My first bushcraft knife w.i.p.

bacustomknives

bacustomknives

FULL THROTTLE / FULLTIME KNIFE MAKER
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
13,078
FIRST OFF HI EVERYONE,IM BILL AKERS "AKA" BACKWOODSCUSTOMKNIVES, I FIGURED THIS WOULD BE THE PLACE TO POST THIS SINCE ALOT OF YOU ENJOY CAMPING,HIKING AND LIVING OFF THE LAND, I WAS CONTACTED BY A CLIENT THE OTHER DAY (Chris Bowden ) HE HAD SEEN ALOT OF MY HANDMADE KNIVES ON HERE AND ASKED IF ID EVER MADE A BUSHCRAFT KNIFE,I REPLYED NO,AND I REALLY HAD KNOW CLUE OF WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT,HE GAVE ME ALOT OF INSIGHT ON THE USE OF THE KNIFE AND STLYE,SO I CAME UP WITH MY FIRST EVER BUSHCRAFT DESIGN ,I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE IT WITH YOU AS I WENT ALONG MAKING IT ,AND GET ANY SUGGESTIONS ANYONE HAD,THIS IS A PROTOTYPE AND CHRIS WILL HAVE TO FILL YOU ALL IN AFTER IT IS COMPLETED,SINCE HE WILL BE THE OWNER OF IT,HE WANTED SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFRENT FROM ALL THE REST SORT OF A SPECIAL ONE I GUESS WELL IM THIS FAR WITH THE PROJECT,AND NOT FAR FROM BEING FINNISHED,AS IT CAME OUTTA H/T ABOUT AND HOUR AGO,THERE WILL BE ALOT OF PICS SO BE PREPARED,ITS GONNA BE FROM START TO FINNISH. ILL ADD MORE PICS AS PROGRESS CONTINUES, WE NAMED IT THE "BUSHYFISH" HERE WE GO! YOULL SEE IN THE PICS WERE THAT NAME CAME ABOUT!

ASWELL I FREE HAND GRIND ALL MY BLADES, I HAVE THE CLAMP U SEE IN THE PICS ON THERE TO KEEP MY PLUNGE LINES IN ORDER
1095 STEEL / 5/32" THICK / PROFILE THE BOTTOM ONE IS THE BUSHFISH
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I NORMALIZE 4 TIMES AFTER PROFILE IS COMPLETE, BRINGING IT UP TO A NON-MAGNETIC STATE AND LETTING IT COOL TO ROOM TEMP
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NOW BACK TO THE GRINDER TO REMOVE THE SCALE
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NOW START GRINDING, IM GOING WITH A FULL FLAT GRIND
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NOW I FINNISH SANDED TO 1500 GRIT ALMOST MIRROR FINNISH
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NOW FOR THE FUN,HE WANTED A "HAMON" ON THIS BUSHY,APPLYING THE CLAY COAT AND MAKING MY LINE
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NOW WERE READY FOR THE FORGE AND A FAST QUENCH
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NOW TO REMOVE THE CLAY AND SEE WHAT KINDA HAMON WE ACCOMPLISHED
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WELL IT WAS TIME TO START THE SANDING AGAIN UP TO 1500 GRIT AND DO THE HEAT TREAT,SORRY FOR THE THUMB PRINTS IN THE PIC THE LINE IS SHOWING BOLDLY AFTER THE TEMPER CYCLE

BEFORE H/T
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AFTER H/T
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OK TODAY IT WAS A QUICK BUFF TO GET THINGS STARTED TO REMOVE THE STRAW COLOR FROM THE BLADE FROM HEAT TREAT, THEN A WASH WITH SOAP AND WATER SO THERE IS NO RESIDUE ON THE BLADE BEFORE THE ACID BATH

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OK NOW IT TIME FOR A ACID BATH

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THEN A QUICK WASH WITH WATER AND TOWEL DRY, THEN A LIGHT HAND SAND, THEN A LIGHT BUFF AND WOW!!! CHECK OUT THE HAMON

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NOW WE ARE READY FOR THE HANDLES STABILIZED MAPLE BURL OR STABILIZED FLAMING BOX ELDER
YOUR CHOICE CHRIS MAKE YOUR MOVE WHICH DO YOU WANT?

