Codger_64
Moderator
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2004
- Messages
- 62,324
Over the years I have picked up a shoebox full of damaged knives, as I believe many of you have. Some are still good users and can be refurbished with just a bit of effort. A few are there for custom handles, a buff job, and eventual use or display.And some are beyond hope without a major rebuild.
One knife of the last catagory came to mind when I saw the custom work a member had a very talented Aussie (NZ?) knife maker rework. While he lengthened the handle, my thoughts ran opposite. While his knives were artfully executed and indeed look like art, my knife was intended to be a user from the get-go. Strictly utilitarian. Instead of exotic wood, bone, and skillful carving, mine would be native wood (curly maple), simply fitted with copper pins, smoothed, stained and finished. Since the chosen donor knife had a blade already abbreviated by a previous abuser (owner), and had most of the skinner belly sharpend away, a shortening of the blade would be in order.
In stock form, the Sharpfinger is 7 1/4" overall, with a 3 1/2" blade and a 3 3/4" handle. My knife has an overall length of 5 3/4" with a 2 1/2" blade and a 3 1/4" handle. I never cared to wear...uh...use a thong, so the thong hole was not replaced. The handle was made thicker in the butt to increase grip in my large hands, and three thumb notches were added to the top of the choil for control. Putting the belly back into the blade while shortening it was easier than I thought, but the shortened blade lost much of the spine sweep. I re-radiused the spine to regain the original upswept tip. It came out sharper than originally planned, but I did not blueprint it, so it sort of "evolved" as the sparks flew.
Now nearly completed, I am reminded that knives, like ships and women, need names. I could not call it a Sharpfinger, for fear of lawyers, or say that it was taylor made for me, lawyers again, plus the barf factor. But somehow, I felt like I should retain some vestige of the original name conceived and copyrighted by Henry B. Baer. So here, for the first time anywhere, I give the world (and the new owners of Schrade) my MIDDLEFINGER!!
Codger
One knife of the last catagory came to mind when I saw the custom work a member had a very talented Aussie (NZ?) knife maker rework. While he lengthened the handle, my thoughts ran opposite. While his knives were artfully executed and indeed look like art, my knife was intended to be a user from the get-go. Strictly utilitarian. Instead of exotic wood, bone, and skillful carving, mine would be native wood (curly maple), simply fitted with copper pins, smoothed, stained and finished. Since the chosen donor knife had a blade already abbreviated by a previous abuser (owner), and had most of the skinner belly sharpend away, a shortening of the blade would be in order.
In stock form, the Sharpfinger is 7 1/4" overall, with a 3 1/2" blade and a 3 3/4" handle. My knife has an overall length of 5 3/4" with a 2 1/2" blade and a 3 1/4" handle. I never cared to wear...uh...use a thong, so the thong hole was not replaced. The handle was made thicker in the butt to increase grip in my large hands, and three thumb notches were added to the top of the choil for control. Putting the belly back into the blade while shortening it was easier than I thought, but the shortened blade lost much of the spine sweep. I re-radiused the spine to regain the original upswept tip. It came out sharper than originally planned, but I did not blueprint it, so it sort of "evolved" as the sparks flew.
Now nearly completed, I am reminded that knives, like ships and women, need names. I could not call it a Sharpfinger, for fear of lawyers, or say that it was taylor made for me, lawyers again, plus the barf factor. But somehow, I felt like I should retain some vestige of the original name conceived and copyrighted by Henry B. Baer. So here, for the first time anywhere, I give the world (and the new owners of Schrade) my MIDDLEFINGER!!
Codger
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