Confederate Forge Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 This is a knife I made a few years ago with a grinder from an old plow blade. I have yet to put a handle on it since I am looking for something real original. I thought about making a handle out of a turtle shell but I havent found the right turtle yet lol. The sheath is made from a broken breast collar from a saddle. Hand stiched with very thin wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Turtle scutes aren't that thick unless you get sea turtle and that you can't use. There are fake materials called tortoise shell but that is too nice a blade for fake material except for maybe the stuff that is used to make the fake ivory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confederate Forge Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 I have seen a few turtles around here that are about the size of a dinner plate with shells at least a 1/4" thick on the bottom. I dont know what kind they are but they are big. I will come across one sooner or later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Looks like a good start. Be sure to post a picture of the finished knife. I don't think I've ever seen a turtle shell handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confederate Forge Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 Speaking of handles, whats the best way to fix one to a knife? copper rivets? I already have 3 holes in the handle for fixing the scales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 I have raised turtles for years and most of the what looks like thickness is not. If you get a really big snapper you might get enough thickness, maybe 1/8", but from cooters and sliders there just isn't anything there that is thick enough for a decent handle no matter how big around. The scute is a very thin layer that overlays the bone. In most cases it is less in thickness then your fingernail and has a rich blood supply under it. Near the the edge where it wraps around the edge of the bone it may be twice the thickness of your fingernail. They are made up of very thin layers like pages in a book and are continually being shed for new layers growing up from below. Once the turtle is dead they tend to just peel right off of the bone and the bone separates at the multitude of joints that make up the carapace and plastron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confederate Forge Posted November 22, 2008 Author Share Posted November 22, 2008 Alright, looks like I will be using something else then. Maybe a nice deer horn or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Just a thought but you might be able to laminate the turtle shell on top of a wooden handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 They would be sort of be like the big fish scales they use for tea lights, very thin and almost transparent, only not as tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ataiter Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 what type plow was used for blade????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiva7777 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 i was wondering that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.