OT: Old dog, old trick, new throwing knife

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
3,930
I'm a firm believer that one's education should never cease to be ongoing. Among my other research and study efforts, I've spent a good deal of time poring through such works as the Complete Modern Blacksmith. Of the many useful things I've learned from it, I now have a pretty good working grasp on taking brittle hard, high carbon tool steel, and giving it a spring temper. "No duh" say the experienced blacksmiths out there, but it was, to me, a most happy discovery.

Ding, ding, ding, lights go off, next thing ya know I've got a new throwing knife made from a foot long mill bastard file. Throws sweet, keeps it's point, and I can hammer it into a stump, flex it back and forth until I get tired, and it springs back straight and true. Good stuff. To my simple, anachronistic, mind, owning objects pales in comparison to owning the skills to make them. Own the skills, and the objects become inconsequential, you can always make more. :thumbup: :D

Sarge
 
#$%^& all of you retired people, with all that ^%$# time!

That's a joke, btw
 
Aardvark said:
#$%^& all of you retired people, with all that ^%$# time!

That's a joke, btw
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I know it's a joke buddy. If all my energetic creativity starts getting on your nerves, I want you to consider this, I'm still not coping real well with being a has been master sergeant. I think, hell I know, they pulled me out of the fight while there's still a lot of fight left in me. :grumpy:

Sarge
 
I know you are still learning . You give me hope and a drive to get a forge going . Just how much are you flexing your knife in the stump ?
 
Sylvrfalcn said:
I know it's a joke buddy. If all my energetic creativity starts getting on your nerves, I want you to consider this, I'm still not coping real well with being a has been master sergeant. I think, hell I know, they pulled me out of the fight while there's still a lot of fight left in me. :grumpy:

Sarge
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You know it's not bothering me. I've certainly learned as much from your projects as from anyone on this forum. Sorry if I hit a nerve.
 
Idle hands do the devil's business, right Sarge?:D
Sounds like you're making the most of your retirement. There's something to be said about a man that finds work and duty even when he is not required to. good on ya, Sir:) You're still a dang fine fightin' machine to us, Sarge. Regardless of whatever Uncle Sam says. You may be out of the fight, but just about everyone of your posts teaches some of us younger folks something. Whether it's making a flint and steel, putting steel work into terms so that we can understand it with out resorting to labling it black magic or voodoo, or just entertaining us with one of you many stories from a well-traveled life. You were missed while you were out givin' the good fight, but not forgotten. We're very glad to have you back home in the Cantina.

Jake
 
Aardvark....don't fret...I was thinking the same thing!


Sarge - you rock.
 
No apology needed Aardvark, you didn't step on my toes, I was just trying to explain that a lot of my "energy" is founded in frustration. I'll eventually get bored of making stuff and get myself a real job, but the one job I'm infinitely qualified for is one I can no longer do. You can see how that'd make a fellow a little nuts. Well meaning friends have suggested I go to Iraq as a "hired gun". The money's good, but holds no attraction for me if I can't wear the uniform of my country anymore, it never was about the money for me.

Anyhow, thanks guys for letting me vent a bit, and thanks for your support and friendship. Getting back to knives, I've attached a pic of the two throwers (still sans leather handle scales, but heck, they throw sweet) top one in 5160 steel, lower in W1 steel (read that, old rusty Nicholson file from the flea market). Tossed in a couple of neck knives, the patch knife that fits in a sheath on the strap of my possibles bag, and the Native American style "crooked knife" I made for whittling spoons and such. All are stock removal except the patch knife, it's forged with the hammer marks left on, and differentially hardened.

Sarge
 
:thumbup: Nice work. I don't know throwing knives very well, but they look like they'd throw nicely--especially the top one.
 
MauiRob said:
:thumbup: Nice work. I don't know throwing knives very well, but they look like they'd throw nicely--especially the top one.
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Just starting to learn a thing or two about 'em myself Rob. At most "Mountain Man" rendezvous' they require you to throw your knife using a handle throw. Guess they're concerned somebody might slip up and cut their hand with a blade throw (probably right about that). This partly explains why they favor large heavy knives. A large heavy knife, thrown by the handle, will complete one full turn to stick in the target, at the same distance as a tomahawk (which obviously is also thrown by the handle), roughly 15 to 18 feet. Given those parameters, the crude "bowie style" and straight handle (so it can slide easily from your hand) that I've gone with make perfect sense.

Sarge

p.s.: you're right about the top one, dayumed thing is deadly, with just a little practice I was hitting a playing card at five paces :thumbup:
 
Thanks Michael,
They're a bit homely and roughly done, but for knives specifically made for flinging at hunks of dead tree, I didn't want to waste time on looks. Might tickle you to know that the 5160 spring steel, for the larger of the two knives, once upon a time was a hatch spring on a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Friend of mine in an Army motorpool snagged a couple or so pieces of it for me and another fellow to "make stuff with it". ;)

Sarge
 
Dave K said:
Sarge, I vote you switch careers and become a knifemaker. :thumbup:

Seriously.
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Sarge, I think Dave may be on to something here.:D Methinks you could make a helluva living just making the knives you do so well. Along with the firestrikers etc. And you know, it's just damned hard to find a decently made crooked knife anywhere.

How about it?:thumbup: ;)
 
Sylvrfalcn said:
Thanks Michael,
They're a bit homely and roughly done, but for knives specifically made for flinging at hunks of dead tree, I didn't want to waste time on looks. Might tickle you to know that the 5160 spring steel, for the larger of the two knives, once upon a time was a hatch spring on a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Friend of mine in an Army motorpool snagged a couple or so pieces of it for me and another fellow to "make stuff with it". ;)

Sarge
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That gives the knives some great backstories!!

I don't believe a knife has to have a satin finish and inlays to be beautiful.
 
Sylvrfalcn said:
No apology needed Aardvark, you didn't step on my toes, I was just trying to explain that a lot of my "energy" is founded in frustration. I'll eventually get bored of making stuff and get myself a real job, but the one job I'm infinitely qualified for is one I can no longer do. You can see how that'd make a fellow a little nuts. Well meaning friends have suggested I go to Iraq as a "hired gun". The money's good, but holds no attraction for me if I can't wear the uniform of my country anymore, it never was about the money for me.
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i think i know what you mean sarge. please let me know if you find and answer 'cuz i'd be interested in it too
 
Here's another vote for you to go pro, Sarge. You've got the skills, you've got the talent, and you've certainly got the time. ;) It seems to suit you.

Would it still be fun if you were doing it for a living? That's the difficult question.
 
Go pro Sarge. Yvsa is dead on about finding decent crooked knives. :D

You got the gift. I saw it in Dan Koster when he did that moose knife passaround. I got one of your file specials from before you shipped out last time. I see it in you same as I saw it in Dan. You just have to develop the gift.
 
Just starting to learn a thing or two about 'em myself Rob. At most "Mountain Man" rendezvous' they require you to throw your knife using a handle throw. Guess they're concerned somebody might slip up and cut their hand with a blade throw (probably right about that). This partly explains why they favor large heavy knives. A large heavy knife, thrown by the handle, will complete one full turn to stick in the target, at the same distance as a tomahawk (which obviously is also thrown by the handle), roughly 15 to 18 feet. Given those parameters, the crude "bowie style" and straight handle (so it can slide easily from your hand) that I've gone with make perfect sense.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. I've never tried to throw anything from the handle (except hatchets and hawks) it must take some getting used to, but I imagine they're right about the safety part.
 
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