2nd knife

[reefera4m]

I finally finished my 2nd knife. While I still have lots of room to improve I was encouraged by how it finally turned out.

Steel - 5160 (leaf spring from 1978 Ford Pickup HD)
Handles slabs - elk antler (thanks to my brother John)
Bolster/guard, pins and lanyard hole - brass
Edge Quenched



Another photo showing the components pre-assembly - all hand made. Note - I sandblasted the tang so that the epoxy adhere better.



I also created a document (in outline form) that details the process, tools and materials I used to make this knife. I'd intended to use this document as a primer for making a knife with 5160 and so I had it reviewed by several bladesmiths/knifemakers. Based on my experience and the feedback I received, it fits the bill quite well.

If anyone is interested, I've attached the outline.

Second Knife Build.doc

[Ronnie]

Some great work thanks for the share

[Chris Waldon]

Your outline is quite informative. Since I have just as much (or less) experience than you do, I can't say much more than "It looks good!"
If you ever make more of these outlines, pictures of the processes involved could allow for better understanding. (A picture's worth a thousand words!) This would also allow for better feedback.

Nice Work!

[reefera4m]

Chris,

You are right on regarding pics with the outline. I did add photos when I created my primer for making a propane 'venturi style' forge and should have done it for this knife build. I just got too caught up in the process.

I've found that, as you say, an outline with pics allows for better feedback. I've used such feedback not only make improvements in my forges, knives and other tools, but to improve the documents for further reference and for others to benefit from.

[reefera4m]

By the way, in case you don't read the attachment, the knife was NOT made from a kit. Each component was made by me, by hand. And the only things I purchased was some scrap brass for the bolster and a piece of brass tubing (from ACE) for the lanyard hole liner and the epoxy. (The brass pins are welding rod and because I just wanted one my welding store, Central Welding Supply gave me one!).

[walkerironworks84]

Gorgeous knife! I like the handle

[GOT14U]

I hope my second knife looks that good...Did you mushroom the welding rods after you put them in? I'm trying to picture how you would secure them. I haven't built a knife yet so I'm not sure about this process

[reefera4m]

Thanks for the kind words.

Got14U,

I only slightly peened the brass pins but even that probably wasn't necessary. When I assembled the handle I epoxied the antler slabs and then coated the pins with epoxy as well and put the in place and clamped the antler to the handle. After the epoxy cured (24 hours to be safe), I cut the pins almost flush with a diamond wheel on my Dremel tool. I took a very small peening punch and, with a small flat punch on the backside, just gave the brass pins a couple of taps.

The epoxy I used, Loctite E20HP, is MORE that sufficient without peening the pins. On a test piece of 5160 steel that I'd prepared just like the tang (sandblasted and wiped down with denatured alcohol), I epoxied on a piece of the same antler. After 24 hours I tried to beat it off with a 22 oz ball peen hammer and was only able to break the antler off in pieces. None of the antler came off of the tang where it was epoxied.