Southwest with Stag

L

lwrhea

Joined
May 24, 2005
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This Bowie is the first one I have for the Fisk Micro Show.
448848507_686c6701e3_o.jpg


The blade is 9 1/4 inches of W2 steel. I got this steel from Don Hanson and His advice for heat treat was right on the money, including soak time. I edge quenched this one getting aquainted with the steel. It has a nice temperline similar to 1084 with a little more flutter. I tested the edge geometry on some Elk antler and it did very well. This is not the only one I forged from the W2, so it was a learning experience. I'm really liking it.
The fittings are Silicon Bronze and Stainless and the handle construction is Through Tang.
The Sambar was a little rough and would not be comfortable, so I knocked the tops off the popcorn and that helped, plus gave it a nice contrast of light to dark.
It will have a Kenny Rowe sheath before the show.

I'll post another photo later that shows the handle from both sides. Lin
 
VERY nice. Lin. Tell us how you succesfully edge quenched the W2 because I have been nervous about doing that. The few I have made have either been clay quenched or fully quenched.
 
Thanks guys.

Joe, I have just started to use the W2, but have discovered two things that I must do to successfully heat treat and Don gave me a clue right from the start. He said to let it soak.
I found that I needed to bring the color/temperature up slowly with the forge set a little cool, raising forge temp as needed to get good color. If you come up too fast, the tip of blade gets too hot too fast. Reach temperature and hold for several minutes and quench. This holding of temp (soak) is a must for the look. In other words, I first got my temperline too low(did not soak long enough) on the blade to look right, even though the blade passed the chop test. A longer soak made the temperline move up a little higher from the cutting edge giving a more pleasing look. This knife represents a lot of head scratching and studying of peculiarities of this steel. Its not difficult to work with. It just has its own recipe.

I hope Don will speak up and add his thoughts.

Anthony, Traditional is what I was looking for. Thanks. The ricasso is slightly wider than the handle ferule, done on a lot of the early Bowies. I will rarely do this except on early looking knives. Otherwise the handle and the ricasso is as close to even as possible. In both cases, the two parts must be centered with each other to look right, IMO.

I'll put up another shot when I can get to my desk. Lin
 
Classic Southwest, beautifully rendered.

lwrhea said:
The Sambar was a little rough and would not be comfortable, so I knocked the tops off the popcorn....
Click to expand...

I think this might actually be a felony offence in Arkansas Lin, you may want to edit that out. :-)

Just kidding - I think the stag looks great on this piece.

Roger
 
Roger,
You may be right!

But, really, the popcorn was not entirely dispersed around the piece and would not "add to" the knife, so it was decision time. Fortunately for this piece, the rough and high spots were very even around it and now both sides look very close to the same and I was able to leave a lot of depth to the Stag's texture. As you would know, a lot of the best parts of the stag are often ground away in an effort to shape the handle. I have done this too, but am now drawing the knife from the very beginning so as to better match the blade and individual piece of Stag to take advantage of its best qualities. Its amazing the things you are required to learn, just to properly use a particular material. There is just no end to it. Aint it great?!

Lin
 
Nice work! I look forward to seeing the other knives you will be making for the Fisk Micro Show. I was curious as to the OAL on this piece?
 
lwrhea said:
Roger,
You may be right!

But, really, the popcorn was not entirely dispersed around the piece and would not "add to" the knife, so it was decision time. Fortunately for this piece, the rough and high spots were very even around it and now both sides look very close to the same and I was able to leave a lot of depth to the Stag's texture. As you would know, a lot of the best parts of the stag are often ground away in an effort to shape the handle. I have done this too, but am now drawing the knife from the very beginning so as to better match the blade and individual piece of Stag to take advantage of its best qualities. Its amazing the things you are required to learn, just to properly use a particular material. There is just no end to it. Aint it great?!

Lin
Click to expand...

I believe that's a primary reason why it takes so long for a maker to progress to the point to be considered among the best. Because as you say its so many things you have to learn (not be taught) through experience, trial and error. IMHO you are on the fast track to arrive at this point, if not already there.
 
krug82 said:
Nice work! I look forward to seeing the other knives you will be making for the Fisk Micro Show. I was curious as to the OAL on this piece?
Click to expand...

Usually, if you add about 5" to the blade length, you will be pretty darn close.

You can see Jerry's Micro Show knives as he startes them and knives and information from pass shows at:

http://www.fisk-knives.com/MICRO_INVITATIONAL_SHOW.html

Wouldn't surprise me to see some start showing up soon on Harvey Dean's site either.
 
Krug82,
Kevin is very close on this one. I made the handle 4 3/4 from the front of the guard, so the total would be around 14 inches.

Kevin,
Have you ever watched some of the guys at the Stag vendors table? Lots of visualizing going on. :D

Lin
 
Very nice Bowie Lin! I like it. W2 ia a super steel but has you have learned, needs to treated a bit different than others. Keep up the very good work.

The Fisk show is in the fall, right? If you're starting now, you should have 28 knives for the show :eek: ;) :D
 
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