What's happening in the David Mary Custom shop?

David Mary said:
These are from scales I made a while back “for a rainy day”. I have enough left to make another knife this size or smaller. Burlap Micarta, and inlay made with Dymalux and a stabilized spalted tamarind scrap left over from a custom. Orange G10 liners. Stainless steel drinking straw lanyard tube and a mosaic pin up front. Treated now with wax from the Fixall and a paracord fob so the lonely pinky doesn't feel left out.

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David,

I just wanted to say I enjoyed our chat last night, and greatly appreciate your feedback on the wax! I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

Keep on killing it man! I love checking in on your newest builds. You’re a freaking machine!
 
scdub scdub just bear in mind that it will depend on the handle shape though. You can see that the tang on the one I did this week has a few things about it that make the tapering process easy for me:

1) A nice large hollow, making for a minimum of material to be removed, and
2a) a profile that is small enough that it will both fit on my 2" x 7" platen all at once, and
2b) simple and uniform enough that I do not have to finagle the amount of pressure I apply to keep everything flat.

For example, and handle like this black one below would be much more difficult to taper for me with my very basic freehand grinding set up, due to the much thinner butt which would always lose material faster than the front part of the handle due to the reduced amount of surface contact with the belt, hence reduced friction and faster cutting speed. The pronounced curve of the handle adds significant complication as well. The wood handled one is a dead ringer for a tapered tang.


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Also, I would prefer to use a thicker stock like 3/16" or thicker for a tapered tang. There is not much in the shop for me to work with at the moment in that regard. I have a couple 3/16" Tanto of Opportunity blanks and a handful of 4" blade wharncliffe, both in 61 RC AEB-L that would be perfect. I am thinking about putting together a new run soon, as I have a number of folks interested in something new that cannot be accommodated with my current blanks in stock. But I am trying to be more economical with my runs and avoid needing to take deposits if I can, which will likely mean either smaller runs, or more generic blade shapes that I can modify by hand to order.
 
David Mary said:
scdub scdub just bear in mind that it will depend on the handle shape though.
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While a tapered tang is exciting, it’s not a deal breaker either way.

I’ve been thinking about having you make something similar to the second knife I ever forged, years ago, but a longer blade, more pommel swell, different handle material, and thinner stock than my original design.

I want a knife that’s almost a machete but not quite. Maybe around a 13” blade (~18” overall) with around 0.2” blade stock AEBL…

Anyway here’s the knife in question:
86B0FBC5-7498-4C82-89D1-D8F16795B839.jpeg

I just put in my retirement paperwork 🤗 so I’m going to be busy with moving, etc. for awhile, but over the next several months I’ll work on making a wooden prototype which I could potentially send to you as a model to work from. I’m also happy to get any input from you on the design of course - with the longer blade a tapered tang might not even be the best idea…
 
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scdub said:
While a tapered tang is exciting, it’s not a deal breaker either way.

I’ve been thinking about having you make something similar to the second knife I ever forged, years ago, but a longer blade, different handle material, and thinner stock than my original design.

I want a knife that’s almost a machete but not quite. Maybe around a 13” blade (~18” overall) with around 0.2” blade stock AEBL…

Anyway here’s the knife in question:
View attachment 2688908

I just put in my retirement paperwork 🤗 so I’m going to be busy with moving, etc. for awhile, but over the next several months I’ll work on making a wooden prototype which I could potentially send to you as a model to work from. I’m also happy to get any input from you on the design of course - with the longer blade a tapered tang might not even be the best idea…
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Congrats on the retirement! That's a milestone that lots of people are looking forward to!

Oh, blade and gun as well!! 🙂
 
You know, scdub scdub , your knife and my upcoming Shranto are very similar. The steel for it is at Jarod Todd's shop awaiting processing.

David Mary said:
No shop time today, as I was in receiving mode at the house, including some new materials for the shop. Had some organizing to do at home as well.

Finally got this drawn up in the CAD program. It is the Shranto, and I want one.

shranto.jpg
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