Weird little knife

[JimmyJimenez]

You make all these yourself?

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

You make all these yourself?

Indeed, look through some of my old threads and you'll see a whole bunch of scrap metal given a new lease on life. I'm no pro like a lot of the excellent knifemakers here in the forum, but I've pretty much ceased carrying storebought knives. Mine generally cut better and hold an edge longer. Being my own knifemaker means I never have to settle for a knife that's almost right, I can purpose build 'em for whatever purpose I have in mind. And usually for way less than I'd spend on a six pack of beer. It's a great hobby, and we've got lots of guys here that turn out some really outstanding knives, if you ain't tried it yet, you ought to.

Sarge

added: here's some samples of my "scrap metal recycling program"

 

[hollowdweller]

Actually, I'll be using this one alot this afternoon, harvesting wild herbs like blue sage and skullcap.

Sarge

Wow. Scullcap? Ms HD and I have lots of medicinal and culinary herb beds here and I have bought like 5 or six scullcap plants over the years and have tried them in difft soil conditions and locations without success. What sort of aspect to they grow naturally?

When I hurt my back I bought a pound of it and made this tea that was Passionflower, Scullcap and Valerian and it would cut the muscle spasms like a charm. Valerian by itself works great but with the PF and SC it is even more powerful. One problem, is cats LOVE valerian. Catnip has escaped here and grows everywhere, and the cats love it but I actually have to protect the valerian or they will dig up the roots! They also knock over the teacup if you set it in the floor and for a week or so after will roll where it spilled

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

Wow. Scullcap? Ms HD and I have lots of medicinal and culinary herb beds here and I have bought like 5 or six scullcap plants over the years and have tried them in difft soil conditions and locations without success. What sort of aspect to they grow naturally?

When I hurt my back I bought a pound of it and made this tea that was Passionflower, Scullcap and Valerian and it would cut the muscle spasms like a charm. Valerian by itself works great but with the PF and SC it is even more powerful. One problem, is cats LOVE valerian. Catnip has escaped here and grows everywhere, and the cats love it but I actually have to protect the valerian or they will dig up the roots! They also knock over the teacup if you set it in the floor and for a week or so after will roll where it spilled

God bless Texas, the stuff just grows wild around here like the rest of the wildflowers (when my daughter was out here once for a visit, she thought the state paid people to go around planting flowers everywhere). Walked around a friend's property yesterday, and in ten minutes time located sage, skullcap, foxglove, wild onions, flax, wild geraniums, vervain, and a whole bunch of others. He's getting ready to run a dadburn mower over the whole area, preparatory to a huge Easter egg hunt, so I'll be harvesting like a madman this afternoon. There's plenty more around in uncultivated areas, but I can't sit still and see beneficial plants turned into mulch.

Sarge

 

[JimmyJimenez]

It just goes to further show that there are many creative folks in this forum

Most of your knives have that "old school" appeal about them

Very nice!

 

[Fiddleback]

Don't know what you could use it for cept carving spoons, but I like the shape of the handle. How you gonna make a sheath for it I wonders.

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

How you gonna make a sheath for it I wonders.

I'll let Hollow worry about that when he gets it. My guess is he'll drill a hole in the handle so he can hang it on a nail in the barn, it's what I'd do with an implement that ain't a carrying around kind of knife. The best solution is usually the one that's most practical.

Sarge

 

[hollowdweller]

Exactly. I'll just keep it with my clippers and other hoof stuff at the house (barn sets on a creekbank so too damp for stuff like that) With the long handle and blade design I can just put it in the side pocket of my bib overalls below the hammer loop for easy access.

Thanks Sarge!!!!:thumbup:

 

[ferguson]

Cool Sarge. Form follows function again.:thumbup:

Steve

 

[munk]

Sarge, there are all kinds of broken plow blades out here, mostly for the wheat: how does that metal compare to leafspring for knife making? What should I be picking up and hoarding and or sending to you?