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HERE WE GO CUTTING THE BLOCK INTO SCALES, FLAT SANDING THEM ,CUTTING A PEICE OF EBONY FOR LINERS BONDING THE 2 TOGETHER AND SANDING THERE RADIUS,DRILLING ARE HOLES FOR PINNING,SHAPING AND FINAL HAND SANDING

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TO SEE THE FINAL FINNISHED PRODUCT PLEASE USE THIS LINK THERE WERE ONLY 40 PICS ALLOWED PER THREAD PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE THE REST OF IT

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8908428#post8908428
 
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Holy-mother-of-awesome! That hamon looks awesome. I can't wait for a glimpse of the final product!
 
:thumbup::thumbup: This is good stuff!! For someone like myself who has never had the opportunity to actually see how a knife is conceived, this is answering a lot of questions. From one "Bill" to another "Bill", thank you for this ingenious idea & pics. I am sure I speak for a lot of others on the forum who also have never had this opportunity either. Thanks again.
Be safe.
 
Well guys i figure by tommorow we will be looking at a acid bath to make that hamon jump out and get ya and some handle finnishing,and thumb notChing for grip and a good ole fire steel,hopefully that is!

BTW- JUST1MOR IM FROM SOUTHERN OHIO WHAT PART ARE YOU FROM??
 
just1mor said:
:thumbup::thumbup: This is good stuff!! For someone like myself who has never had the opportunity to actually see how a knife is conceived, this is answering a lot of questions. From one "bill" to another "bill", thank you for this ingenious idea & pics. I am sure i speak for a lot of others on the forum who also have never had this opportunity either. Thanks again.
Be safe.
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what part of ohio are you from im in the southern part or southern tip i should say
 
Thanks for showing Bill, I cant wait to get this knife! Bill is an awesome knifemaker and a better guy. He has really thrown himself into this project and has gone above and beyond. When its completedMyself and Moosez45 will do a review in use and will post back on this page. Thanks again Bill and I hope everyone enjoys seeing the WIP as much as I have.
 
I didn't know that is how hamons were made. I thought it was achieved some other way. Thanks for the pictures and how-to!
 
That blank looks great. Very promising.
The "how to" pic tutorial is also much appreciated.
I can tell how excited you are about this knife, since you are YELLING at us.
I'm gonna check back to see the outcome on this one.
Thanks for posting.
 
bacustomknives said:
what part of ohio are you from im in the southern part or southern tip i should say
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bacustomknives, born & raised in New Boston (next to Portsmouth) then to the Washington C.H. area when 7th grade rolled around due to my dad being transferred. College in Columbus, lived in Westerville, & now reside & work in the beautiful & mundane suburbs of the Cincinnati area.
Be safe.
 
Sorry about the caps lock,i was into telling the story ,i really wasnt yelling, sorry about that
 
just1mor said:
bacustomknives, born & raised in new boston (next to portsmouth) then to the washington c.h. Area when 7th grade rolled around due to my dad being transferred. College in columbus, lived in westerville, & now reside & work in the beautiful & mundane suburbs of the cincinnati area.
Be safe.
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well when you were in new boston you were about 35 minutes away from me i live out back of ironton about 15 miles
 
bacustomknives said:
well when you were in new boston you were about 35 minutes away from me i live out back of ironton about 15 miles
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This is too wierd. My roommate in college was from Ironton, didn't find out until about 3 weeks into the school year when he said he was heading home for the week-end, I casually ask where, & couldn't believe we grew up about 15 miles apart. Our family used to go to the Greenup Locks all the time before we moved. I was just down to a family reunion in Wheelersburg & could not believe how much #52 & that area has changed. We made a pass thru New Boston & the entire block where I grew up on Rhodes Ave. is now just a vacant lot by the bank. It was like a piece of me just fell away. Next year I would like to come down on Friday & just spend some time driving around to all the places & see the changes that have taken place.
Be safe.
 
Thanks for posting. I bought one of your 3" knives and it is a handy little blade. Hold's an edge and takes it easy. Fits my hand like a glove. Looking forward to seeing your BC versions.
 
WOW. That is a lot of work to make a knife. You guys must not even make minimum wage for the time. That is unless you are Brian Goode or Charles May.

Knife looks really good. :thumbup:
 
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