Tacticals Made by Us for Special OPS Forces

Here are some pics of the knife i was thinking of making for the Special Ops guys:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/terry_dodson/album?.dir=/d833

blade is 1080 steel, clay coated (Imperial Fireplace cement/mortar from Lowes), heated in my coffee can forge, quenched in my ammo box of veggie oil over water, tempered twice for 2 hours at 385 degrees, sanded to 220 grit, etched with a qtip with ferric chloride lightly. Blade is 6 inches long (1" wide), tang is 5" (with 10/32 threads on the end. I ordered a steel 1/4" x 2" guard with a 3/16" x 5/8" slot milled in it, the handle i also ordered with a 1/4" by 5/8" slot thru the oval Hickory wood (i am going to dye it dark), the end cap i also ordered is octaganal with a 10/32 threaded hole half way into it. The sheath i bought at a gun/knife show for $8 (it came with a knife but.....). I still have to put it all together and shape it all, but i thought i would show you where it is at so far. Do you think the temper/transition line is too high (it goes about half way up the 1 inch wide blade)? But from a couple threads here i am now wondering if yall think it would stand up to what they need, or should i just start over and make a full tang one? Also do you think the 1080 would be an OK steel for it? Or any other suggestions?
 
Very fine indeed Terry.

EDIT: You don't seem to say how thick the blade is but it looks just fine to me. The 1080 is a real killer steel as far as I am concerned. I use it (1075) to make my big WSK's. You are solid on your steel choice.

RL
 
Bruce Evans emailed this to me this evening:

bruce_evans.jpg


He has the sheaths to make yet and says he is still working on the memorial knife (not shown here) for the man's parents. The memorial will be carried in the theather by the team for a few weeks and then be presented.

I'll let Bruce come in and describe the knife steel and other material used.

Masterful.

RL
 
Thanks for posting the picture Roger..

These I call my "Battle ready Plows"
The steel for the blades was forged from plow steel,The guards are 1050 steel,and the handles are mortise tang Black paper Micarta that I salvaged off a old machine at the yard ( I normally don't use anything but natural material on my handles,but this seemed more appropiate)The pins are stainless.I almost forgot the big blade is almost 6 inches and the boot knife is 4 1/2 inches both are 1/4 inch thick at the guard.
Almost forgot,The blades are hand rubbed at 800 grit and the handle is left at 320 grit.

The reason for these two going this way is that for some reason or another the soldier from here didn't pick them up,No contact and I can't get ahold of him or his family,so after a few weeks of no cotact I have decided that they were made to donate to a soldier so I will just send them on this way.Now back to finishing the memorial knife and the sheaths...
Hope they like them.
Bruce
 
looks good guys, Bruce thouse should do well, talk about "beating swords into plows", guess it's time to beat plows back into swords huh?
 
Roger....I see Bruce raising the bar! Damn fine knives.
 
Some more very fine knives to be sent out! I just got my KMG in today and am ready to rock and roll, once I feel I have a knife that would do justice I will post some pics and descriptions. I absolutley love the dedication that everyone has put forth.
 
Bruce they are fantastic looking. ;) Great job. Being involved in this project has been a great start for the new year. :)
Scott
 
Thanks Guys,I believe everybody here has done some fantastic knives for this cause...

Will I was thinking the same thing when I made these,Guess we can't say "Stick'em up to Green River"anymore so we will have to come up with a new battle cry to be used with our knives :D Only I can't think of anything catchy at the moment :(

Thanks again guys,
Bruce
 
"Destroy the Enemy" is good enough for me. Maybe some of our more imaginative makers can come up with something.

RL
 
Finally one hits me...

"Let'em feel American Steel"

That would look cool etched on a blade :D

Bruce
 
We must not forget they are quit professionals. I can fly any logo by our contact for their thoughts. You guys decide on one and I'll send it along for consideration. How's that?

RL
 
Roger,It is just a idea for a Bowie or something..Allot of the Old English Bowies had slogans like that on them with a bunch of fancy scrol work...But I think the frase would be cool to say anyway :D Maybe in a signature or even on a tshirt,if y6ou know what I am saying....The old saying has been around for over a hundred years and I think a new one for our generation would be cool if it lasted as long.Maybe the guys over there already have a favorite battle cry?
Bruce

PS..Messed up on the handle last night,but am glueing up the new one on the Memorial knife as I am typing this,You will have pictures tomorrow :cool:
 
Outstanding. Don't allow my misunderstandings to get in the way of creativeness. Can't wait to see pix of the memorial. You da man Bruce.

RL
 
These are some fantastic knives going to our troops. Thanks to everyone for their work and dedication.
 
"Markings...We all agree 100% on this one unless the
maker really wants to put it on the blade, none is
better. All our team guys try to live the "Quite
Professional" motto and would prefer no "Spec Ops" or
"Special Forces" markings etc. Actually most of the
guys want the makers name on the knives so that anyone
who sees it will know where it came from."

Roger, this quote is from one of the first posts where you showed an email from your contact in Afgan.
 
I think each knife should have either "The Quiet Professional" or "De Oppresso Liber" (that's Latin, meaning to free the oppressed) etched into the blade. Every SF soldier will know EXACTLY what that means once they see it. The knife would show it's SF affiliation but still keep with the anonymity of the "Quiet Professional".
Back in my Ranger days, I would have probably killed for a CUSTOM Blade with "Sua Sponte" etched into it. Just my two cents.
 
ronin4312 said:
I think each knife should have either "The Quiet Professional" or "De Oppresso Liber" (that's Latin, meaning to free the oppressed) etched into the blade. Every SF soldier will know EXACTLY what that means once they see it. The knife would show it's SF affiliation but still keep with the anonymity of the "Quiet Professional".
Back in my Ranger days, I would have probably killed for a CUSTOM Blade with "Sua Sponte" etched into it. Just my two cents.
Click to expand...

just a thought but
these knives if done right ( not meaning as in well made) will be worth a lot some day if not just in semimetal value, if they all have a logo from one stencil and then the makers name, this will Identify that they were in collaboration for one propose and made by many for that one propose,
one day someone will see that these were done in a limited way..and may be worth a lot to collectors, and if the makers make it big time then it will add to the values.it would affect more than just this but it's the jest of it.. just a thought. I've always liked this,,
( all for one and one for all)and you could add
(we are with you and for you),,, ..
 
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