milesofalaska
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2010
- Messages
- 514
This is the blurb I post on my web site with the pictures
Skinner camp knife. Overall length 9 ¼ inches cutting edge 4 ¾. D2 steel. Mammoth ivory handle. Custom cast guard is fish design cast in 2 metals bronzes and copper. Acid etching design in blade is mountain scenes one side with duck flying over the other side a sunrise. Has a nice balanced feel to it. Finger groves help with no slip. D2 steel is stain resistant so good around water or acids (tree saps, fruit etc)
Several unique methods used here ...I had this nice set of mammoth ivory bark. At least nice in terms of color! But see it is hollow and twisted. I made a rim around each piece sticking up using duct tape. I poured colored resin in the hollow tape framework. The result is an even flat back to go against the steel. The blue resin acts as a spacer and is uneven visualy, but does not seem to detract from the over all finished product. Though anyone trying this needs a style that lends itself to- well not many straight lines. But it can be a good way to handle material that has problems.
The guard is custom cast and note how it is copper and brass? When I lost wax cast I spun two separate metals in fast enough they welded together. This gives a unique look. Not as controlled as Id like so it becomes more art than science but often , usually, it comes out interesting.
The acid etched blade is D2 steel. Tricky to etch since it is acid resistant. Heating the steel and using straight acid (applied with Q tip) with no dilution was the answer. So Im pleased with all these innovations I brought together into this final product.
I might add as well that I do not drill my handle holes in the steel before I put the handle material on. Drilling the holes is close to a final step. I apply my handle material, grind it, and take it to close to final sand, then drill the handle and steel at the same time. Several advantages. The holes are guaranteed to line up perfect. It saves lay out time. It allows me to control where the pins go in relation to the patterns on the handle material, meaning the pins can become part of the handle materials design. I also think it helps utilize uneven surfaces with handle materials. I do not flat grind my handles but shape them with hand held foredom cutting- sanding discs. It would be harder to carve with pins already in (or even already drilled) . Now and then I may not want a pin in a low spot, Now and then I see a weak spot in the handle material Id rather have a pin in, to ensure this spot will not crack or lift (like a pin on both sides of a weak spot that could develop into a crack if not held well. So thought Id share some of these ideas and styles and show how it is all put together. I enjoy looking at everyone elses work here! I suppose a knife tells us something of ourselves huh? But I stop short of spelling out exactly what this means in this case! Ha!