Oil Rubbed Copper and Ironwood

Dave Kelly

Dave Kelly

Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
597
Hi, Just finished this etched O1 blade, textured oil rubbed copper bolsters, and ironwood folder. My wife likes the blade shape with this handle but I'm not sure, any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Sorry about the pics, I'm learning the new camera and waiting for photo edit software.

Thanks, Dave

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Thanks for the input I do appreciate it.

When I design a knife I draw the handle first and then draw a few different blade shapes, My wife picked this one and I picked a wharncliffe style, I'll try that one next.

Your wife has got good taste. Excellante!
Click to expand...

Of course she does, she's with me isn't she :p :barf: :D
 
Pretty sweet Dave! The grind is outstanding, really impressive. I really like the textured copper too.

Matt
 
Dave , thats what i call a perfect package. :eek: Blade, bolsters, handle all compliment each other. Looks good open and closed. A superior job to be sure. I'd buy it! I personally like the copper accents on knives. I think it's an Arizona thing. Kevin
 
How about explaining what you meant by oil rubbed finish on the copper. I don't think I've heard that before. Of course I've slept since I might have heard it, so it's erased from my brain.
 
Great looking knife. Love ironwood in general, and I really like the blade shape of this piece. The copper bolster looks great with the ironwood, good color combination, and nice textural counterpoint.

The only thing I would have tweaked on the sketch if you'd made the knife for me would be the bolster shape... I'd have it flare downward a bit from the blade to form just a bit more of a "pocket" for the index finger. Envision a bolster that provides a hint of a "guard" for the index finger in a thrusting motion.

It's mostly psychological and partly aesthetic, but I like the feeling of a big of a "guard" for index finger in about any knife I buy, especially one that will get used.

Nice work. Very well put together package visually.
 
Thank you guys for the very nice comments!

Tom, I knew what I wanted and saw in my mind how I wanted the textured copper to look and feel but no matter what I tried it just wasn't right. I wanted a soft kind of burnished look and feel so after texturing, adding patina, 4/O steel wool and hot water I used a fine leather backed sanding cloth and gun oil to rub the tops and sides of the texturing, it left the copper soft with a slight aged satin sheen that I wasn't able to achieve with any other method that I tried.

Rob, I feel the same way about an index finger guard and every knife that I've made has had one. I wanted to do something different this time with the blade continuing from the handle without the interuption of a guard but still trying to maintain the security of a guard so I kept tweaking the handle swell and shape until the butt was very secure, then the shape of the thumb ramp was adjusted, when you grip the knife your index finger rests on the back of the front cut out and the next finger rests securely on the front of the back cut out, with your thumb firmly on the ramp. After testing several prototypes, stabbing both vertical and horizonal I felt comfortable with the design. If my hand and fingers were in better shape I would model the grip :)

Dave
 
That knife is sweet :cool: (both knives actually)
If I were going to change anything though, it wouldn't be the blade shape. I would shorten the bolster just a little bit. Something just seems a little out of balance to me, I really like the knife but wonder what it would be like with the bolster a little bit shorter. I realize that part of that depends on the mechanics of the design, where and how your stop pin mounted. I like going through the liners and into a blind hole in the bolster when I can and that forces you to have a longer bolster.
After thinking about it, I might not even want to shorten the bolster, just change the line where it meets the wood to break things up a bit. Something like the second knife pictured. Doesn't have to have the inlay behind it, but I think the shape of the bolster adds an extra touch to it.
Such a nice knife I can't really decide how to improve on it I guess :D
 
very nice, Dave....I like the copper and ironwood combo.

if I had to tweak it, I would make the bladeshape more dropointy, and less clippointy/trailpointy...

oh, and if you're going the carbon route, why not add a hamon, =)?
 
Thanks Phillip for the very nice pic

Matt I know what you mean, I drew the bolster angled, curved, I even had a spacer dovetailed cut ready to attach to the bolster but decided to keep it simple.

spyken, You can blame my wife for picking this clip/trailpointy blade shape I wanted to use a wharncliffety one. :) Hamons are definetly on my list to try
 
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