Setting up shop, may need advice on a few things

Moving forward a lot easier now, still got to widen the slot a bit.
Still a fair bit of metal to remove, from the front spacer, bolster or what it's called.

The terminology still isn't fully incorporated in my english vocabulary, it's not even fully incorporated into my native language.

IMG-20201108-153706.jpg
 
Finaly done filing the slot in the damascus block, now I figure it's time to move on to the rest of the handle.
I still need to shape everything, but here is my idea for the handle.

Handle-design.jpg
 
Before you make that extension i suggest you to check if it would work .Make tang and extension attached from some thin piece of plastic, steel whatever you have around and check if it can pass in that angle .I guess it will not work .You have narrow angle and long straight extension
 
Thank you Natlek, thats good advice.
My plan is to drill a 8 mm hole down the handle, and a 10 mm hole from the end.
Scrape out a channel for the tang, and try my best to round the bend that the M8 extension will pass thru.

I also have the option to use M6, but thinking that will give me a lot less work space.
 
It looks like your handle is much larger than the blade. I think it will overpower the look and feel of the blade. I like the look of the handle, it just appears to be too large.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
It looks like your handle is much larger than the blade. I think it will overpower the look and feel of the blade. I like the look of the handle, it just appears to be too large.
Click to expand...

Hmmm not sure how to scale it down, as I kinda traced it of one of my knifes that I feel I have a good grip on.
It might be a little big bigger, then what I drew it after but not much.
The handle end is a little bigger and wider, but I really like that down curved swell end. (That don't sound right at all hehehe , sorry for my lag of better terms)
So I drew that on, after I traced the handle to my best abilitys.
 
Got the handle roughly cut out, and made my first broach today.
Turned out all right, hardend the tip maybe a inch down the spine. Not sure if I should have hardend more of it, but I guess I will find out if it bends.

Also it's not as wide/thik as my tang, maybe .5mm thinner but I figure it's gonna be hard to hold it 100% straight.
Never used a tool like this, im guessing if I angle it I can widen the channel as well. Any tips, hint or links to videos on how to use it.
I've seen them in use, also seen them made. But not seen any detailed tutorial videos, so im guessing it's as straight forward as it looks.

It's deffently sharp, tested it on some of the cut-of from the hande. It dug right in and left a smooth channel, figure I might use that for a handle.
For now I will try it out, as it looks here and see if it even needs a bigger handle.

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Still a bit to go, but over all happy with how the handle shape have turned out.
I need to shape the butt area a little more, but finaly working the emeril tape I have been waiting for.
It took a while to get here, and my budget didn't cover all the grits I would have liked to buy.

Still got a few grits to go thru, next up will be 240 grit and then 400 as I don't have any 320.
IMG-20201117-153445.jpg
 
You did a good job. The following is not meant to diminish the good work you did.

Earlier I made a comment on the handle overpowering the blade. It looks like the blade is almost half the size it should be to match that big handle.

The spine should align with the top of the handle or at least be almost aligned. The handle extends far below the edge , and also, the handle is longer than the blade. A handle an be longer than the blade but it needs to be proportionate in shape and mass so as not to be overpowering .

With some more grinding and shaping you could shorten the handle and thin it out more (especially from the top).
I also feel the palm swell is far too large. It should only be a small and smooth increase, not a big projection. On that knife I think it would be best to grind the handle back with no palm swell.20201117_135909.jpg
 
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Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
You did a good job. The following is not meant to diminish the good work you did.
Click to expand...

No worries Sir, I much appreciate all the input im given by you and everyone else!

Someone pointed out to me aswell, that I need to aline the spine of the blade and top of the handle more.
So I will give that a try, and see how much I can or dare to remove.

The palm swell really feels right, when I grip the handle but it could feel/look totaly off when I change the hight.
 
IMG-20201117-233445.jpg


As it looks now, it fit's my hand nicely and leave a little extra room for my fingers.
Im afraid if I shorten the handle, my pinky finger will feel the edge of the end.

A side question, as I understad leather sheets and damascus is a poor combination.
Will a wooden sheet, with a leather wrap cause the same issues or do I need to treat the leather/skin in a different way?
 
The word is sheath.
Leather sheaths are fine for carrying a knife in the field or around the shop, but you should never store a blade in one for a long time. Wooden sheaths are for much larger knives. The main thing about making a leather sheath is to use the right type of leather. You want vegetable tanned leather, preferably a shoulder piece. Also make sure you put a welt in the sheath. A fold-over sheath with no welt is a severe cut waiting to happen.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The word is sheath.
Leather sheaths are fine for carrying a knife in the field or around the shop, but you should never store a blade in one for a long time. Wooden sheaths are for much larger knives. The main thing about making a leather sheath is to use the right type of leather. You want vegetable tanned leather, preferably a shoulder piece. Also make sure you put a welt in the sheath. A fold-over sheath with no welt is a severe cut waiting to happen.
Click to expand...

Thanks I will try to remember that spelling

Where im from, wooden sheaths are also used for smaller knifes.
From what I have learned/seen, a puukko sheath is "just" two slaps of birch wood. Held together by wraping it in wet hide, sewing the seam and let it dry.

This would be ideal, as I have a few deer or caribou hides in the attic.
They are not thick enough, that I feel comfortable making regular sheaths from them.
I have had them for 10 years, it's about time they get used for something else then winter camping.

Shoulder piece you say, I have been looking at quarter or half cow hides.
Should I go for a front or hind and why?
 
I just realized you were in Scandinavia. Puukko style sheaths are more popular there. There are few things a s lovely as a well executed multi-piece puukko sheath and matching knife. By far, that is my favorite style. If you don't have Bo Bergman's books, get them. His "Knifemaking" book is in English and Finnish. His Sheaths book is only in Finnish.

A front quarter side of cowhide in about 8-9 ounce is good for most sheaths. For big heaver sheaths use 10-12 oz. A shoulder cut is the upper portion of that quarter. I like to buy it in 24X24 inch pieces because there is little waste.

I would save the caribou for covering wooden puukko sheaths, or buckskin/outdoor gear. It isn't the right type for knife sheaths.

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It may be available in German and Finnish. I know that many of us have hoped it would be released in English, but it is not.
 
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