WIP: Brass tube Bowie handle

screened porch · Oct 22, 2012

Here's a hand-forged bowie I got at an estate sale last week. The tang is set in a brass tube that's filled with lead.

The leather washers looked like too much epoxy and too much work, so I did it the easy way and drilled through 6" of American hornbeam. The blade has been vinegar-soaked at this point.

The curve complements the blade's pretty well, but I have to shave the sides down considerably yet, then glue and pin. And do something about an end-cap.

smiling-knife · Oct 22, 2012

I like it. Knice shape to the handle. Just a thought, maybe consider adding a few contrasting coloured spacers between the horn and the guard.

IVANKERLEY · Oct 22, 2012

looking good but whats going on with the blade near the guard? is it just sloppy solder, cant tell from the picture... but the handle looks to be an excellent choice
Gene

screened porch · Oct 22, 2012

smiling-knife said:
I like it. Knice shape to the handle. Just a thought, maybe consider adding a few contrasting coloured spacers between the horn and the guard.

Thank you.
Good idea with the spacers. The handle is white now, but still, a good idea.

screened porch · Oct 22, 2012

IVANKERLEY said:
looking good but whats going on with the blade near the guard? is it just sloppy solder, cant tell from the picture... but the handle looks to be an excellent choice
Gene

Thank you.
I think that's lead that spilled through my predecessor's dam when he poured the lead into the tube. It looks like he used duct tape for the purpose, and it held less well on one side than the other, and there may still be some burned tape residue too.

IVANKERLEY · Oct 22, 2012

scrteened porch said:
Thank you.
I think that's lead that spilled through my predecessor's dam when he poured the lead into the tube. It looks like he used duct tape for the purpose, and it held less well on one side than the other, and there may still be some burned tape residue too.

kinda what i thought, is there a steel tang connected to the blade running down the tube or is the tube just joined at the guard? if the guard and tube are just leaded to a blade i'd be real careful using it as i cant imagine it be an ideal in regards to strength although i could be wrong
thanks
gene

screened porch · Oct 22, 2012

IVANKERLEY said:
kinda what i thought, is there a steel tang connected to the blade running down the tube
gene

It's magnetic up to about an inch or an inch and a half from the back of the tube, so the tang must run that far.

screened porch · Oct 27, 2012

Well, I'm getting there. Just have to turn the railroad spike/screw/thingee into a pommel cap, glue it on with more jb weld, let it cure, and drill for a pin through the tang and another through the shank of the pommel cap. Possibly overkill, but I'm a belt and braces kind of guy.
No spacers after all, sorry. They were just magnifying my f&f problems.

The remains of the railroad fastener might make an interesting knife, with the threaded portion for the handle.
It has occurred to me that my predecessor's (hereinafter "Steve") lead might be pewter. A certain Ragnar talks about setting tangs in pewter, and this seems like pretty hard lead.

screened porch · Nov 9, 2012

This was an unjust comment about missing pix. Now they're back.
I'll try to get the forge going this afternoon.