New Knife

[Dave King]

Couldn't find anywhere else where this would fit so I stuck it here.

I was puttering the other day and found two sites on the internet about knife making http://texas-hunt-fish-camp.com/knifemaking.htm and http://www.customknifedirectory.com/...alFrameset.htm and check for Terry Hearn and the Lil Skinner tutorial.

Anyway, as usual, any time there's some opportunity to burn, cut, gouge or scrape myself I get right to work. Here's the knife I built in a few days. (I'm nearly healed back up now and will attempt to make another one soon.)
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...36028345NfeFZE
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...36028531EGLSlM
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...36028579ePBkyR

I really enjoyed it, give it a try yourself. (Get bandaides and burn cream first.)

[ 04-20-2002: Message edited by: Dave King ]

[ 04-20-2002: Message edited by: Dave King ]

[Dave King]

I hardened it with a torch until it was cherry red (non-magnetic check) and quenched it in oil. I then used the kitchen oven and heated to 490 degrees, straw yellow. I then kept the blade surface cooled and heated the tang and back of the blade to gun metal blue with a torch.

The sheath is three layers of thick leather with a thick plastic layer for the one side of the blade. I hollowed out the middle piece of leather and inserted a strong flat magnet toward the bottom of the sheath to hold the blade when inserted in the sheath. I sewed the edged using a saddle stitch (double thread, one passing in each direction) and redoubling the ends and splices. I predrilled the sewing holes with a Dremel tool after they were marked with the spacing tool. (I forgot about the rivet size and they are a little too close to the blade but the sheath will eventually form fit to the blade and fix that problem).

I was fairly suprised how easy the project went, it's designed to replicate a fighting knife my father used in WWII (handmade by my uncle while stationed on USS ENTERPRISE and given to my father). I'm about to make another smaller knife just for kicks and experiment some more.

[littletoes]

Nice Knife Dave! I've been saving some old ferrier rasps for just that sort of a project. What "colours" did ya temper at? littletoes.

[Dave King]

Built that little knife I mentioned, here's some scans of it.
http://community.webshots.com/album/36442749QQQDFR

[Nighthawk]

About two years ago I bought myself a KA-Bar Next Generation Fighting Knife and it has served me well going down to the woods by my house and look forward to use it hunting.
Anyone ever tried one of these?
see ya

[MikeW]

I'm just starting out also. My second one.
first one wasn't so pretty. Working on the sheath for it now.

[MikeW]

Try that again.