Need your Opinion

[bpiatt]

Hey everyone,

I am currently in the process of making my first knife and have a few questions. I have my rough blank cut out and partially ground. The steel is .200in thick 1095 and I am using the rough shape of my Ratmandu only on a larger scale. The blade is 6.5in tip to choil. Overall length is 12in. I would like to know what you guys think looks better. I am stuck between doing a spear point which is roughly is now, or making it a drop point. I like both.

I also would like to know what I should use for spacers. I am unsure what type of material is normally used. If I were to use wood, what does stabilizing the wood mean? I often hear knife makers saying " Wood scales are stabilized ". I may go with G10 or Micarta scales, if I do that what grit do you normally finish sanding them with? Do you use leather to polish them?

Thank you all so much for your time, I appreciate everything I have learned from you all so far!

You can see where I colored in the end of the blank as to how I am thinking of doing the drop point. Look alright to you guys?

Here you can see what it currently looks like.

 

[Frank Niro]

I'm not going to give you a good or bad on what you have done so far or tell you I like one style better than the other , but I will say do the one you like best even if you were thinking of the other when you started. Maybe do the other next time, but only if you want. Frank

 

[bpiatt]

I'm not going to give you a good or bad on what you have done so far or tell you I like one style better than the other , but I will say do the one you like best even if you were thinking of the other when you started. Maybe do the other next time, but only if you want. Frank

Thank you for the advice. I wanted to make a spear point at first, but I just love the way the drop point knives look. Decisions, decisions....

 

[SBuzek]

Stabilzed wood is infused with a polymer resin,the best are done by K&G or Wssi.IMHO
I use linen micarta and g10 and sand them to 600 then buff.
For spacers use thin g10 from alpha knife supply,someting around the .020 range,they have it in several colors.
I prefer the second pic of the knife I like drop points.
Stan

 

[bpiatt]

Stabilzed wood is infused with a polymer resin,the best are done by K&G or Wssi.IMHO
I use linen micarta and g10 and sand them to 600 then buff.
For spacers use thin g10 from alpha knife supply,someting around the .020 range,they have it in several colors.
I prefer the second pic of the knife I like drop points.
Stan

thank you stan, much appreciated.

 

[Patrickknives]

I would go for a canvas micarta for a knife like that, I would sand to 220 with just wood paper, that leaves a bit of grip to it and a nice tactical look. I did not have pics of a fixed so here is a couple of hawks in green and brown canvas micarta. I would also hole them in place with colby bolts but pins will be fine as well

 

[lonepine]

I suggest leaving off spacer material. Discussion on this forum indicates that the typical paper based spacer material can cause problems down the road. It looks like you're building a knife that will face a hard life. Using some sort of synthetic handle material makes good sense, but not something that will be too slippery.
You may consider using something like corby bolts to secure the handle material to the tang. The holes that are already drilled are awfully big and may allow the handle material to shift in the unlikely event of the epoxy glue used to fasten the handle material were to loosen up.

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin

 

[bpiatt]

I suggest leaving off spacer material. Discussion on this forum indicates that the typical paper based spacer material can cause problems down the road. It looks like you're building a knife that will face a hard life. Using some sort of synthetic handle material makes good sense, but not something that will be too slippery.
You may consider using something like corby bolts to secure the handle material to the tang. The holes that are already drilled are awfully big and may allow the handle material to shift in the unlikely event of the epoxy glue used to fasten the handle material were to loosen up.

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin

I didnt even think of that before I drilled this. Maybe I should re-drill smaller holes? When I initially drilled this I planned on using bolts so the scales could be removable, but I seem to be changing my mind each time I look at the knife. I started thinking I would like the look of spacers but now I am just going to go with linen micarta and no spacers.

As far as material for the scales I will be using black micarta with the 200grit finish.

Thanks again guys!