Knife and fork set.

[sean138]

Put a couple hours work in and made myself a knife and fork. I used more of the rebar from the penny knife and some cherry pen blanks for the handles. The knife has a lead bolster. First time trying the poured bolster. It missed a little at the bottom of the handle but I'm happy with it. This was a fun project and now I can eat with style!

 

[swathdiver]

Pretty cool, thanks for sharing! :hatsoff:

 

[LRB]

Nice! Will you be making a carry case for them?

 

[Crewdawg445]

Hey very slick my friend, very beautifully done. Really like those cherry handles! :thumbsup:

Could you give a little insight on your process? I've made multiple wrapped wire forks and would love to fire the forge up for a fancier fork such as you have.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

Very nice!

Have you ever considered making a fork-spoon?

 

[Artificer]

NICE set! Good bit of kit to add and put in the canoe or barge to go down the White River.

Gus

 

[MSW]

as we say up here in the Great Frozen North,


wicked cool!

:thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[sean138]

Hello, I drew out what I wanted on paper then hammered out the rebar to about the thickness and width that I wanted. I'm using a small paint can forge with 2 propane burners to power it. Until I find a "good" anvil I'm using a 15 lb. anvil from Harbor Freight, it is soft. With the fork I marked a center line for the tines, drilled a series of holes then cut out the center area between the tines. Lots of file work and grinding after that to get the shape. The tang for each is rounded and pointed. I used super glue to help hold the handles. The handles were turned and stained with aqua fortis. I applied a couple coats of Tru-Oil for the finish.

 

[sean138]

Thanks for the responses. I enjoy getting opinions from the forum members here so I can learn and improve what I'm playing with. This is a great hobby!

 

[sean138]

I haven't planned one. Maybe I should.

 

[pondoro]

Those look great! I have a few actual antiques, acquired through my addiction to flea markets and antique stores. Yours compare well. Most of my finds have bone or ebony handles. I used to find them for $1 to $3 each but prices are starting to soar. I'm seeing $15 sometimes now.

 

[44-henry]

Look good, though I don't know if I would have used lead for an eating utensil even though it was done in the good old days.

 

[sean138]

I have a 3 tine fork that I got for $12 that has a similar shape to the one I made. Mine is a little longer though. Fits my hand better.

 

[Artificer]

Did you forge the stem of the fork and then flatten out the area that became the tines, after that? The reason I ask is because I have often thought of making a small knife/fork set to go on the sheath of a Scottish Dirk, but never knew how to do that.

I have read and heard it said that the shape of the knife blade like that allowed people back then to eat peas, corn and other similar things off the end of the knife. (I have even heard of some modern people who use/d a modern butter knife to eat peas, instead of a fork or spoon.) Maybe I just never learned the trick, but I never figured out how to do it.

Gus

 

[Wes/Tex]

I have read and heard it said that the shape of the knife blade like that allowed people back then to eat peas, corn and other similar things off the end of the knife. (I have even heard of some modern people who use/d a modern butter knife to eat peas, instead of a fork or spoon.) Maybe I just never learned the trick, but I never figured out how to do it.

Gus

Believe this is the reason that mashed potatoes were invented...to go with peas and corn! All sticks together! :wink: :haha:

 

[Artificer]

Wes,

That is the ONLY way I ever was able to use a butter knife and eat corn, beans or peas with it; by first slathering a layer of mashed taters to the knife and then sticking the corn, peas or beans to it! :rotf:

Gus

 

[Dean2]

Very nice work. Does anyone happen to know of a place that sells quality replicas like this. I don't have the gear to make them but would like to have a set for the house to use when servig wild game dinners.

 

[sean138]

Jas. Townsend and sons has a nice set. Price isn't bad either.

 

[Artificer]

Dean,

Are you looking for a set to carve/cut and serve the wild game meat or are you looking for the smaller set that would be used for an individual place setting? The reason I ask is because generally the former ones (usually known as Carving Sets) are larger than the ones for individual place settings.

Can't tell you how many gorgeous Stag Handled Carving Sets with this kind of a 2 Tine Fork I've seen in Antique Shops over the years, but all of them were 19th or 20th century.

Gus

 

[BillinOregon]

Sean, that's some really fine craftsmanship. Be proud, mister!
Gus, the peas on a knife thing is rekindling some ancient memory of an illustration in a childhood book. This will drive me nuts until I can "recomember" the source ...