Finished my first bushcraft knife - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Finished my first bushcraft knife

Posted: 2/9/2017 11:22:02 AM EDT

I got a blank from Bernie Garland - I chose the Recurve Bushcraft

The blank came rough ground and needed a little work to center the tip.

Cleaned that up

I did a coffee patina, but then decided it needed some holes in it.

My friend who owns a machine shop wired it out. The Brazilian Rosewood blanks came from my dad, who is in his 80's. I spent 6 hrs getting his shop in order again in the process. The patina took a beating, but it removed 0.6 oz and made a great balance.

Drilled and glued up

Sanded it out to 800 grit. I have long fingers, so it is nice to have a custom fit.

(The spine is perfectly smooth and even but the light is weird in a couple spots)

Posted: 2/9/2017 11:40:40 AM EDT

[#1]

Nice job.

Posted: 2/9/2017 12:08:32 PM EDT

[#2]

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Quoted:
Nice job.

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Thanks!

Here is a better pic -

Posted: 2/9/2017 5:09:50 PM EDT

[#3]

That's one handsome lookin' knife. The detail on the studs sets it off. Well done.

Posted: 2/9/2017 9:37:47 PM EDT

[#4]

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Quoted:
That's one handsome lookin' knife. The detail on the studs sets it off. Well done.

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Thanks, it started off just to be a fun project but once other people important to me started contributing I got pretty attached.

Posted: 2/10/2017 12:02:50 AM EDT

[#5]

Well you know what the next step is- you need a sheath to match.

I've got a couple of blades I've bought but I never seem to get my grinds even.

Posted: 2/10/2017 8:53:48 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
Well you know what the next step is- you need a sheath to match.

I've got a couple of blades I've bought but I never seem to get my grinds even.

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Yup, I've got some nice thick veg-tanned leather in the basement. I also have enough wood left to make a matching steel if I get around to it.

I picture laying out the grinds on the blank to be pretty challenging to get right without some real experience. Some people make it look easy though.

Posted: 2/14/2017 11:40:46 PM EDT

[#7]

That's pretty sweet OP. Kinda wish I knew how to do that.

Posted: 2/15/2017 6:17:17 PM EDT

[#8]

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Quoted:
That's pretty sweet OP. Kinda wish I knew how to do that.

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There is plenty of info on youtube...

Posted: 2/19/2017 2:24:15 AM EDT

[#9]

Why did you have your friend wire EMD the inside out? I'm looking at making my own knife so that why I'm asking. Was it for weight issues?

Posted: 2/19/2017 10:40:12 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Why did you have your friend wire EMD the inside out? I'm looking at making my own knife so that why I'm asking. Was it for weight issues?

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Yeah, weight and more-so balance. It took off .6 oz and put the balance right at the forward finger rest. Was it worth it if you don't have friends willing to do a favor? - Hell no. It was 2.5 hours of his shop time. It is a much much much easier task if it is done before the blank is hardened.

I've been looking at these other blanks, they already come skeletonized better.

http://www.dorsetwoodlandblades.co.uk/dwc-bushcraft-knife.htm

Posted: 3/1/2017 6:30:59 PM EDT

[#11]

Nice looking blade, OP!

Posted: 3/2/2017 5:58:24 PM EDT

[#12]

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Quoted:
Nice looking blade, OP!

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Thanks

Posted: 3/12/2017 11:47:26 PM EDT

[#13]

WOW! That's impressive. Wish I had the skills to do that!

Posted: 3/14/2017 6:46:56 PM EDT

[#14]

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Quoted:
WOW! That's impressive. Wish I had the skills to do that!

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Thanks - I'm sure I took way longer than someone with any experience (this was my first knife of any sort), but it was pretty manageable. You just have to be careful the pins are lined up perfectly when you are drilling the wood, and to get the glue surfaces really flat and properly prepared. For shaping it I mostly just used a portable hand held belt sander clamped down - you just have to go slow and keep it even side to side.

Posted: 3/24/2017 6:37:28 AM EDT

[#15]

Very nice !

Posted: 4/1/2017 10:20:39 PM EDT

[#16]

Wet forming the sheath

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Quoted:
Very nice !

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Thanks!

Posted: 4/2/2017 1:57:16 AM EDT

[#17]

Well you got me interested in looking at more knife making videos and this guys does a pretty good job of showing how he makes his. I think even I could get a grind on the blade after watching (well maybe not but I may try anyways). Instead of splitting the scales, I've noticed that some makers will clamp the handle material to the blade, drill through the pin holes then use a band saw to create two scales. Seems like that would be alot easier method to get them aligned properly.

Gough Custom

Posted: 4/2/2017 9:41:48 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Well you got me interested in looking at more knife making videos and this guys does a pretty good job of showing how he makes his. I think even I could get a grind on the blade after watching (well maybe not but I may try anyways). Instead of splitting the scales, I've noticed that some makers will clamp the handle material to the blade, drill through the pin holes then use a band saw to create two scales. Seems like that would be alot easier method to get them aligned properly.

Gough Custom

View Quote

If you have a drill press, and the material is flat, that could work fine. Any slight difference in angle and they won't be the right distance apart by the time you get the 3/8-1/2" in where you are gong to split it. I had separate blanks and no drill press so I clamped the blade to the first one, drilled through the blade into it, then I used the pins to relocate it while clamping on the second blank, then drilled through the holes in the first one, back through the blade, and then out through the second one.

Afterward I did a substantial amount of shaping with the two handle pieces pinned together without the blade blank in between. That worked great especially to even up the front end and shape that out, because you can't get to it once you glue it up with the blade in the way.

Posted: 4/2/2017 9:49:44 PM EDT

[#19]

Wow, great work OP looks good.

Posted: 4/11/2017 5:16:33 PM EDT

[#20]

I made matching handles for the fire steel and ceramic rod from the leftover handle material. Gave the sheath a hot-waxing as well. It is really stiff and nothing moves around when you shake it upside down.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Finished my first bushcraft knife

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