Knife Modification

[pacanis]

I took my Condor Hudson Bay knife, seen here with the wood grips "aged".

And tried my hand at turning it into a more realistic looking HBC knife.

I just finished the sheath.
Patterned off of one I saw online. Except I used copper rivets and stained mine walnut instead of black.

I don't dabble too much with knives and sheaths, so this was a big project for me.
I really wanted to buy one of these, until I saw the prices, but someone nudged me to try modifying the one I had and I'm glad I did.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Rifleman1776]

mustard? BTW, looks neat.

 

[Loja man]

I’d say it’s a big improvement!! If I can make a sudgestion? Take a ball peen hammer and use the peen to flatten out the backside of those rivets.

 

[BillyC]

Not to hijack your thread but I took an old knife with crappy handle scales and canvas sheath and added some curly maple ones and had a friend make a leather sheath for it.

 

[TDM]

I took my Condor Hudson Bay knife, seen here with the wood grips "aged".
View attachment 222507

And tried my hand at turning it into a more realistic looking HBC knife.
View attachment 222508

I just finished the sheath.
Patterned off of one I saw online. Except I used copper rivets and stained mine walnut instead of black.


I don't dabble too much with knives and sheaths, so this was a big project for me.
I really wanted to buy one of these, until I saw the prices, but someone nudged me to try modifying the one I had and I'm glad I did.

Thanks for looking.

Knife & sheath look great!

 

[pacanis]

mustard? BTW, looks neat.

Conservatory?


I'm guessing you're referring to the finish?
It's something Condor came up with that they call "classic finish". It's I don't know what applied over a hand hammered (machine no doubt) look.
I'll probably end up bead blasting it off, but I did see a picture of a $500 HBC knife that looked similar. If I do remove it, it will be because of the writing on it.

Thanks.

 

[pacanis]

I’d say it’s a big improvement!! If I can make a sudgestion? Take a ball peen hammer and use the peen to flatten out the backside of those rivets.

Thanks.

Actually... that's the front of the sheath
I wanted the rough side out because I like the look and in case I wear it while wearing a capote I wanted the flat side against my body.

What I need to do is find my missing rivet set. I think that one will mushroom the tips better. The one I was using was too large (for bigger diameter rivets), but the stems were a little long anyway.
Or I could peen it like you said.

 

[pacanis]

Not to hijack your thread but I took an old knife with crappy handle scales and canvas sheath and added some curly maple ones and had a friend make a leather sheath for it.

I kind of like doing things myself. Even if I feel it might be beyond my pay grade.
Plus it keeps me off the streets.

I've modified a knife before... actually an Ontario machete

But trying to keep the wood scales intact and replace a section with brass was new to me.

 

[pacanis]

Knife & sheath look great!

Thank you sir.

 

[Abarnes]

I’d say it’s a big improvement!! If I can make a sudgestion? Take a ball peen hammer and use the peen to flatten out the backside of those rivets.

I was thinking the same thing

 

[Abarnes]

I was thinking the same thing

Looks good though!

 

[pacanis]

As the saying goes, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

I flattened the stems of the rivets more. Hit them with the ball peen and then gave them a mushroom shape with the rivet set.
And it pinched the leather tighter where the rivets are. This created bumps on what used to be a smooth finished seam

That might not have been something to do on what used to be a finished product.
Not sure if I'll sand out the bumps and reburnish the edge or not... that would only make the washers closer to the edge where the bumps are sanded away, making them look more out of line. Maybe I can tap the bumps back where they used to be and the rivets will move back. Fortunately leather has some give to it.

 

[pacanis]

Yeah, I can't live with that. My straight smooth edge went to heck and some of the rivet washers creeped into the belt slot. Even the washers and the head on the backside looked like heck.
I've seen some crappy looking rivet jobs on the internet where solid rivets (what we used to call dog rivets) were pounded on more than they should have been and that's what mine looked like after another ten minutes with the ball peen. Live and learn. Working with leather is not my forte. But working with metal where we used to use dog rivets is and I should have let things be.

Time for a do-over. Fortunately I just had to order more rivets. But I don't look forward to laying the knife out on the leather and cutting that again. Although it *should* go over a little easier the second time around. At least the dividers for the rivet spacing are still set

So lesson learned guys.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Yeah, I can't live with that. My straight smooth edge went to heck and some of the rivet washers creeped into the belt slot. Even the washers and the head on the backside looked like heck.
I've seen some crappy looking rivet jobs on the internet where solid rivets (what we used to call dog rivets) were pounded on more than they should have been and that's what mine looked like after another ten minutes with the ball peen. Live and learn. Working with leather is not my forte. But working with metal where we used to use dog rivets is and I should have let things be.

Time for a do-over. Fortunately I just had to order more rivets. But I don't look forward to laying the knife out on the leather and cutting that again. Although it *should* go over a little easier the second time around. At least the dividers for the rivet spacing are still set

So lesson learned guys.
View attachment 222581

For an additional project you could make a frizzen cover or two from the remains of that first sheath. Would be a little more practice in leather work if you enjoy making your own stuff. Just a thought....

 

[Ohio Rusty]

Nice job on the handle work. I've always liked that Hudsons bay handle with the two brass 'eyes'. On my Condor I reground the blade to a flat grind shape, where the blade tapers down to the edge. I didn't like that factory thick blunt edge. I still want to grind out that rise a little bit where the handle/tang meets the choil edge of the blade. I think that would fit my grip better.

 

[pacanis]

For an additional project you could make a frizzen cover or two from the remains of that first sheath. Would be a little more practice in leather work if you enjoy making your own stuff. Just a thought....

Great idea!
They might be the thickest frizzen covers in the world, but that just means added protection

 

[pacanis]

Nice job on the handle work. I've always liked that Hudsons bay handle with the two brass 'eyes'. On my Condor I reground the blade to a flat grind shape, where the blade tapers down to the edge. I didn't like that factory thick blunt edge. I still want to grind out that rise a little bit where the handle/tang meets the choil edge of the blade. I think that would fit my grip better.

Nice.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Great idea!
They might be the thickest frizzen covers in the world, but that just means added protection

I make bunches of them, sometimes out of really thick leather (depending on what I have). Sold hundreds of them and, even with the thick ones, customers really seem to like them. Specially the Brown Bess guys for some reason. That is why I made that suggestion. I've botched many a knife or saw sheath so they always get turned into frizzen covers around here.

 

[pacanis]

Well I'm just waiting on the rivets from Amazon now. Supposed to be here tomorrow.
Also supposed to start raining. That means no outside staining and drying

 

[Hermit Tim]

Takes that dye forever to dry when there is lots of moisture in the air.