SWAT wakizashi, and knives for USMC and Army SF

[Stormcrow]

These are some pieces that got finished up and delivered in March, in amongst working on tomahawks and such.  As I work my way down my list of commissions, military and law enforcement orders go to the top.

This Benghazi Warfighter and Little Rok pair went to a Marine.  The Benghazi is for work, and the Little Rok for play.  Both are forged from 80CrV2.

The Benghazi Warfighter has tan Tero Tuf for its handle.

The Marine wanted to have a leg strap, adjustable-height quick-detach belt loops, and a retention strap.  This is what I came up with.  I shot some video talking about it, but need to edit it together and get it uploaded to YouTube still.

The Little Rok has walnut for its handles, and black Kydex with a TekLok.

The next knife is for a soldier currently going through his Special Forces qualification course.  He wanted something for tactical and camping purposes with about a 7" blade.  So we went with a cord-wrapped Benghazi Warfighter slightly longer than usual.  Once again, 80CrV2 for the steel.

We also decided to do a black oxide finish.

And we went with a Combat Loop on the sheath.  These are similar to TekLoks, but with a locking mechanism that I like better.  I plan on using them more, but this is the first sheath I've made to get one.

The background for these photos is the hood of a first generation International Harvester Scout.  I noticed something funny as I walked up to it. 

I appreciate '80s metal, and so did whoever owned this in the '80s.  

And finally, an interesting couple of blades for a sheriff's deputy who is on a reserve SWAT team.  He's been carrying a 14" bladed machete on his pack and wanted a "tanto machete" to replace it with.  I had a 14" bladed quasi-wakizashi already forged out of 5160 and sent him a picture.  He decided to go with it.  He also wanted a fairly wide-bladed 5" knife with a false edge on top for his son's graduation present, which I forged from 80CrV2.   

 They both got matching cord wraps and Kydex, and both have coffin-shaped exposed skullcrushers.  You can see that the quasi-waki has a fairly straight blade, but the handle is angled slightly.  I've seen a few other tactical wakis take this approach and wanted to try it.

Here's a look at it in my meaty paw to give a sense of scale.  The beard is temporary; I'm reverting back to jaw-length sideburns the next time I get a haircut.  

I look tired for some reason in this picture.  

Off to the next adventure!  

[TheoRockNazz]

Diggin it all! I'd love to get my hands on that tanto.

[Benton Frisse]

Man, Stormcrow, you knock it out of the park every time! Really digging that one with the walnut scales! 

[Jeddly]

Good lookin blades there. Got a question though, would you mind expounding on how you chamfer your tubing? I've tried using a countersink bit, and small strips of sandpaper to smooth out the rough edges, but getting a polish has escaped me.

Overall, they look really user friendly. I'm sure the LEO's are gonna love them. I know I do.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Merely, at work I have found speed is your friend when polishing metals. If all you have is a drill press, run it up as fast as it will go. The other day I was polishing some 17-7 stainless parts, and with 600 grit I was getting a 4 micro inch finish at 4,200 rpm in the lathe. You can also try some Createx. Itconforms to the shape and blends edges really well.

 

Stormcrow, nice looking blades. My old business partner had 2 , 1964 Scouts. Dropped a Plymouth 340 into one, but never finished the project. The other one had the original 152 four banger in it, and it could pop the front wheels off the ground. Interesting in that the upscale Aristocrat model had the 152T engine , the T stood for turbo. I have a pic of one somewhere in a Rat Rod.

 

 

[Stormcrow]

Thanks, guys!

Jeddly - I'm not polishing the rivets.    I cut the tubing to length with a tubing cutter (by far the best, most consistent method, and saves a tremendous amount of aggravation), then clamp them in the holding-thing-a-ma-jigger of a tube flaring kit to use a countersink to clean up the inside of the tube.  Don't get too thin, or the tube tends to split when it's flared.  The actual flaring is done with cone dies from USA Knifemaker held in a 1/2 ton arbor press from them.  As long as your tube is the right length and the countersinks in the handle material are the right depth, it works like a charm.  At this point, I leave 'em like that.  I have at times in the past used a countersink to shape the inside of the flared tube, but that can spin the rivet in the hole.  I'm curious how Busse does theirs.  The Cratex Biggun suggested is probably a good approach.  It's rubber impregnated with abrasive.  Never used it myself, but Alexander Weygers did a lot.

 

Biggun - I sent the pics of the Scout to the customer.  Turns out he had a second gen that he sold a year or so ago and deeply misses it.

[homeshow]

Stormcrow i need a suggestion for kydex sheath material and parts suppliers.  I don't have an arbor press.  so I'm still putting things together by hand.  I need to go kydex on a hawk sheath for a friends nephew redeploying this summer.  I'm sending a hawk but not going with the usual leather sheath.  Thanks

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Www.leatherworker.net covers Kydex, and lists suppliers.

[Frosty]

Tubing cutters have the deburring tool built into them. Spin the tubing between your fingers and use very little pressure it'll clean up the bur left from cutting beautifully. If you want more countersink either do it more or just make a little deburring blade to the angle you like modeled after the one in the cutters.

Getting fancy with tools sometimes causes more work and harm than good. There's a reason the deburring blade on the tubing cutter hasn't changed in more than a century.

Yeah, I read the blade threads though not being a bladesmith guy I mostly lurk, most of what you guys do isn't to my taste but that's just taste. I don't see anything but outstanding execution and quality. Regardless it doesn't mean I don't occasionally have a trick in my tool kit that applies, might even help.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Stormcrow]

Homeshow - I get all, or nearly all, of my Kydex stuff from Knifekits.com.  A couple of years back at the Blade show, several guys from the Knifekits booth came by my table and I mentioned that to them.  They ended up buying some of my Benghazi Warfighters. 

 

Frosty - I tried the deburring blade on my tubing cutter (a Rigid), and couldn't get what I wanted with it.  Whether that's one me or the tool, I don't know, but I get them cleaned up nicely with the countersink. 

[Frosty]

Yeah, you're using pretty small tubing in knife handles. It was a thought.

Frosty The Lucky.

[rockstar.esq]

Nice looking knives.

I do have to ask.  Why does a SWAT officer carry a 14" machete?  Tactical pruning?  Jungle entry?  Combative conifers?

[Stormcrow]

I figure he has his reasons.  He's in Texas, like me, and we can be very jungly, usually with thorns!

[rockstar.esq]

I figure he has his reasons.  He's in Texas, like me, and we can be very jungly, usually with thorns!

​Are you talking herbicide or homicide?  I guess either way, your knives would fit the bill...

[Stormcrow]

Brush cutting with combat applications if the need arises.  Steel doesn't usually come into play in combat these days, but it still does once in a while.