my new knives

[Goldhunter]

Ok, I'm new at this so here goes. These are my latest projects. I know the ongoing debate over damascus steel so I will start by saying I built them because I thought they would look cool, and I wanted some damascus knives. I am wondering what you gentlemen think? Good, bad, suggestions, etc.

Built this for my father from a blade we found in his fathers barn after he passed on. The handle is a piece of broken elk antler. Can't tell from photo but the handle is filed into an octagon shape and cross hatched.

Patch knife with poured pewter bolster.

Handle is bone and is cross hatched for grip, brass pins.

Also poured pewter bolster. This one is going to be my new general hunting knife. I am making a new sheath for it, one with a belt loop.

So, critique? Thanks for looking! :v

 

[tnlonghunter]

Very nice. I'm not actually familiar with the debate over Damascus steel, but it looks great. I'm very impressed with your work.

 

[davy]

Nice work Gold! :grin:

Davy

 

[Goldhunter]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

tnlonghunter, the debate is over the PCness of damascus steel knives. I really don't care myself. The project was fun. :thumbsup:

 

[reddogge]

I'll tell you this. Throw them on a blanket and the damascus will be gone in a hearbeat. Pretty blades.

 

[Swampman]

I like them. Some "Old Bones" on those handles would make them perfect.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

They look neat and handy to me.

 

[spitfire]

A job well done and practical :applause: !

 

[rebelyell62]

:grin: Goldhunter,
Before I can give you a fair critiqueing of the knives in question, you will need to mail them to me for closer inspection :grin: :grin:
Beautiful knives, great work

 

[Goldhunter]

Thanks to all. I can't decide if I want to antique the handles or not. Any suggestions on how to do that, if I decide to go ahead with it?

 

[TedPalmer]

Look great to me!
Is the poured pewter bolster hard to do?
Did you use finishing nails for the pins?
thanks for showing us!
be safe...
Ted

 

[Goldhunter]

Actually, the "silver looking" pins are also pewter. I was experimenting with it as pinning material. On the patch knife the bolster and the pins are one continuous pour. I made a small channel down both sides of the blade for the pewter to flow down and fill in the pin holes. This was the first time I've tried that and it worked well. :grin: Probably a fluk.

The pewter is really easy. I've made a few mistakes and just keep learning. I use a Lyman bullet ladel that looks like a cast iron ball with a wedge cute in the top to put the solid stock in. I melt the pewter in the ladel, over a my porpane torch, so it stays hot from the flame to the pour. Seems to work better for me this way. I've had pewter start to get cool quickly when I transfer it from a melting pot - to a ladel - to the pour. :hmm: I use card stock from an old dry ceral box for the mold and tape on several layers around the knife. I got the istruction from TOTW when I ordered a ingot of pewter from them for a nose cap on a pistol I did (first time attemting this ever, LEARNED WHAT NOT TO DO, BIG TIME).

 

VERY nice GH!
as for the Damascus call it Shear steel :hatsoff: (an 18th/19th century commercially made random pattern Damascus widely used by the Sheffield cutlers)
Mark suggested Ole Bones (aka potassium permangenate which is available locally - it is used as a water conditioner), but I prefer Fiebings leather dye - I use multi-layers of black, various shades of brown, and to get that old yellow British Tan. After dying I seal with my own home made thinned linseed oil varnish - you can use thinned spar varnish or Danish oil.
Here's an example of two grips - an antler one at bottom and a deer bone one at top - aged with leather dye

A closeup of the bone handled one

(BTW - Both are made from our own home brewed shear steel)

And finally here's a tutorial on How to cast pewter bolsters courtesy W Ben Hunt....

 

[Swampman]

I use a lot of Fiebings leather dye myself.

 

[TedPalmer]

Thanks for the useful information guys!
I appreciate it.
be safe... Ted

 

[mudd turtle]

Very nice work. Would you make me one like the white handled knife and if so what would you have to charge . Send me a pm. Mudd Turtle.

 

[spitfire]

Nice knives GW :thumbsup: !Thanks for the link!

 

[shmrck1]

I'm a big fan of damascus knives. I really like
the bottom one in your photos...GREAT WORK!!!IMHO. :bow:
snake-eyes :thumbsup:

 

[fatboy]

They all look real nice !!!

 

[Slake]

Awesome...I like them all