Trad Gang
Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: Lin Rhea on September 23, 2014, 07:43:00 PM
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This next project is just that. Beyond being a custom knife. It has become a very important object that represents some things that cant be defined by the name or, more importantly, by a dollar amount. I have gotten some important assigned projects before, but this was different. I'll try to explain.
The gentleman that wanted me to make the knife is well known to tradgang. His gorgeous photos depicting hunting scenes are viewed and appreciated by most of us. They speak of times when plaid wool was the preferred camo and the fedora was in style as headgear. In other words, tradition goes much farther with him than perhaps with most. This sensibility was no doubt instilled in him by two parents who left him with some precious memories. Fortunately I can relate very much.
It was his idea to use, as a handle, a Whitetail deer antler. A small one at that. But then I learned that it was the last deer his father had taken with a bow before he passed away. OK, I knew that, come what may, I was going to use this antler. What was first reluctance turned to determination.
We corresponded some more and talked of other important materials that might could be used in the knife's construction. Rifle casings from a bear hunt, wooden material from an antique wooden trunk, and a penny. Every one of these items had significant meaning to my friend, by now. What that is, he can tell us, if he so chooses. It became apparent that this was not just a knife anymore. It was going to be a vehicle to carry memories along into the future. I'm not one to attach too much meaning on material things but this was putting a lot of pressure on me. I knew that it was going to end up important to me too in spite of my resistance.
So how was I to decide how to use these materials to make a knife that I knew would never be sold, never be left behind, and never be held without remembering someone's love?
I will say that it took me a few days to come up with something. I fretted over this one. Be patient with me while I gather the photos and post the progress.
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You have my attention. :campfire:
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The first bit of material I received was the antler. Based on the antler alone, I forged the blade, but I was pretty worried how to make a comfortable handle.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5571/15034437521_aed9d60196_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/oUxqu2)
While wringing my hands for a few more days worrying how to do justice to this, a few more materials came in the mail.
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Can't think of a better maker to bring this to life. Looking forward to this.
:campfire:
Jeremy
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Here are the other materials to incorporate into the knife. The wood was about 1/4 inch thick.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3880/15149917909_a14e45c072_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/p5KhMc)
I'm sorry but I have to wait till tomorrow for some more. Well,... one more.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2944/15150106908_e6809ac155_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/p5LfXN)
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O Brother where art thou?
Who is building this knife? I would love to hear more of the back story... I love the heavy sentimental projects, it strikes a chord with me. Great idea but yet still very very challenging, I'm watching and listening :)
:campfire:
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The knife is for me. I lost both of my parents last year, Mom as a result of an accident while taking care of my Dad, and he exactly five months later after a six year bout with dementia.
Lin was sent one side of an antler from Dad's last archery buck taken while hunting with me, casings from his bear rifle, a 1953 wheat penny (year they were married), and pieces of wood taken from a 100+ year old trunk that belonged to my Mom. She kept things in it that were given to her when she was a child. We still have that trunk and its contents. The wood I sent to Lin came from a previously damaged trunk shelf. The only stipulation I gave Lin was to create a "Damascus" steel, drop point, blade. I'm sure that he will explain how the knife evolved after that. While this will obviously be an important family heirloom, it will also be proudly carried each time I go afield.
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Wow looking forward to it watching this project.
Thanks
Joel
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The first thing I needed was a plan. The materials and the theme of this knife all lead me to one conclusion, a Scagel style knife. While there were some of Mr Scagel's knives that I did not find attractive, some were truly beautiful.
The light and thin material of the wood required that I cut it into small squares and stack them to create volume. I decided to cross the grain within the stack to strengthen it and offer character. Of course stacking material was just what Mr Scagel did so I think I'm on the right track.
As for the brass 06 casing, I figured to saw and roll them flat, however they were work hardened in the loading dies till they were very stiff. So I annealed them and rolled them easily out to flatten them.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3918/15340728972_fa106e725b_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pnBfg7)
The annealing of brass and other non ferrous materials call for it to be heated to red and quenched, in this case, water.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3928/15340730222_1c76032a82_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pnBfCE)
I then unrolled them and flattened them and was able to determine just how much material I had to work with.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3841/15341043705_fa590bb007_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pnCRPx)
I was able to cut two spacers from each casing.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2942/15340732572_3dd455b2d5_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pnBgkb)
So now I have my spacers, my wood cut and stacked (glued), antler, ............ Now what?
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3850/15333517231_2589de9b88_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pmYhsK)
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Oh, man...this is great. I'm really enjoying this project-very different and fun. Great planning, Lin (as always). And what a neat thing for the owner to have with all those pieces put into one knife.
