My 50 cent knife

[TANSTAAFL]

I picked up this relic Camillus U.S.M.C. fighting knife (7" blade) at a yard sale for fifty cents. The tang was designed for leather rings and did not lend itself to scales. Considered an elk antler, but decided on wood, had some scrap maple, so laminated two pieces (figured a little stronger than one piece) with Acraglass Gel epoxy and clamped in vice to cure. After setting up, drilled out 1/2" dia. to depth, filled hole with more Acraglass and chopped up fiberglass, inserted tang with guard in place & allowed to cure. Driiled for three 1/8" brass pins, Acraglassed and inserted same .

Craftsman 4" belt sander made short work of reducing the wood and guard to shape, little hand sanding, stain, tung oil and this is results, cannot even see the lamination lines

Not PC (period correct) maybe, but for a half a buck, a little epoxy and a few minutes work, not too bad for the effort.

 

[BillinOregon]

Tanstaafl: Nice job on the handle. I am prepared to offer you a 300 percent profit and buy your knife for $3.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Dang, I am tempted, now if I could just find six more blades to reinvest in, I might be on a roll. :winking:

 

[jeepwj992002]

PC? Pffth! Who cares!! It looks great! :thumbsup:

 

[snagg]

Tans:
Nice looking job. That grain really stands out on the handle.

snagg

 

[davy]

Nice job amigo! :thumbsup:

Davy

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

EXCELLENT work, it looks great! How does it balance in the hand?

 

[PitchyPine]

Good find, nice job. :thumbsup:

 

[Blizzard of '93]

not a bad job and that's a good camping knife. got a sheath made yet?

 

[tom hargrove]

very good job what did you use for the spacer between the scales and the blade .the knife has a really clean line to it :bow:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

By leaving the handle long, it balances out very good.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

No sheath yet, but one coming up soon, am thinking along lines of a leather covered rawhide one.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

very good job what did you use for the spacer between the scales and the blade .the knife has a really clean line to it :bow:

Used the original oblong steel guard, just cut & dressed it down to contour of handle. Thought about leaving it larger, but not foreseeing much knuckle protecting knife fighting, decided nay.
:grin:

 

[laffingman67]

Better looking than the original! :thumbsup:

 

[fatboy]

Nice job I have recycled a few blades for friends by taking old handles off and using wood or antler turned things into something a bit nicer

 

[wetpowder]

:bow: You make it sound sooo easy to do. :bow:
Very beautiful knife now :winking:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

:bow: You make it sound sooo easy to do. :bow:
Very beautiful knife now :winking:

Actually it was an easy job & took very little time as the blade was completely finished.

My :hatsoff: goes to some of the guys on here that create beautiful knives from scratch with raw materials.