Sterling Handled Bowies just finished

[jevaccaro]

I'm new to the forum, each time I log in I'm reminded I not posted any thing. So here goes.

I have been making knives for a number of years. Mostly for family and friends. I like fixed blade hunting knives, and bowie knives. Here are 2 I just finished. I bought a sterling handled cutlery set on e Bay for I think it was 10 or 12 $$$. The blades were set in cutlers rosin, a little heat removed the old blade and fork. My new blades were ground(though I prefer forging) from 1x3/16, 01. I recently bought a Grizzly 2x72 sander, what an improvement over my old 1x42 sander. I'm still having trouble with the plunge cut and straight grind lines. Keeping the lines well defined through the final polish is a challenge.

Soldering the thin handle to the heavy guard and blade was difficult. I made a fixture to hold the handle tight to the guard. The procedure was to solder the guard to the blade, fill the handle with cutlers rosin, warm it and the tang, put the blade in the handle and clamp them together for soldering. This kept the rosin from bubbling out from the heat of soldering.

Making the sheaths took more time than making the knives. The spear point was not so bad, but the clip point was a pain. I'm not very happy with it, but my youngest son loved it so it's now his.

Finishing is my weak area, I need to learn to use the finer belts on the sander, and improve the polishing.

Any critique or marketing ideas will be appreciated.

John Vaccaro

[HWooldridge]

Well, I think you did a great job. They look very period and that is in no way a criticism - they could have come straight out of 1830.

[rokshasa]

wow, those are really nice, i like the sheaths i find them unique .