- Joined
- Oct 13, 2011
- Messages
- 377
Hello to all. I am a new knifemaker located in Central Missouri. I have always wanted to make knives and have always been fascinated by the grace and fluidity of form that can be found therein. I have only made about thirteen knives in total since starting in the latter part of May of 2011. This has been my most ambitious knife to date. A good friend of mine wanted a knife for "when the poo hits the fan", his words not mine.
He asked for something along the lines of a kukri, but I found the compound curves and bends somewhat problematic to recreate. Therefore I designed something that I liked a little more, or more appropriately, that I felt I could halfway pull off. Friends I give you Torrwr Esgyrn, which is Welsh for Bone Cutter. It's ground from a circular saw blade and the bevels are filed in by hand. They were hand rubbed to 1500 grit and then polished by my father on a buffer. The bevel at the front of the blade is as flat as I could possibly get it for slicing, while the bevels towards the back of the blade are more convex for strength in the chop. The blade was then edge hardened in peanut oil and double tempered at 475 for an hour and a quarter. The handle scales are local black walnut that my deceased uncle sawed himself over 20 years ago. They were shaped with a Nicholson four in one rasp and then hand sanded to 1500. After I got to 600 grit, the handles were exposed to steam from a hot vaporizer to make the grain stand up. The end result was a surface that literally gleamed even before any tung oil was applied. It received 7 coats. Hand pinned with 1/8" brass brazing rod and 3/16" copper tube. I must say that I could not be more pleased with outcome. Please let me know what you think. If you would like to see more pics, I posted a WIP in the Knifemakers section.
Thank you all very much! Any comments or suggestions are encouraged.
Thanks for looking folks!!
He asked for something along the lines of a kukri, but I found the compound curves and bends somewhat problematic to recreate. Therefore I designed something that I liked a little more, or more appropriately, that I felt I could halfway pull off. Friends I give you Torrwr Esgyrn, which is Welsh for Bone Cutter. It's ground from a circular saw blade and the bevels are filed in by hand. They were hand rubbed to 1500 grit and then polished by my father on a buffer. The bevel at the front of the blade is as flat as I could possibly get it for slicing, while the bevels towards the back of the blade are more convex for strength in the chop. The blade was then edge hardened in peanut oil and double tempered at 475 for an hour and a quarter. The handle scales are local black walnut that my deceased uncle sawed himself over 20 years ago. They were shaped with a Nicholson four in one rasp and then hand sanded to 1500. After I got to 600 grit, the handles were exposed to steam from a hot vaporizer to make the grain stand up. The end result was a surface that literally gleamed even before any tung oil was applied. It received 7 coats. Hand pinned with 1/8" brass brazing rod and 3/16" copper tube. I must say that I could not be more pleased with outcome. Please let me know what you think. If you would like to see more pics, I posted a WIP in the Knifemakers section. Thank you all very much! Any comments or suggestions are encouraged.
Thanks for looking folks!!
I forgot to explain the name of the knife. I have a friend that is a former Marine Scout Sniper and Force Recon operator. He took one look at the knife and said "Yep, that'll take an arm off." Hence the name Bone Cutter.
