much the way I was hoping it would.
Thanks David for a chance at another take down piece for your collection, and for your willingness to trust me with our unusual payment method.
I don't do these work-in-progress things often, because they take a bit of work to pull off, not the least of which is sorting and editing all the photos! But I'm glad I did this one, as I'm really pleased with the final result.
Hope ya'll enjoyed.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2007
- Messages
- 2,915
Masterpiece!
Matthew Gregory
Chief Executive in charge of Entertainment
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2005
- Messages
- 6,390
Burt, as always, I'm in awe.
For those of you that haven't dabbled in the realm of knifemaking, what Mr. Foster has demonstrated here (in such a generous, sharing, and 'off-the-cuff' fashion) is the work of a true master smith. I know it may look like these steps have been achieved effortlessly, but nothing could be further from the truth! Only through mastery can it be made to look so easy.
Thanks for sharing, my friend.
For those of you that haven't dabbled in the realm of knifemaking, what Mr. Foster has demonstrated here (in such a generous, sharing, and 'off-the-cuff' fashion) is the work of a true master smith. I know it may look like these steps have been achieved effortlessly, but nothing could be further from the truth! Only through mastery can it be made to look so easy.
Thanks for sharing, my friend.
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2006
- Messages
- 15,019
Burt I have been waiting for the final pics with much anticipation
I am not dissapointed and I am sure the new owner will be thrilled
I truly believe you are one of the most distinctive talented Bladesmiths out there and I anxiously await my name to come up on your list
I am not dissapointed and I am sure the new owner will be thrilled
I truly believe you are one of the most distinctive talented Bladesmiths out there and I anxiously await my name to come up on your list
black mamba
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2009
- Messages
- 23,044
Man, that is the greatest looking hamon I've ever seen. Should be in the title shot of a Kurosawa movie! One look at that final photo and all I could think of was clouds, portents, battle and tragic endings. I've never seen a more evocative blade in my whole life. You are one AMAZING artist. :thumbup: :thumbup:
- Status