Jeremy
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Thanks Jeremy.
I was having fears of messing up these materials and perhaps not being able to replace them. That is where the pressure was for me. There was no longer any doubts about my determination, I just had to do it justice.
I wanted to set the penny into the pommel of the handle so I bored a pocket into the burr of the antler for it to rest in below surface. This required some tricky drilling which was a critical point in the process. If I went too deep, it would cut out the antler. But it had to be deep enough to allow for the finial not to stick out too much. It turns out that this coin and this antler were made to be fit together. It was a good fit. Here is a picture just after the boring was done.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3921/15154475769_1dd0e3c525_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/p69DEZ)
Just looking at the above picture you can understand why my confidence level fluctuated a lot, but I have seen this before many times. When you think that it is getting pretty ugly, you just have to press on having faith in the outcome.
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Naturally I was to provide the basic framework of this knife. The blade, as Gary mentioned, is a small Damascus drop point and the tang will form the spine of the handle. This will give all of the parts some stiffness. That, along with the compression applied to the stack as it is being assembled and glued, will be ample.
But I would like to point out a couple more things that Mr Scagel used to his advantage in this design. Periodically through the stack he would insert metal spacers, presumably to add color and a pleasing look. I believe there is more to it than that. The small stacks of metal spacers interspersed throughout the stack, while indeed looking good, will serve to divide the handle into sections, thus reducing the likelihood of over torqueing of any given spot along the handle. If these metal spacers are fit to the tang snugly, they support the otherwise spongy materials he used, which was leather in his case.
In the case of this knife, The tang was long enough to extend back into the antler for a bit where a machine screw was soldered to the tang to pass out the pommel end. Of course the antler is a durable material on it's own. To make sure of the good connection between the antler and the forward sections of the handle material, I drilled two alignment holes and placed pins, one on each side of the tang, from into the antler, forward through a set of metal spacers and into the wood.
I also made the finger guard from stainless steel and some of the spacer materials from stainless steel. This would "frame" the softer brass and provide color contrast.
At this point it was time to start stacking material into place, including the antler. For that I cut some of the forward part of the antler off and preserved the crown and about 1-1/2 inches of the main beam. This removed most of the curve from the antler and left me with the desired aspects for the handle. I waited till late in the process to cut the antler in case there was any plan changes, but as it turns out the longer antler was much easier to hold in the drill vise while boring the penny pocket.
Also at this point, I needed to drill the penny for the machine screw to come through it and I had to make a finial to hold it all together.
My methods might seem draconian by some standards but I get the job done most of the time. I drilled an appropriate hole and tapped it to match the machine screw. Then I drilled the perpendicular hole for the ring after which I cut the small section from the bar and screwed in a section of machine screw. I then put it into a battery drill and turned it from square to round and then stepped the part going through the penny.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3854/15318634626_48bd7069cc_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pkE1o7)
By spinning the drill while working the piece you can usually come up with something usable. :)
Here I am holding the safe edge (no teeth) of the file down and truing up the seat of the finial.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2942/15155135077_62b97b1298_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/p6d2En)
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:thumbsup: :notworthy:
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:campfire:
The ring for the finial is made in a very simple way as you might guess. I just take a rod and start shaping it into a circle and let the ends lap so the hacksaw cut takes care of both.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3900/15155090758_0838ae63a2_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/p6cNuf)
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2942/15338501681_eae0ac42d3_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pnpQax)
The ring has to remain open so it can fit onto the finial after which it is lined up and soldered. Then some final shaping and cleaning is done.
After a dry run of assembling and adjusting the machine screw length, etc. it is time to start gluing it all up. I use acraglas for most of my epoxy. The next picture is where it is all together for the last time and I was very anxious to make it look better by grinding off the ugly.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2942/15318641296_125a0facfd_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pkE3n7)
See what I mean?
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Again it took faith to believe that the unsightly handle would look better, but it did. This is the first shaping.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3854/15155956248_3f14a3d18d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/p6heLu)
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As the above picture shows, the wood is a very light color. Gary and I decided that it needed some darkening so I stained and sealed it.
I think it turned out well. This picture shows the layering of the materials.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3913/15156034078_7f4f257ef5_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/p6hCUo)
Here are some more of different angles.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3881/15342310032_8186377de7_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pnKmfL)
The next picture has some saw marks from the time the antlers were sawn from the skull. I assumed Gary's Dad did that so I left the marks on it.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3923/15319589686_70ab9d27cf_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pkJUhE)
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2942/15156036838_a8dbaf594f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/p6hDHY)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3875/15339446521_21eeec0222_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pnuF2T)
Thanks for bearing with me. This knife has left an impression on me that I cant really explain sufficiently. I just know that the materials represent something for Gary that is very precious. I really feel grateful to him for allowing me to make this one of a kind hunting knife.
