Too much free time and SNOW! made a knife.

[StevePrice2]

Thought I was going shooting this AM. Outside blizzard says otherwise.

I picked up some muley and elk antlers for a song and can see all kinds of kit come out of them. Knife handles, powder measures, maybe a short starter handle, too.

First project a quickie knife for skills practice. The blade was found on my homestead back in NC and packed away for the move to Utah. The rawhide came from the grocery store. I just tossed a couple of dog chews in the shopping cart and soaked them in hot water to soften and flatten. The dark ones were stained with soy sauce in a mason jar for a few days. Yum! The rawhide will be the sheath liner and the leather couch hide sheath will finish it off. Oops! Blade length 7.5 and OAL is about 13. Light and quick.
Steve

 

[LRB]

Now there is a plain, but honest knife that relies on it's lines and eye balance, rather than fancy extras. I like it! Good job. I would suggest some leather dye to give it color, but other than that, you did extremely well. Please show us pictures of the sheath when you get it finished. Very nice!

 

[StevePrice2]

thanks for that, Wick!
by adding leather dye, exactly on what do I add it? The bleached white rawhide is hidden. The antler handle? It was an antiques mall find - cheap- because it was chalky. I have only brushed it off a bit and may buzz all the chalk off. Underneath is strong clean material.

Steve

 

[paulvallandigham]

I believe Wick is talking about adding color to the antler handle.

 

[blacksmithman64]

good lookin knife! Thats my guess too, the handle could use some color. I've burned chalky antler with a torch...don't work too well! :haha: Whats the blade made from?

 

[Goldhunter]

I'll second what Wick said! Very nice knife. I like the simple, functional look. :hatsoff:

And ya, he's refering to the handle. Leather dye works, as does Potassium Permangenate (it's an oxidizer).

 

[jethro224]

Lookin' good. :thumbsup:

 

[omarick1948]

NOW THAT'S A WORKING MANS KNIFE!..WELL DONE STEVE! :bow: :thumbsup:

Rick

 

[fatboy]

Nice knife made from simple reclaimed items gotta love it

 

[pichou]

Nice knife. Maybe just oil the handle, or wax it.

We make rawhide cord for tying up gear from doggie chews. Only problem with using them is, dogs still know what they are. :haha:

 

[RC]

:hmm: snowin here...fer last 3 days....lotta extrie time...keep lookin.....watchin...no knives showin up? yers looks awesome.. :thumbsup: you dun good. :thumbsup: there's gotta be more to it than snow an time???? I'll keep watchin...but I gots my doubts....but yers is cool..good job! :hatsoff:

 

[rabjr]

Nice! :thumbsup:

 

[StevePrice2]

Thanks to each of you and an update. I dyed the handle with some walnut stain-out of a MinWax bottle versus a tree.

The blade is from an old knife I found back on my homestead in NC. It had rivets but no handle slabs and was in the condition you see it now except for the edge treatment.

The balance point is at the peened steel pin.

 

[LRB]

That looks better!

 

[Twice boom]

It looks much beter like Wick said. One or two more quick coats will make it look better yet..IMO..
Twice....

 

[THORNAPPLE]

Booya! Great minds think alike! I just started making a longhunters knife very similar to yours over the weekend. Same 7 1/2" blade. I used and old broken machete and whitetail antler, and I'm going to pour a pewter cap where the handle meats the blade. I'll post a pic when done.

 

[40cal]

Nice knife. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[StevePrice2]

Well I tossed a sheath together and don't know if I even want to finish it. The slot for a belt is yet to be cut but would be on the blade edge side and wide enough for a decent sized leather belt.


I also gave the handle a second coat of stain and it is looking alright. this pic only shows the one coat of stain. Just not crazy about the sheath. the fringe is giving me the foo-fooey vibes. :hmm:

 

[LRB]

Yeah, you might want more handle inside for security.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Steve: I agree with Wick: Make a sheath that covers about 7/8 of the full length of the knife, both blade and handle, for better security. As to the fringe, That is a personal choice. I would not fringe the entire length of a knife sheath, but that is just me! Think about putting that sheath under a wide belt holding it with just friction between the belt and your body. A triangle shaped " Hook" in the welt of the sheath can hold the knife to the belt. Fringe the sheath so it hangs down over the belt, but I would not waste the effort for that part of the sheath that is under the belt, or sash.

I am also not a big fan of belt loops on knife sheaths, as they allow the knife to lean out away from the body, where they "grab " things as you walk by. Keeper loops can be used when you want to carry the knife almost horizontal, under your belt behind your back, which can make the knife very handy when needed but kept out of the way of other work you are doing with your hands. But, I prefer carrying a knife so that it stays very close to my body, where I can feel it, and get to it when its needed. If you agree, let those goals decide what kind of sheath you make for that knife.