M.J.Lampert Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 so in socials i just dealt with the Alamo and James bowie so decided the project would be a bowie knife here is the draft of the knife will make with a piece of 3/8 leaf spring post more when have some done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Wow here in the USA you would get in serious trouble making a knife for School! (Now long ago I made a Crossbow for a senior/graduate level Medieval Studies course at the university and did a presentation on it wearing a helm and a chainmail shirt...much more fun than writing a research paper...Afterwards I stopped by the departmental office where a friend worked and as soon as she saw me she yelled "It's my Ex Husband!" that worked until everyone noticed she was laughing hysterically. Nowadays I would be prosecuted for such goings on...) Are you going to sharpen the clip? Add a brass strip to the spine? Make sure that the grip doesn't get slick when "wet"? Hang out on Sandbars? Have you read James Batson's books on the Bowie Knife? His "How to Build an Antique Bowie Knife" might come in handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Definitely steer clear of sandbars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GutRot Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 What's a sandbar? Look forward to seeing some pics! Just finished my firat bowie style knife myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 A sandbar is that thing made out of sand in the middle of or beside the bank of a river. It is relevant to a bowie knife discussion because Jim Bowie was involved in a fight on a sandbar outside Natchez, MS in 1827 where he defended himself with a large knife which may or may not have been a "bowie" knife. You'll have to get used to obscure historical references here because many of us are history geeks and common knowledge here is uncommon in general society. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 The drinks have True Grit at the sandbar! (The Sandbar Fight AKA The Vidalia Sandbar Fight was the event that elevated James Bowie into the limelight as a knife fighter; it started as a duel gone wrong and ended as a melee as pretty much everyone tried to shoot or stab or bludgeon everyone else. Jim Bowie was shot, bludgeoned, stabbed with a sword cane, shot, stabbed and shot according to one account. He survived! The man who stabbed him with the sword cane; Bowie pulled onto his knife's point fatally wounding him. It is interesting to note that the two principles in the duel ended with no injuries; One of the two Surgeons was lightly injured and half of the supporters and bystanders died or were severely wounded in the ensuing brawl.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 There used to be a tough/rowdy bar in Mills, WY, just outside Casper, called The Sandbar where drillers, cowboys, bikers, et al. used to settle their differences with various assorted mayhem. I have had a few beers there but it was not my kind of scene. Closed down a few years ago. When "sandbar" is mentioned in the context of physical confrontations that bar, not the actual sandbar outside of Natchez, MS, is my natural association. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J.Lampert Posted November 13, 2020 Author Share Posted November 13, 2020 5 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Are you going to sharpen the clip? Add a brass strip to the spine? no the clip wont be sharpened as for a brass strip i can only find toilet float rod for pins have tried to get brass rod at a local supplier and they couldn't get any brass unless they special order it and then its to expensive. the guard will be mild steel finished stretching out the steel to thickness between 0.16 and 0.17 the last 2 inches of stock are not to thickness and will be cut off next day when i trim the billet closer to size to shape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GutRot Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 This forum is awesome. I heard there are some pretty good books about Bowie, gonna have to do me some learnin. Where are you at in BC? M.J.Lampert there are metal supermarkets in a couple places I see they sell brass rod pretty cheap too that's where I get mine in Edmonton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 I use no flux brass brazing rod for pins, easy to get in most auto parts or welding stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 Actually, brazing rod is usually bronze rather than brass, no zinc or lead in the alloy. It can be forged like steel but you have to be very careful not to overheat and melt it. I put it into the forge for X turns of the blower or a verbal or mental count ("one, one thousand, two one thousand, etc".) if using my gasser. You cannot rely on color like with steel. Bronze will only get to a dull red and then melt. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." BTW, if you actually want brass rods you can usually find them at most hardware or hobby stores, e.g. Hobby Lobby or Michael's, in smaller diameters (often up 1/8"/2 mm) but they tend to be more expensive than in welding stores or stores that carry welding supplies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 I use Forney brass rods, they come in several sizes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 Irondragon: Are you sure they are brass? GNM PS I see that Forney sells both brass and bronze brazing rods. I did not know that. The brass appears to be only copper and zinc which may mean it is forgeable. As I understand it, the reason brass will crumble when hit while hot is that many brass alloys contain lead to make them easier to machine. When heated the lead melts before the rest of the metal becomes soft and causes zones of weakness which cause the crumbling. I have no idea when brass or bronze would be preferable when brazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 15 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Wow here in the USA you would get in serious trouble making a knife for School I made a sound suppressor for a firearm back in about 1990 in eighth grade shop class and got an A. I know you couldn't do that anymore. I used to make water pipes in art class too. No one ever batted an eye. Those days are long gone. I think they'd expel you for either nowadays. Pnut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 The fellows I knew that did brass on the spine bought brass sq tubing at a hobby shop and ground off one side, fitted it to the knife spine and soft soldered it on with the blade edge in a tray of water so as to not mess up the temper. (The Brass is not needed, it's rather an affectation IMNSHO!) I heard tell that Jim took a heap of killing before it took! I assume you have all seen the 1952 movie about JB, "The Iron Mistress"; not factual at all; but part of the popular culture's "myths and legends" about him nowadays. My family is from Arkansas and so the knife "rezinates" with me. I like it better than the Arkansas Toothpick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 I like both the Bowie and Toothpick, especially with coffin handles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 I am a fan of copper for pins, It's softer and IMO looks nicer. I generally heat the pin stock up with a torch and quench in water to soften it before using it in the handle. Probably not necessary, but it's just what I have gotten in the habit of doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J.Lampert Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share Posted November 16, 2020 sorry everyone had Wi-Fi problems so couldn't check on comments On 11/12/2020 at 9:27 PM, GutRot said: Where are you at in BC? M.J.Lampert there are metal supermarkets in a couple places I see they sell brass rod pretty cheap GutRot I tried all the metal suppliers around and 1 could get a 12 ft. 3/16 rod special ordered from Chicago for over $250 On 11/12/2020 at 9:46 PM, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said: I use no flux brass brazing rod for pins, easy to get in most auto parts or welding stores. checked with the welding store haven't heard back ThomasPowers and Irondragon ForgeClay Works yes I like the Arkansas toothpicks as well but as a dagger that's 5-15 years down the road i first came across them in a louis l'amour book I believe 'ride the river' (Sackett book # 5) and was like i need that and then i realized there's little use now days for suck a knife plan to do more work today so maybe posting again today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 If you're using the web site contact link you'll get ignored more than not, the telephone is much more effective. If you're having trouble finding a specific diameter rod, get what you can and drill the pin holes to match the rod. Yes? Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J.Lampert Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 frosty i don't use website contact links unless there is no other way. Prefer to talk with an actual person not wait 1-5 days for each reply. I would take any rod under 3/8ths but i cant get any brass at all other than the $7 for 6 usable inches on a toilet float rod. might try melting and casting damaged brass rifle shells Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Anywhere near the coast? Bronze is used a lot for boats and ship accouterments; places that repair them may have some scrap on hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhitee93 Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Do you have a store that caters to the R/C car and plane crowd nearby? Every local hobby shop in my part of the world has brass tubing, and rod stock up to 1/4" as well as sheet stock up to 0.032". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Also, any hobby shop selling model train supplies. Most of the hardware stores around here also sell brass sheet and rods. And, as I said earlier, bronze brazing rods at a welding supply store or a big box. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J.Lampert Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 so i got into the shop the last few days in small increments and finally got it shaped so now to start my grinds and get it quenched Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 Good Morning, I've got some small Brass, what part of the Rock are you calling Home. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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