The Guruguru Bowie Makeover- Chapter 1 "The Beginning"

Bawanna

Bawanna

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As our story begins I hear via email from auntie that guruguru wants to send his recently acquired IBBB prize from the DOTD direct to me for a makeover.
And they say there is no trust in today's society.
I agreed after a contact with guruguru hisself releasing me of all liability, blame and shame if I screw it up...

So I did a little patient evaluation yesterday evening and it's quite a nice knife, a Bhakta so I expected nothing less. A little blemish on the left horn panel, can't figure what it is, at first I though just a rub mark but it's different, feels different under the tool. No matter, I think it'll disappear after I scratch it all up with checkering.

So the beginning. "The Victim".

Ummm err, I meant "The Patient"





Your typical IBBB, translated this means AWESOME!!!!!!

So Mr. Guruguru apparently like me has small to average hands and he wondered about modifying it to be closer to the original first generation bowie. He plans to use it for camping and food prep and doesn't intend to pry open car doors, lift up railroad cars, or do any macho ninja stuff with it so he didn't feel he needed the tang on the back.

Hmmmm???

Nurse anesthetic.....................

Sponge......Scotch.......err ummmm Hacksaw...man up bawanna, you can do this....scotch,,, scotch.....Hacksaw


Goin in! This is really gonna hurt.

Oooppps! Sponge!! Scotch, start an IV! Stat!



Well that ain't so bad??




Little filing and sanding and head scratching and scotch and we're ready to checker.
First couple lines.


Now to make a whole bunch more of them little lines. You know where I'll be tonight and most of tomorrow and probably Sunday too. Keeps me off the streets and that's a good thing.

Gentle criticism expected, remember I'm a sensitive sort of dude but I can take it, let er rip.
 
Crap, he never said nothing about personality? Aww man, is this a bad thing or a good thing.

Personality? Who knew?

He did say the worse that could happen is he'd have to buy another one. Maybe we're ok I hope.
 
You cut its tail?
No more IBBBBabies?
I hope it's one of them reversable procedures?
If not I'm sure she's going to look mighty pretty when you are done with it.
 
Bawanna magic! Can't wait to see the finished product. I know it'll be amazing.
 
You cut a bowie in half!:eek::eek::eek: Who in their right mind would whack a perfectly good bowie in half?;)

Who wouldda thunk it? Man that looks totally Khul! Those spots look like laha added to a blem spot. Doubt it would be a problem since that stuff is so tough. I have a few blems where it looks like they layed a hot iron down on top the handle and accidentally burned a spot like that. I wonder how finger grooves would look on that style? Looking good Mr.B! Your neck hurtin yet?
 
That's what these look like, like they laid something hot on it. Sadly it's showing through the checkering, it's not bad but I'm not liking it.

I got a plan and I'm gonna gamble and just do it and hope guruguru likes it.

I ran it by my son and his friend and they thought it was a cool idea so that's where I'll be. The neck is starting to complain some. Might go chop a little wood so the rest of me has something to complain about. Dang elbows are still sore, was gonna lay off the wood pile for this weekend but the sun is out and I might have to chop some, who knows might loosen up the neck while I'm at it.

More pictures later on.
 
Stuff some of that sunlight in a triangle box and send me some! Been pretty crappy here. I gotta chop wood today as well. Ive been in the dome trying to forge a few blades. I need a hammer and set of tongs badly. Time to bite the bullet. Im using the shop vac to heat up the fire in the pot belly stove till the steel gets hot enough but my anvil is so cold its sucking the heat from my blades.
Cant wait to see what yall came up with. Maybe just inlay a couple big arse gold nuggets in them holes and checker around them:D
 
Wow! Looking great Bawanna. Can't wait to see the results of the surprise you mention.

If I don't like it, just an excuse to buy another... If I like it, just an excuse to buy another one... win win win!
 
Well I was jazzed about working on this knife today and while I'm usually not an early riser this morning found me at the bench with coffee and having already checked the HI forum at 5:30am. That's O'Dark thirty for you military folks.

First a submission of my purple heart application. Note the Bowie did not do this to me, a little carving knife did it to me. I didn't even cry, I wanted to but I didn't, and I didn't get any blood on the Bowie, sacrifice the body to save the Bowie.


I couldn't handle the blem on the left side so we had to operate and remove them. I thought long and hard about Ndog's Gold Nugget inlay but I only had enough for 1 and Bookie wouldn't donate the other 3 to science, I even asked nice.

So had to go some stabilized Maple (I think). I know it's stabilized, think it's Maple.

Course since I did the one side I had to do the other side so it looked the same coming and going.







My people on this end like it so hopefully guruguru will too. I hope. If not it's an excuse to buy another, and if he does like it it's an excuse to buy another, which is an excuse for ME to buy another.

Anyhow I'm used up today, I'm gonna hang on to these another day or two to make sure they meet standards and then I'll try to pry it out of my hands and give it to the mail man.

Guruguru, PM or Email me your address, I don't have a clue where you are seeings how it came direct from Auntie.

Maybe we can call this one the IBBB GT Model. Racing stripes, no dual exhaust and hopefully never gets lost!
 
Very nice, with the checkering and inlay. It makes this a one of a kind knife. Nobody else in the world will have one just like it. Unless you make more.
 
You guys are too kind. I'm blushing.

I do like one of a kind though. And just like the kami's where each knife is just a bit different, there's no way I could duplicate this precisely, close perhaps but would be just a tad different.

Now what am I gonna do for the rest of the weekend.

I did spent a few minutes rearranging "the wall" to make room for the treasures GB sent me and hopefully a couple future knives if I get lucky. I got most everything on there and a bit of room but not much. No worries I'll just make another "wall". Not sure where, might have to add on again.

Guruguru, log in and give your brutal honest take on this. I'm aching with anticipation.
 
Dang! :eek: Freakin awesome! Super cool job Mr. B, it looks way too cool to even use!
 
Yellow Black pattern with a serious sting?
That's a Hornet in my book. :D
One of them flying beasts made my hand swell beyond recognition for a day when I was 7. Needless to say after that I had a bit more respect for mother nature. :p

Cool design idea and perfect looking execution.

Does the inlay go all the way down to the tang? How do you get it to fit in so seemlessly? Lots of little adjustments until it fits? How does it stay in there? Epoxy or hidden pins?
Sorry for all these questions. It's just too great looking to not be curious about.
 
Just careful fitting. I cut the slot edges close with a coping saw. The slot does not go all the way to the tang, only half way or so.

I started to use my dremel in a drill stand but opted to stick with hand tools. Used a chisel and carving knife.

Lot of file work to get just the right fit.

Roughed up the inside of the inlay and the horn and acraglas'd it together. No pins needed. Mostly got blind hog lucky I think, they did fit very well.

The blems on the left side panel sort of dictated where the inlays had to go in order to get rid of them, again blind hog luck it looked like it was planned.
 
Luck. Right. :D
They fit so well it looks like one solid piece just dyed differently. I know how it would look if I'd hacked around with a coping saw and a chisel :eek:

With your luck/skill you could easily start a business.

Can't wait to read how Guruguru likes it. ☺
 
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