The Cowbell Build Thread

jlauffer said:
Although they are nothing alike, think I will always link these two since I got them a day apart. Well, that, and John and Scott seem to have a thing:D

John, gotta say, always been into bigger knives, but this little guy is so cool I just can't stop playing with it:oops::D

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I have always been in awe of Scott's work, and its a privilege to call him my friend. The fact that some of our knives rub elbows out there makes me very proud!

I'm glad you like the Cowbell, I think its surprisingly comfortable considering its size. I have large hands but I can work it with a three finger grip or choke up and get all four fingers on the handle and both seem comfortable.
 
jlauffer said:
Although they are nothing alike, think I will always link these two since I got them a day apart. Well, that, and John and Scott seem to have a thing:D

John, gotta say, always been into bigger knives, but this little guy is so cool I just can't stop playing with it:oops::D

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You lucky dog! Those are freaking KNICE!!! I'm jealous.
 
Melvin-Purvis said:
A day ahead of scheduled delivery, this 'lil feller made me smile! Thanks John, it's a very well made knife and sheath combo, good job! :cool:

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Now I needs to find me sumpin' to cut, hmm...brb o_O
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I really like that Bone Linen. I've got some time to think about what I want on mine but that stuff is a top contender.
 
Hey, John, another question (or 2?) on wet-forming, having now finished that sheath: Do you soak the leather, wet-form it for a while, then remove the knife while it's still soaked through, then bake it on the regimen you described above? Making sure I understand that right... Also, since you wait to cut off the excess welt until after the leather is hardened, does it make it any harder to slick the edges? Btw, I hope you don't mind, but for my first sheath, I completely knocked off your Cowbell one. I solemnly promise to share all profits 50/50...
 
Belloc said:
Hey, John, another question (or 2?) on wet-forming, having now finished that sheath: Do you soak the leather, wet-form it for a while, then remove the knife while it's still soaked through, then bake it on the regimen you described above? Making sure I understand that right... Also, since you wait to cut off the excess welt until after the leather is hardened, does it make it any harder to slick the edges? Btw, I hope you don't mind, but for my first sheath, I completely knocked off your Cowbell one. I solemnly promise to share all profits 50/50...
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What weight leather are you using?

I soak it and wet form it by pinching really tight where the front of the scales are and the area where it can lock the knife in. In the case of the Cowbell, I want a tight fit at the front finger groove especially, that will act like a lock. Don't force things, let the water soak in and the leather should be pliable.

Try to leave the knife in the whole time you're forming it, maybe test the feel of it once if at all. When you pull the knife out for the last time, it will want to stretch or undo your forming, so use your knuckle to kind of reset those areas by gently reworking them. It also doesnt hurt to run something thin inside to open up the blade area so things dont rub.

Dont overheat it and check it often. Use that excess welt to straighten it when you do check it. Do NOT mess with the formed area before it's completely dry. When the leather starts to lighten up don't go too far past that. When you're sure its dry, oil it well.

The best advice is to clip your fingernails first, those half moons are hell to get out of the leather! You're more than welcome to use any technique you see around here, there's not much new under the sun.
 
Redmeadow Knives said:
What weight leather are you using?

I soak it and wet form it by pinching really tight where the front of the scales are and the area where it can lock the knife in. In the case of the Cowbell, I want a tight fit at the front finger groove especially, that will act like a lock. Don't force things, let the water soak in and the leather should be pliable.

Try to leave the knife in the whole time you're forming it, maybe test the feel of it once if at all. When you pull the knife out for the last time, it will want to stretch or undo your forming, so use your knuckle to kind of reset those areas by gently reworking them. It also doesnt hurt to run something thin inside to open up the blade area so things dont rub.

Dont overheat it and check it often. Use that excess welt to straighten it when you do check it. Do NOT mess with the formed area before it's completely dry. When the leather starts to lighten up don't go too far past that. When you're sure its dry, oil it well.

The best advice is to clip your fingernails first, those half moons are hell to get out of the leather! You're more than welcome to use any technique you see around here, there's not much new under the sun.
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I used 8/9 Herrmann Oak, per your advice. I was trying to figure out the process last night at about midnight, because everything I've seen on wet-forming says to wrap your knife in plastic. There's no way to do that and get it into the sheath with the plastic intact, and you can't bake it with the knife inside, and I didn't want to leave the naked knife in a sopping sheath till it dried, so I just kind of did the "moisten and mold" method on the front (wanted the back flat anyway), boned it, really, and let it dry over a couple of hours, and it worked well, I think, though probably not as rigid as your method. That makes sense, now that you explain it. You're not kidding about marks in the leather. The other thing that was tricky was punching the stitching holes through four layers of thick leather - had to do them separately and together and try to line everything up, and it was still hard to get the needles through. Anyway, thanks for the quick answer and good advice!
 
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