Patch Knife and in-progress Nessmuk - part of a trio.

Mentor

Mentor

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Nov 27, 2004
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Hey gents,

Last week, I was able to spend a few days in the shop, messing around with some Green River / Russell knife blades. I love these blades, as they are made from cheap but good-quality carbon steel, and while they are definitely ugly and utilitarian, they can be dressed up without too much trouble.

I had a patch knife blank (http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/images/BL035_550.jpg) and a buffalo skinner blank (http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/images/BLBUF_550.jpg) to work with. My goal was to make a nice rustic hiking pair, with the skinner transformed into something Nessmuk-ish. Add a nice double-bit axe and you have a solid trio. Eventually, I'm going to make a double sheath for the Nessmuk and the patch knife, but in the meantime, I thought I would show a few pictures. The handles are (in case you can't tell) totally inspired by Andy's (Fiddleback's) excellent layered pieces. I started with a black spacer, and added a layer of yellowheart and a layer of padauk.

Here's the patch knife. It is pretty much finished, though the handle could use some time on the buffer. The blade was given a mixed vinegar-mustard patina, which turned out nice and even. I'm really happy with it.

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Here's the Nessmuk. It's a work in progress. I re-shaped the blade, turning the upswept point into a Nessmuk bump, and gave the whole thing a bit of a flat grind, with a re-profiled cutting edge. The handle needs some hand sanding before I hit it with the Danish oil. The blade will also see some additional hand sanding - I added the patina at this stage because this steel is a rust magnet.

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So, there you have it. One of my spring projects will be to make a suitably rustic leather double sheath for these two. I'm also going to be on the lookout for an old double-bit that I can refurbish and re-handle to complete the trio. Comments, criticism, and suggestions are most welcome.

All the best,

- Mike
 
Nice looking knives! Tell me more about the woods you used. Are they soft? Hard? Oily?
 
Rockywolf said:
Nice looking knives! Tell me more about the woods you used. Are they soft? Hard? Oily?
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I'm by no means an expert with these things, but, based on my experience, padauk is an ideal wood to work with. It seems to be slightly softer than cocobolo, and it is not naturally oily. It is easy to shape (though I find it can burn easily, so it's best to use fresh belts), and it takes a finish well. The natural red of the wood is amazingly vibrant at first, but it darkens with time.

This is my first time messing around with yellowheart. It is easy to work with, and seems to also be of medium density. I chose it because I wanted a light wood to compliment the padauk. The two woods laminate together very well - being of comparable density, they respond similarly to humidity or temperature changes, which was important, as I didn't want to invite separation between the layers.

I purchased my wood from Lee Valley, by the way. They have a decent selection of sheet stock.

j williams, the patch knife is like a little razor. I put an edge on it with my water stones, and it is now scary sharp. I have to say that the shape has really grown on me. I think that with my next one, I'll add a brass bolster to help balance the weight out.

Thanks for the comments guys,

All the best,

- Mike
 
Nice work!:thumbup:

I'd have had a hard time leaving the blade shape of patch knife alone. The thumb ramp on the spine would have stayed but I'd have been unable to control my urge to grind that tip into a modified wharncliffe.
 
Very looking knife you have there. I am going to have to make me one LOL They have such a interesting look I think. Your handls really look nice to.

Bryan
 
sicily02 said:
Very looking knife you have there. I am going to have to make me one LOL They have such a interesting look I think. Your handls really look nice to.

Bryan
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Thanks very much Bryan, that means a lot coming from you!

All the best,

- Mike

PS methinks Bryan has been 'typing while jubilant' ;)
 
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