My first take down: Bolo fighter WIP

Knifemaker87

Knifemaker87

Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Messages
1,073
Hey everybody
this is the first of a couple projects i have been dying to try but orders come first, so i am finally getting to this. it will go up for sale once it is done.

I have been wanting to try a take down, and i love this style blade. i dont have any forging pictures as I made this billet up at the Fire and brimstone hammer-in in 2010. it is W2-15n20-1084 at about 100 layers (i think) and the forging was done when i left my camera at work. =(

the blade has been forged, rough ground, and heat treated then final ground, ready for hand finishing. it is about 3/16 thick at the widest with a modest distal taper. it got a slight warp in the tip during the heat treat and i had to bend the blade almost 45 degrees before it would alter the curve in any way. it is a light flexible blade, which is a nice change from the heavy stiff tool steel blades i normally make. but will handle more like a fighter than a chopper.

Knives038.jpg

Knives036.jpg

Knives037.jpg


and here are the plans. amboyna burl handle, and damascus fittings (the nut too if i can swing it)
Knives039.jpg


i will be working on this as i have time.
thanks for looking
~Chris
 
I think there is lots of room to define yourself in the guard area, beyond what's already on paper...
I think you do handles right and you have your own way, which is unique...

Blade looks super awesome, W2 and 1084 are my two favourite carbon steels, and your welding looks toight!

This particular project could be a masterpiece, or at least a solid announcement that you are ready to kick some ass...
take your time...please don't rush...
 
Lorien said:
I think there is lots of room to define yourself in the guard area, beyond what's already on paper...
I think you do handles right and you have your own way, which is unique...

Blade looks super awesome, W2 and 1084 are my two favourite carbon steels, and your welding looks toight!

This particular project could be a masterpiece, or at least a solid announcement that you are ready to kick some ass...
take your time...please don't rush...
Click to expand...
+1 You might even think about a bigger gaurd where you could work in some tasteful engraving.
 
I'm thinkin bitchin camaro s-guard and carbon fiber...but that's just me : )
 
thanks all!
i am thinking about taking Lorien's advice and going with an S-gaurd. we will see. this project, (like all others it seems) is taking its place on the back of the bench while i finish an order, then i will be working on this before tackling another order.

the biggest thing is i really want to do the knife as a take-down as a personal milestone, and i just cant decide.

the options are:
as drawn in the picture, Damascus fittings and amboyna burl handle, or a colored Ti s-guard and a modern material handle, carbon fiber, or other "cutting edge" material.

thoughts? your option really does matter.
 
take down construction is cool, but for this knife I wouldn't be so keen. Take down seems a little more appropriate for a hunting knife, where cleaning is part of the dealio, than with a big fighter type knife that could potentially see impact and leverage, but that's just my take : )
 
Hey Chris -- One of the things I think about about take-downs is the potential for multiple handle options. Why not do BOTH...an organic natural handle like your initial ideas AND a high-tech one with carbon fiber and titanium?! That's one of the beauties of take-downs I have not seen capitalized on (not that I get out much). If you're going for a milestone, heck shoot for the moon. If anyone can do it, you're the man! BTW, CF and Ti are a combination I have long thought about. -- All the best, Phil
 
okay,
I have decided that i am going to go with custom made "wood grain" carbon fiber handle and a titanium s-gaurd. i am still not sure if it is going to be a take down or not. i might save that for a hunter or something in the future due to some good advice. so unless it just falls together and works perfectly as a take-down it will be a normal fixed blade.

finishing up the order i am working on so i should be on to this soon. or at least machining the the Ti guard on my lunch breaks.

thanks!
~Chris
 
me too;):D
 
okay...
so i fianlly got a replacement for my camera that died and i got a little work done. I am going with a Titanium guard version 1.0 looks like this:
I would really appreciate constructive criticism on this.. i think it is quite right yet.
Knives058.jpg


Got the titanium nut turned:
Knives042.jpg


and i went with a SS 10-32 bolt.
Knives040.jpg


Welded
Knives043.jpg


going to make the handle material next.
thanks
~Chris
 
I reckon an S guard is about the hardest kind of guard to design. The amplification of the design due to its addition mass and visual presence will draw attention to any disruption of flow. If it looks wrong it looks really wrong, but if it looks right...!

I've done a fair amount of research and I've found that S guard knives are not very common.

I'll be really interested to hear from some of you knife making veterans about it!
 
Lorien said:
I reckon an S guard is about the hardest kind of guard to design. The amplification of the design due to its addition mass and visual presence will draw attention to any disruption of flow. If it looks wrong it looks really wrong, but if it looks right...!

I've done a fair amount of research and I've found that S guard knives are not very common.

I'll be really interested to hear from some of you knife making veterans about it!
Click to expand...

They are less common than other types of guards, but not that uncommon within the bowie / fighter sphere. I've owned a few over the years, and seen a great many more.

Chris - I generally prefer a more lazy / open "S". When the edge-side portion of the guard kicks back that much, it can interfere with a fencer-style grip, or any style grip if the owner has chubby fingers.

Roger
 
this thread has been commandeered!

I've adopted this knife and redirected the project. Chris has jumped into it with both feet, and we're both excited by the direction this is taking.

Bearing in mind that many forumites prefer a concise and timely WiP thread approach, I'll be tending to a new thread with that in mind. As with Nick, this thread will be presented as an 'article' of sorts, which I really enjoy doing, and which frees up the maker to concentrate on making knives. We have an excellent batch of photos already that are extremely instructive and interesting. It's difficult for me to keep them to myself, but I am going to do that until the knife is almost complete or completely complete. Then, the question of whether it qualifies as a WiP is reasonable to ask. So, I'm not going to call it that. We have a pretty good name though.

This knife is going to blow some minds, so stay tuned...
 
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