Trad Gang
Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: 4est trekker on February 24, 2011, 06:17:00 PM
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Here's a little buildalong for a 8" oal drop point hunter made from 1080 steel (stock removal). I started with a wooden mock-up to get a feel/look for the blade. The pictures are self explanatory, I believe. The whitetail antler will be from a nice 12 point buck harvested in Southwest Iowa (my homeland!) in 1998. The last couple of pictures shows the blade after it has been sanded to 600 grit and then etched several times in a vinegar/lemon juice mixture. I tried eliminating the plunge line by sanding it into a gentle contour, but for no other reason than to try it. I settled on more of an appleseed grind for the blade with a flat grind for the cutting edge. And don't laugh too hard at my clay coating...that could use some finessing! Thanks for looking.
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/SC-Drop-Point-Hunter-Plate-1-2.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/SC-Custom-Drop-Point-Hunter-Plate-2.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/SC-4.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/SC-5.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/SC-6.jpg)
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I like it!!!!!
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Very nice job, your line looks good also
Dana
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Very nice knife and very nice presentation too!
Steve
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Potomac Forge
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I like where this is going!
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How many times did you etch, and for how long?
Steve
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Potomac Forge
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That is really nice. I like it a lot.
TBRA
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very nice, I like it! that one will make someone happy ;)
can't wait to see how it turns out!
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So far so great! I really like the look of that handle. Can't wait to see it when it's finished!
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Thanks, all. I appreciate the kind comments. Steve: I etched in a 4:1 solution of distilled vinegar (5% acidicty) and lemon juice (supposed to help the hamon pop a bit more, or so I've heard????) 4 times for about 8 hours (overnight) each. I lightly polished with Brasso after each etching.
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Thanks Curt, I would say it worked!
My next project will have alot of forge scale and texturing on the blade flats, the vinegar may remove alot of that. So I will try your etch on another project.
Thanks and very nice work.
Steve
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nice temper line great work
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Here's some pictures of the finished knife and sheath. The gentleman wanted an arrow incorporated into the package, so I made an arrowhead medallion out of the left over piece of antler and used it to inscribe his name on one side and mine on the other. Also, it turned out that I didn't have quite enough antler to keep the natural finish on the scales. As such, I soaked the scales in Minwax Wood Hardener overnight then completely saturated them with several coats of CA glue to ensure all open pores were completely filled. Then I buffed the dickens out of the whole shootin' match with steel wool. Thanks for looking!
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/K210.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/N85c.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/N84c.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/N87.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/N93.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/n88.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Knives%20and%20Metalwork/k100.jpg)
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:thumbsup:
Nice work!
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simply amazing
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Curt, that is a beautiful handmade knife loaded with great detail! Very nice! And love the sheath too!
Impressive!
Steve
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Potomac Forge
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Wow. You make more than sweet bows? That's awesome brother. You've made another sweet delight for a sportsman. And your photography has gotten insane awesome too. Love the rack focus.