The power went out here and I lost my post - the knife original shown is a strange one, if not for grooming an animal's hoof what about wood work, or a sculptor using it for either clay or a wax model?



munk

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

Sarge, there are all kinds of broken plow blades out here, mostly for the wheat: how does that metal compare to leafspring for knife making? What should I be picking up and hoarding and or sending to you?

The power went out here and I lost my post - the knife original shown is a strange one, if not for grooming an animal's hoof what about wood work, or a sculptor using it for either clay or a wax model?



munk

Don't sound like you need to start hoarding it if it's lying about in the quantities you've indicated. Have you and your friend got a forge put together yet? A lot of that stuff you're talking about is going to be straight carbon steel like O1, W1, 1095, and 5160. What makes spring steel spring steel is largely a function of how it's heat treated, so it all pretty much works the same. Except for when it comes to quenching, there you're safest bet is an oil quench, apparently water quenching causes many steels to crack.

But there's other folks on here that know lots more than I do. I just know if it rusts readily, and throws bright hot sparks when stuck to a grinding wheel, I can make neat stuff out of it.

Sarge

 

[Kevin the grey]

Sarge I do not aspire to even approach your efforts . There is just too much else I have on my plate . I,m afraid my aspirations are limited to making a serviceable knife .
I,m kinda new on the herbal end of things . I grow peppermint and Sylvia . There is a vacant lot where people used to garden . You can find anything from garlic chives to a couple of Kentucky coffee trees which are a mystery to the locals as they are not supposed to grow here .

I thought skullcap was a mushroom ?

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

I thought skullcap was a mushroom ?

Hardly a mushroom Kevin, it flowers out real purty. The blossoms are very similar to those of the blue sage, but the leaves and stems of the two plants are very different. Skullcap is an important medicinal herb widely used in alternative medicine.

Sarge

 

[hollowdweller]

I think it may even be in the mint family.

 

[Kevin the grey]

There is a skullcap mushroom . I think the difference in opinions may come from the figurative names we give plants . Its a poisonous mushroom though that often means it has uses but you must be careful .

Your plant is much prettier . I enjoy using mild herbal remedies . By mild I mean ones that usually don,t interact too radically with other medicines I might have to take . When I find myself in need of refreshment and am all coffeed out a hot cup of mint tea does wonders .

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

There is a skullcap mushroom . I think the difference in opinions may come from the figurative names we give plants . Its a poisonous mushroom though that often means it has uses but you must be careful .

If you mean the Autumn Skullcap mushroom, galerina autumnalis, you're absolutely right about me not wanting to stick any in my mouth.

Sarge

 

[Kevin the grey]

I do find that most of the so called poisonous mushrooms are of medicinal worth . Somtimes it is a false warning to scare away the occasional dufus who may misuse them . Others are ones that we just haven,t found a use for .

 

[Yvsa]

I think it may even be in the mint family.

If'en it has a square stem it's in the mint family. That's the hallmark of mint and its relations.:thumbup:

 

[Kevin the grey]

I think it may even be in the mint family.

Sorry Hollwdweller I,m a little dozy today . Were you referring to That pretty flower skullcap ? I think its amazing how many plants are in the mint family .
I have seeds of one called applemint . Delicious apple flavour . I don,t know if the apple part is truly from the mint family or something they bred in . Whatever, it makes great tea . I,ll have to look into Skullcap more .If its anything like other mints it likes lots of water , There are some that are supposed to be marginals . I have even heard of an aquatic mint . I can,t find out any more about it .

 

[stevomiller]

Very nice Sarge, I like your backwoods looking knives. HD, I bet that will be a dandy for what you need it for. I don't want one, though, less the wife uses it on this old goat:foot:

Munk, most plows are 1060 or 1075 plain carbon steel. It is the easiest to forge, and pretty easy to heat treat. 5160 is a little easier to HT, but a little "stiffer" under the hammer.