oakwoodforge Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Oakwood's Pubswap Knife: Blade is Vintage 5160 from a 1940's Dodge Army truck leaf spring pack with a Japanese style clay heat treat , however the hamon line is almost invisible. Handle is American Wild Cherry, pins are brass , the sheath is Bubinga (AKA African Rosewood ) carved in two peices and glued together then planed and sanded to shape. The ONLY power tool that was used in its construction was the drill for the pin holes. After spending amost every night for 2 weeks squating in front of a waterstone polishing the blade to shape. My wife got so sick of the sound she bought me a new belt grinder for X-mas. a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MailleMas Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Wow Oak - a beautiful and unique piece... and appearently a study in patience while yer at it! Great work, pieces like these give newbies like me something to shoot for (in a few years lol) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Nice knife---but were they using 5160 in 1940 army vehicles? I would have thought they were using a straight carbon steel. Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakwoodforge Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 Thomas, I am not absouloutly positive if it's really 5160 but thats what the mil spec in the manual specifies for the spring materinal in a 1942- 45 Dodge WC 3/4 ton weapons carrier, carryall , command car or ambulance I just assume thats what it is, it seems to work the same as the new 5160 that I buy. The same manual specifies 1095 extra improved plow steel for the winch cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolano Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Nice work. Im really envious of the handle, mainly. I just cant really figure out how you can manage to make it look so nice.... But then, I should probably invest in a knifesmiths book, if I want to do that stuff. I'm also relatively curious about the brass rivets, though. I've never figured how they are fit so well, and are flush with the handle.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Gold Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Nolano, I don't know how OWF does it, but I know how I do it. I use what are called "sex rivets" -- copper rivets that can be pressed or hammered together, one male, one female. I predrill the blade and handle slabs, and make sure that the handle slabs are well oversize. I countersink the rivet holes on the handle slabs a little with a drill bit of an appropriate diameter -- just a little. Then I press it all together, usually with a C-clamp. Then I work it all over with the belt sander to make everything flush (blade edge flush with slabs, rivets flush with slabs, etc). Sorted. Only thing you have to watch out for is that it can be difficult to work on the ends of the slabs that lie at the base of the exposed part of the blade; these may need to be prefinished. Some folks also epoxy their slabs on; I haven't started doing this yet, but it's a good idea. Hope this is useful for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Pins and all. I use old unfluxed welding or brazing rod. I countersink the holes so that when I peen the pins they can hold something and still be flush. As for epoxy. It is more than a glue. It also keeps water out. Which is very important. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakwoodforge Posted January 10, 2006 Author Share Posted January 10, 2006 First off thank you every one for the compliments !! This has been the first knife I have really " Finished " in about 10 years ! To answer Nolano ?'s : The handle slabs are glued on with Gorilla glue , a foaming polyurethane glue. I clamp them with C-clamps overnight while it drys . The handle pins are nothing more than soft brass 1/4 " brazing rod, I cut them a bit long and pein the head gently then file down flush and shape the wood as needed. I drill the rivet holes in the blade before heat treat, but when drilling through the handle material ( I do one side at a time ) make sure you clamp the blade and handle material VERY securely to a large wooden drilling block, first to keep it from becoming a food-processor like weapon attached to your drill press , and second to keep the handle material from tearing out when the drill punches through the back side. Also wraping the blade in paper towels and masking tape, makes it much easier to work on the handle. I also use wood and leather pads in my vises for holding blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Jens, you sly dog. Makin all that noise just to get a new belt grinder... 8) Nice work bud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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