Thai jungle knife short bush sword

Joined
Apr 12, 2006
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This was made for a knife in the hat exchange, or KITH, over on Don Fogg's forum. The idea on this KITH was to make a blade that was either mythological (though myth could be of modern and even personal manufacture) or tribal in aesthetics. I was originally planning a forge finished integral socket bush sword with a La Tene-style blade inspired by Robert E. Howard's "The Valley of the Worm", but time drew near and I came across a style of blade from the jungles of Thailand that really caught my eye, and I went with that instead.

The blade is approximately 13" long and 3/16" thick, forged from 5160 and given my typical triple normalization, triple quench in canola oil, and triple tempering cycle heat treatment that I use for 5160. Here's what it looked like post-hardening and pre-tempering:

jungleknife.jpg


After tempering, cleaning off the oil, and wrapping the handle with hemp and tying two-strand Turk's head knots in cotton:

jungleknife2.jpg


After sealing the wrap in black shellac:

jungleknife3.jpg


And after sharpening to shaving sharp,

jungleknife4.jpg


It's on its way to its new owner, Scott Roush, who makes awesome knives.
 
I'm excited like a schoolkid Christmas eve.... tag alders will be flying in a couple of days!
 
Very cool, although being a big ol' REH fan, I'd like to see the Valley of the Worm sword, too.
 
very rad indeed.
 
That is a great looking sword and a perfect socket as usual!
 
Thank y'all!

Scott - Tag alders? That some tree y'all got up in them furrin' lands? 'Round here we got 'squite and such. ;)

JAlexander - Maybe someday I'll get to forge that sword. This'll be only the second time since high school that I've missed the Robert E. Howard Days in Cross Plains, TX this June. But that's because I'll be manning my table at the Blade Show! :D
 
Great job on another BIG chopper.... :cool:

Congrats to the new owner, too. :)
 
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