My fifth knife - a little bird & trout

R

rlinger

Joined
Mar 29, 2002
Messages
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On this one I did a modified D'Holder front end with more of a Loveless back end and a little bit of a drop at the back. The steel is CPM s30v and it worked great in making and functioned very well in field dressing a bow kill deer, keeping its razor edge. I think I like the s30v. The blade on this knife is only finished to 600 grit and belt sanded very nicely, compared to some other steels, even after heat treat.

Pics are here: http://riflestocks.tripod.com/pics4.html

Thanks, as always, for great advise found on this forum.

Roger
 
I knew you would look for that and I was going to hear about it. Taper the tang. I will - I will.

Thanks, Roger
 
Great job, nice knife taper tang or not, you really
should taper the tang on the next one. Then try a
through tang like some D'Holders. Gib
 
Nice job. Good design. You cant go wrong with a Loveless look. I need to try the S30 steel sometime.
 
Very nicely done! I sure wish my first few looked as good as those do.

Just out of curiosity, what's the handle material on the white handled one?

Yes you need to tapper the tange, but you can use a cut-off wheel in a Dremel to skeletonize after heat treat to reduce weight without tapering. A taper does look better though.;)
 
Will52100,

The white handled one (knife one) is of linen based micarta. It's bolster is of N/S. The bolster on this knife (knife 5) is of paper based ivory micarta.

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Skeleton tangs I do. I will drill holes out of them to reduce weight or mill slots out of the center parts of them.

Taper the tang; I have been nagged (I say that with love) alot about that. I will do it. I will. I can not know yet if I will want to continue doing it after doing it. I will see but I suspect I will prefer that after doing it once.

- - - - -;

Bruce,

I was hesitant to try the CPM steels because of my obvious inexperience. I am glad I did. The s30v is all the CPM I have tryed so far. My next three or four I plan (3 paring, 1 bird&trout) will be of s30v. I like working it but have not yet tryed to acheive a high sheen finish with it. I know I can do better than the 600 grit I stopped at but do not know how it hand finishes finer than that yet. The 600 grit finish it gave me is just fine for presentation and field use and does not mar when cleaning in the sink basin. The mirror finish that I have put on the two before ATS-34 knives produce scratchings very easily. They are real pretty as long as you don't use them, even though their edge is long lived.

Thanks a bunch for all the encouragement and solid advise based on experience. -- Roger
 
GREAT JOB ON THE KNIVES. i tried tapered tangs and did not care for the squared off round you are left with. case in point, you would not be able it have the point below the lanyard, on the thula handled knife. i drill them out and put the taper in the handle. give it a try. but it is not the gospel.i prefer the full roundness of non-tapered.
 
Roger, that is excellent! You really have the most important skill a knifemaker can have, patience. Your workmanship looks impeccable.

I find I can't resist in helping to motivate you to taper your tangs. If not for weight reduction - there have been plenty of suggestions to do that here - you should consider it because it will set your work apart in one more way, from the work of novice or less committed makers. It's simply a standard that should be included in your full tang knives.

The only time I don't taper the tang is when it's a very thin stock, 3/32 or less.

When you start doing filework on the tangs, you'll find it's a very interesting exercise to adapt the filework pattern to the thinning edge...

I'd also like to suggest that even though you acknowledge the work of makers who have influenced you, this is your own work. You shouldn't feel like you're cheating if you don't identify them. No art is ever created in a vacuum, and we all are influenced by those who have moved us. This is true for every creative effort, and the masters you look up to had influences of their own. Give yourself credit, you earned it.

Dave
 
Great Job Roger!

It's an inspiration. Love the handle.

BTW How long did it take to match the curve between the bolster and the wood. I've wanted to do that, but thought by the time I got them to mate, I wouldn't have any wood left.:D

Steve

'Spose I need to consider the tapered tang too.
 
Thanks again to all.

I must try tapering the tang on my very next knife. RHINO, I too may not like it after doing a couple but I believe after doing it I will want to stay with it.

ITRADE, I made the bolster as one part. My material was too thin for both bolsters so I super glued two pieces together. I then fashioned the bolster curves and resawed (riped, whatever?) the bolster so that I would have two similar bolsters, one for each scale. After cutting my scales to thicknes, length and width (rectangles) I traced the bolster inside curve onto the scale. I then used files and sand papers to cut out to the trace line. Using a eye loop and sanding paper I touched it up to join properly (perfect match to the eye). The mating process for both scales may have taken 1 1/2 hour and maybe alittle less. In joining I applied a very thin coat of epoxy to seal any microscopic gaps that may be present. I secure the bolsters to the knife before appling the scales to the tang but only after the scale curve is fashioned.

DAVE, I will take your advise but will find it hard not to give design credits, especially if it appears to be a copy. I also think that calling it a, for example, D'Holder or Loveless, or what ever, helps to describe it.

Roger
 
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