Not much ricasso... but oh what a handle!

anvilring

anvilring

Joined
Nov 29, 2000
Messages
2,869
This is just a test blade now as while fileing in my shoulder, the file guide slipped not once but twice!! I was left without enough ricasso for an easy fencing grip which I think is essential for any defense knife even if that's not its main everyday use. Anyway, the handle material is walnut and the shape is just too comfortable! Craig Cammerer (sp?) does something like this and of course there's others makers too, no wonder because it is very ergonomic and comfy. As for the 9 3/4 inch blade (should'a been 10 in.!), its 5160 single quenched and performed just great on rope and a "hard as hell" piece of Texas ebony (apes earring). The guard is fire blued iron.

regards, mitch
working bowie1
working bowie2 working bowie3 working bowie4 working bowie5
 
come to think of it, I've seen some examples in my Bowie auction catalogues with short ricassos. Too late though as it's all scratched up from this morning's cut and slash session. But it was fun cut'n!! I'm going for 4 water bottles when I get home this eve. This is now my handle of choice but they take an hour or more to sculpt.

regards, mitch
 
I don't know you, other than what I've come across here on the forums, and I'm only a collector and sometimes user...

But... there's something wrong with your ricasso??? :confused: I do like enough choil to wrap my finger around the guard for finer tip control or for fine edge work - and that might be the only problem I see in your ricasso/choil area.. ;)

But - I LOVE THAT BLADE!!!! LOL!!!! Just ask Nick or Craig! :D
And, that handle.... Yup, Craig does something like that! As does Nick and one or two others, of whose work I own... And that's why I really like this knife - not only do the lines from the blade into the handle flow the way I like 'em, but it goes from a clip point style I love to a handle designed to fit in a hand in just about any grip!!!

If I were to eventually ask you for a knife - it'd be very similar in overall shape and handle-to-blade ratio... and the only difference I'd suggest would be to have a secondary (and maybe even tertiary) bevel on the clip portion... I don't know what it is, but that really sends me...

Keep it up and Nick is gonna start feeling the competition!!! LOL!!! :D
 
Damn Mitch, no apologies are in order on that knife! :eek: I just flat dig that sweet sharp temper line, and your handle is great. But just an hour? Cripes, I spend a couple hours doing mine, I think I need more practice!
 
Ya know, I SWEAR I have a bowie just like that one here at the house. ;) :)
 
I like just about every thing about that knife...especially the little groove around the guard. Bert Gaston (M.S.) does that a lot on his guards.
Great work!
 
Mitch, thats a beauty. The short ricasso is not a problem. Some people like em big and some don't. I would say. Have your fun with it, prove that it can handle it all, then sand the scratches out and put it up for sale. I'tll go. Its a beautiful thing!
Ed
 
What Ed said! Heck leave the scraches in and sell it with the pics you posted as a "working" bowie. :D I noraly like a smooth 3/4" ricasso ala Fowler, but there isn't a thing wrong with that knife. Heck unless you sharpen the ricasso around the radius you can still choke up on it with out getting cut.
 
That knife is amazing. I would like to feel the handle. "We don't need no stinkin' ricasso". LOL

It appears the balance would be nice for your chopping tests. I agree, leave the scratches and post pics. It will sell, give me a shout. Let's see if I have the cash, when you are ready....
 
Oh yeah, that's a mistake you'll never recover from... Get ahold of yourself, man! Jeez! Superb.
 
Mitch:
You are approaching the kind of knife that Scagel would have made with the droped edge tight to the guard to keep her from hanging up every time you get tight to your work. Yours may very well be better than you think. Play with her and get to know her style and she may lead you to the future.
I don't know how I keep getting back getting on the forms as Dan, but this reply is from
Ed. Fowler
 
I never thought of it that way but it's true. Other than how far up toward the guard you sharpen, there's precious little place to put a finger past the guard of a Scagle. I guess for me anyway, the ability to "choke up" on a blade via ricasso use is something I always have liked. It makes a big knife a little smaller! Anyway, this one's not for sale as it's got a few scratches and uneven places as far as the guard goes. I've been watching with some intrest the threads by Deveraux on his "first knife" and Chiro's "knives with flaws" and must say these are really good topics. I always appreciate your views as I know you as a fairly articulate and unencumbered artist: you have plenty of "license" and can say what you feel. At least when I've been drinking wine, I nearly always understand what your saying... :) Now for the important stuff: how's that shoulder?? No esoteric BS here: you must follow the doctor's instructions here me??!! I want to see you forgeing again... so... get it fixed. It was nice to see you at Blade.


regards, mitch
 
Thanks for the kind words Mitch: I enjoyed meeting you at Blade, it was a good time.

Debate is always healthy, sometimes one has to volunteer to be the goat, this is much better than letting issues remain without understanding.

Surgery is scheduled for the 9th. I am going to give it my best and thanks to good friends stand a good chance.

Thanks Friend
Ed
 
Mitch, that is a beauty of a blade and that handle looks like she would be a comfort in the hand. No asking "where's the beef" with that grip..it's right where you need it.
Also appreciate the helping advice to Ed on his shoulder. He needs all the reinforcement and encouragement he can get. My wife and I are helping to arrange to get him in and get it fixed with the help of Eldon and his wife who are dear friends of both Ed's and ours. Also our friend Bill Burke is in our corner of the ring to help him get through it and maybe to help hog tie Ed so we can get him to the Hospital. We'll let ya know if we need more reinforcements. :D

Butch
 
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