New knife with 400 year old wood handle

[Valkman]

I wanted to make a knife for a 1911 grip maker who helped me get started making knives, and he asked if he could send me wood to use as handles. He sent me this 400 year old Birdseye Maple that he had stabilized and I slapped 'em on. I ground it on the grinder to 600 grit, buffed, then after I saw what flaws were left I hand sanded from 100 to 800 grit and buffed it again. It only took about 3 1/2 hours.

The Specs are:

3/16" O1 Tool Steel differentially heat treated by me.
Tapered tang, red handle liners, 1/4" mosaic pins, stainless tubing.
3 1/2" Blade, 8 1/2" OAL

Now remember, I've only been doing this for 7 months!

Hope you like it!

 

[SLCDave]

How did you capture the little red X so perfectly?

 

[Valkman]

Try these, hosted at a different place:

 

[ocelot777]

That is a beautiful knife Valkman!

Is it likely, do you think, that the wood might chip where the end-grain is exposed at the pommel and ricasso ends? (I expect not, since no one is going to abuse a knife such as this!)

 

[Upriver]

I just had to stop in to say "that's one beautiful piece of work."
Looks like a fine tool, as well - I'll volunteer to try it out on the deer I plan to bag in two weeks, if you need - keep it up!

 

[Valkman]

Thanks guys - it should never chip as it's stabilized and like granite to work on! I thought natural ironwood was hard but this stuff is 10 times harder.

 

[ocelot777]

Doh!

Of course! (should have thought of that . . . )

Definitely a suitable gift for your mentor. I think he'll be proud of you (and love the blade!)

 

[Dave P]

Good Job!

 

[ecos]

very nice! thats my favorite one ive seen you do so far.

 

[Valkman]

Thanks - next is bolsters! I got some 303 stainless bar and pin material and will be giving it a try. I did try it once with nickel/silver but that stuff is hard to work with.

 

[Guyon]

Gorgeous work.

 

[hso]

Nice job!

 

[Valkman]

Thanks Guyon and hso!

 

[homeka45]

7 months? You must be a very quick study. That's a very nice knife.

 

[Valkman]

Nah, it's just what I do ALL the time! Thanks!

 

[Kingcreek]

Very nice, Don!
That size and profile is my idea of the perfect hunter and your version looks great. That deep finger groove should give the user lots of security with a conventional working grip and super control when choking up with a "sharpfinger" grip (middle finger in the finger groove and index along the spine)
Great all-around pattern for a hunter/caper.

 

[Valkman]

Thanks Kingcreek - I have a slightly different model with a integral guard for hunting. I've changed things slightly on the end of the handle and how the front of the handle looks but you get the idea.

 

[SpookyPistolero]

I am not a knife expert of any sorts, but that first blade about the prettiest knife I have ever seen. It looks absolutely great. The curves are both appealing and look ergonomically agreeable. Color me impressed.

 

[middy]

Beautiful.

 

[Valkman]

Thanks guys - after spending the last two nights working on a failure (using bolsteres for the first time) it's nice to see this again. I should not have tried my first bolsters on a tapered-tang knife!

 

[SLCDave]

Very nice looking knife!

Much better than the Red x versions!