Looking for advice on skinner/ gutter design. (NEWB)

[The Government]

Newb here

I would like to ask for any advice or critiques on this design...

I am building the knife around this^handle that I took off of an old cake knife, and I would like to do as little (if any) alterations to the handle as possible. The handle is setting the theme, and since there is a scrimshaw of a hunter throwing a harpoon at a seal, I thought the harpoon style blade might look neat. If the back edge is not sharpened, I figure it could still work as a gutting/ skinning knife. I can kind of justify the blade shape by thinking a little extra blade might make pinching the blade easier when working with an arm inside the animal.

I ordered some O1 tool steel 1/4" thick and 1 1/2" wide from Jantz. I went with 1/4" because the handle has a 1/4" diameter hole running half way through it, and I figured I could give the blade a lot of distal taper towards the tip to keep it from being too thick.

As far as fitting the handle, What are your thoughts on pinning the handle to the blade? If I could get away with using JB weld or epoxy only, that would be preferred.

Anyway, thanks to anyone who replies or reads this. Your advice and critique is totally appreciate. :thumbup::thumbup:

Best Regards,

Max

 

[S.Alexander]

IMO 1/4" is way too thick for that little Skinner. You can add a guard or even just a brass spacer to the handle which will allow a thinner blade to pass through it. Then the handle can be filled with epoxy to fill the voids.

I like the design though. Is the handle ivory?

Eta- I see you had a brass spacer planned out. If you use 1/8" steel, just make a 1/8" slot through the spacer.

 

[Frank Niro]

I believe S Alexander is close to it. I certainly wouldn't bother with a handle pin on this one. You will end up destroying the scrimshaw. Some notches on tang will work well. It's not perhaps going to be a great knife for skinning but it will work and your styling looks good.
Frank

 

[The Government]

Thanks for the replies!

The handle reads, "GENUINE IVORY" on the back.

I was curious if the steel was going to be way too thick, or if it needed to fit the handle perfectly. Good to know I can use something thinner. I'll make another order for some thinner stuff and use the 1/4" stock on another project.:thumbup:

Best Regards,

Max

 

[jtwodogs]

I am a newbie to knife building, but not to gutting deer. I worked in a slaughter house since the age of 12 (It was a self sustaining orphanage) until I went to college. Have gutted more deer, cattle, and hogs then I care to remember. I don't believe the large harpoon hump on top would be conducive to working in the tight quaters of a beef, hog, or deer cavity. Other then that I like the design.