Russell Green River modification advise

[deltablade]

This knife seems to me to be the American equivalent of the Swedish Mora, a solid, inexpensive all purpose knife. Yet with no guard I am concerned that my hand would slip down on the blade. A curved ricasso might work nicely, and I am thinking about trying to file one into the blade. Have any of you tried any similar modifications?


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[me2]

No mods personally, but I've wanted to try. They are indeed the American Mora equivalent: cheap, thin, and cut so easy you'll wonder how you made it this far without one.

 

[Bo T]

I used the upper wheel on a belt sander to grind the finger and thumb indents into my Green River knife. I set them where my thumb and finger lay when holding the knife. You could use a 2-3" dowel or rod and sandpaper to do the same thing.

 

[deltablade]

thanks, great idea. how do you set the guards on those long knives?

 

[shecky]

I'm 99% sure I've seen those Dexter Russell knives available with a metal guard. They looked kinda crude, like a cast metal bolster/guard held on by the first rivet. But I'm pretty sure they're out there.

 

[Bo T]

I used those knives to practice setting guards so I pinned them and then practiced soldering them. Jantz sells the blades and a notched guard blank that fits the width and thickness of the blade very closely.

 

[ThundarStick]

First off. What kind of tools do you have avalable? I hafted my first knife with a 4 1/2 inch high speed angle grinder using backed sanding disk of different gritts. This works very well, matter of fact I still use it for roughing out bone handles. Sanding drum on a rotary tool would get the job done as well.
I use the Green River blades to make all kinds of designs by cutting and grinding off the parts of the blade I don't want and reprofile the blade.

BTW I still use that first knife in the kitchen. That ripper blade is half gone after 10 years!

 

[deltablade]

First off. What kind of tools do you have avalable? I hafted my first knife with a 4 1/2 inch high speed angle grinder using backed sanding disk of different gritts. This works very well, matter of fact I still use it for roughing out bone handles. Sanding drum on a rotary tool would get the job done as well.
I use the Green River blades to make all kinds of designs by cutting and grinding off the parts of the blade I don't want and reprofile the blade.

BTW I still use that first knife in the kitchen. That ripper blade is half gone after 10 years!

I have a dremel, a Harbor Freight belt sander, small, and some files and sandpaper.

 

[Bo T]

"I have a dremel, a Harbor Freight belt sander, small, and some files and sandpaper. "

You are going to throw a lot of sparks with coarser grit on your belt sander. Keep an eye out underneath the platten, inside the roller housing as the sparks can set the wood dust on fire. I recommend a full face shield and an N95 mask. I use 3M because the exhale valve forces your breath out of your line of sight.

 

[deltablade]

thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Bo T]

They look better and a lot more comfortable than the stock knives.

 

[ThundarStick]

Got around to taking some pictures of my amateur tinkering. There is a small skinner that has not been modified, but most of them I couldn't even tell you the model I started with. The realy short bladed one is a ripper blade that has been used in the kitchen for over 10 years and finally modified into a pairing knife.

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[deltablade]

I figured out how to reshape the handles to give my hand a grip so it won't slip down on the blade. just a little finger grove at the front edge of the handle will do it. I did reshape the top of the blades a little bit as well. make really fine and light trail knives. work well in kitchen too.


IMG_1480 by deltablade2, on Flickr
IMG_1481 by deltablade2, on Flickr

even reshaped a couple Russell skinners into nessies that came out pretty well


IMG_1479 by deltablade2, on Flickr

so my conclusion is that these Russell green river knives, and the skinner/nessies, are a pretty good American version of the scandi for a trail knife. Inexpensive yet good carbon steel, and easy to modify with basic tools.

 

[Bo T]

Those look like pretty comfortable handles. Some make a socket on one side of the handle for a bow drill. Just in case you wanted to try a little fire craft while camping or on the trail.

 

[deltablade]

My favorite knife in your photo is the red handled knife in the center. what is that?

Got around to taking some pictures of my amateur tinkering. There is a small skinner that has not been modified, but most of them I couldn't even tell you the model I started with. The realy short bladed one is a ripper blade that has been used in the kitchen for over 10 years and finally modified into a pairing knife.

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