Long clip bowie #3 PICS ADDED

fast14riot

fast14riot

Joined
Oct 27, 2010
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Well, no work and nothin on the honey do list. Turned this thing out today. Knife #3, and having fun!

Forged 1080 and myrtle wood cut and dried ages ago, copper pins peened and finished flush.

2011-08-10221525.jpg


2011-08-10194511.jpg


I'm not totally satisfied with the handle yet, the palm swell seems a little large and some more work on the butt is needed. Some pits left from forging, don't quite have the fine tuned hammer control yet, I would have to ground the hell out of it. I really need to work on my plunge cuts as well. I also stopped a little short on the hand sanding with a less than perfect 400# finish.

What do ya think?


-Xander
 
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Geeze guys, don't be afraid to speak up! I'm a big boy I can take it if this thing is really that bad!

I reshaped the handle this morning, much happier with it now.

2011-08-11091439.jpg



-Xander
 
I think it is great, I do admit the handle looks uncomfortable but its a learning process. I like that you have a shape that is different from most and it nice to see something new. I typically do not like the long clip at the tip, makes the tip pretty thin and brakable, but it is not a prybar. Nice knife keep it up. When experimenting with new handle shapes I put modeling clay on the blade and work the shape to get a better idea of the feel and grip.
 
Patrickknives said:
I think it is great, I do admit the handle looks uncomfortable but its a learning process. I like that you have a shape that is different from most and it nice to see something new. I typically do not like the long clip at the tip, makes the tip pretty thin and brakable, but it is not a prybar. Nice knife keep it up. When experimenting with new handle shapes I put modeling clay on the blade and work the shape to get a better idea of the feel and grip.
Click to expand...

yeah I got a little over zealous on shaping the handle in the waist area, making the palm swell much more pronounced. I thinned out the forward section today bringing it back to better proportions. I didn't really start this knife with a plan, just started hammering and thought I would see what came of it. I like a fine tip for detail work and I only have broken a tip off a knife once (mediocre Aus4 production blade), I believe knives are for cutting and that's it. I am not crazy about the shape either, but as you said it is different. It is growing on me though!

Thanx for the encouragement! This is only my third knife.


-Xander
 
Well I thought I should post some more pictures up for scale. These might make it easier to understand why the handle shape isn't all that important. :)

2011-08-10195719.jpg


2011-08-10222914.jpg


It's about 1/10 scale
Forged 1080 from .130 scrap
.025 thick
1.6" LOA
1" blade
Pins are .030" strands from eletrical wire
And it is shaving sharp!

I love making these minis and have a couple others on the bench, gonna try another hamon on the recurve I am working on. The last one cracked during quench.

Still, let me know what you guys think.


-Xander
 
Thanx Nathan! When I viewed the first pics on the computer it looked really bad, not so much when viewed on my phone. I sure wouldn't leave a full size knife that ugly! In person, all the tiny flaws are hardly visable, so I think its ok. The next one is getting the full treatment!


-Xander
 
whoa. that's really cool, I didn't realize it was small. However, you're in it deep if a bear ever comes around! :D
 
Xander, really excited to see another mini from you! That is badass! Really great looking knife....toothpick :)
 
Xander, I've got to admit that you fooled me. Notwithstanding my great respect for anyone who can forge a blade, based on the first pic I was trying to think of something positive to say. (It's got a blade and a handle, what else do you need... um, yeah...). But with the propper scale it becomes very noteworthy indeed. I'll have to remember your handle so I don't get taken for another ride!
 
Thanx guys! I appreciate it.

Gooey- its capable of taking out a bear, if I just flick it and hit him in the eye he might just go away! :D

Mike- thanx man! This was a fun little one, only took me a couple of hours! Would of been more if I went further on the finish, but I like it the way it is. Just wait 'til you see the next one, if the quench gods don't get angry at me and take my blade and break it! I forged out another recurve like the last one, gonna try another hamon. This one actually works very well as a toothpick!


-Xander
 
CoyotePhysics said:
Xander, I've got to admit that you fooled me. Notwithstanding my great respect for anyone who can forge a blade, based on the first pic I was trying to think of something positive to say. (It's got a blade and a handle, what else do you need... um, yeah...). But with the propper scale it becomes very noteworthy indeed. I'll have to remember your handle so I don't get taken for another ride!
Click to expand...

Thanx Coyote! I admit that I pretty much just threw this one together and did not pay enough attention to the finishing or the blade, and when viewed under magnification, it looks pretty bad. The shoddy cell phone pics don't help much either. If you search for the Official 2011 Mini KITH photo thread you can see the other one I did, which was also my very first knife from scratch. Expect more deceiving photos in the future!


-Xander
 
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