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Wow! I love the back story and the sentimental connection here. The quality of the work is a given, outstanding. It turned out beautiful. I appreciate you sharing your work here with us.
Gary, I appreciate you having this one made. What an heirloom.
Chris
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Excellent Work! Thank You BOTH for the build details and the back story.
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Lin, you done good. That was an incredible job and the "vehicle" is one anybody can be proud to own.
CHuckC
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Theres a lot of detail in that knife. Very nice.
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WOW, what a treasure!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
You might say I have a similar knife. It was made for me by a friend that was far too old to be making knives by the time he made it for me. I can only imagine the time and sheer effort it took him. I personally drew the exact shape of the blade I wanted and he too added some "special" pieces to the knife. You might say I know what this knife means the Mr. Lodgen.
It takes a special person to pour that much of his soul into something for someone else than himself, my hat's off to you Mr. Rhea! You are truly a blessing in the trad world
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Theres a lot of detail in that knife. Very nice.
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Mr Logsdon I am very sorry for your loss sir! I admire your thoughtful creativity with the project of this knife. Thank you for sharing the story behind the knife, it adds so much to it.
Lin... amazing! Thanks for taking all the pictures and sharing the project with us. I don't need to have ever made a knife to be enthralled with this!
:clapper:
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Incredible. Not much more I can say about it.
:campfire:
Matt
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Wow... That's very, very awesome!!!
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Cool........ :thumbsup: :notworthy:
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:notworthy: :notworthy:
:clapper:
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:notworthy:
Quite possibly the most beautiful knife I've ever seen. Especially with the back story.
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Lin,
You sure do put the "MASTER" in Master Bladesmith. That is amazing work.
Gary, I knew about your Dad, but not your Mom. A fine remembrance for both you loved so much. I am sure it will bring back a better memory every time you touch it.
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Beyond words. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Absolutely beautiful. From many memories, new ones will be forged.
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This is why I love tradgang. Amazing story, amazing Craftsman.
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Nothing left to say. Just a great thread.
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It's why we hunt.
homebru
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A beautiful knife that reflects a lifetime of beautiful memories ...
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Awesome knife and awesome story. What a great idea.
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:notworthy: Well done Lin!
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Thanks Steve ... and I think you're right.
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Lin, great work. Visionary! Gary, That knife should bring you great luck as well as comfort. Mike
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Thanks for the very kind words. It makes me feel good that this little knife will be a part of many pleasant days afield for Gary.
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Beyond Cool!
Great project!
Steve
--------
Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Foundation
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I hope you're right Mike. I need all of the luck that can get buddy. That said, there's no doubt that it will make my time afield even more special.
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Too awesome!
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Incredible Lin. I'm sure this knife will not only have many good days for him in the field but will also be handed down for a long time.
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Wow, is all I've got. What a story and unbelievable workmanship. God speed.
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so awesome.
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Custom knives are so different than production models. I'm sure it's the character in each work of art knowing they're one of a kind. Absolutely stunning work Lin. You put thought into your craftsmanship like Gary puts thought into his photography. Excellent. bw
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That's as good as it gets. Made from pieces of the past, by the hands of a craftsman who understands the value of such things............top notch Lin. :notworthy:
Darcy :campfire:
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Thanks Darcy. I appreciate a craftsman as you saying so.
Barry, Thank you much for commenting on my work. I enjoy you guy's videos. I just got my copy of October Whitetails yesterday by the way. I've watched it several times over the years and now it's in my library.
Thanks again guys. :campfire:
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So much for the condemnation of "heartless" animal killers :rolleyes:
Lin, Gary, I can't imagine the halls of Buckminster Palace have anything with more class or meaning. Well done to you both!
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The beauty of a piece like this goes so much deeper than looks. The looks by the way don't get any better in a knife.
This is the type of work and story that needs to be worked into history books to preserve what master art craftsman and hunters are all about and what they accomplish when two greats come together..
Awesome all the way around.
Todd
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I am touched and humbled by the comments
I've read here. It gives the knife even greater meaning.
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Like everyone else I'm amazed.
Great work once again.
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WoW ,nothing but the BEST, Joe
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The knife is beautiful. I can't think of a better way to preserve the memory of your mother and father, Gary. Thank you both for taking the time to share this with us.
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As the worlds leading knife gawker, I feel qualified to state, you are the best Lin. There are so many great artists out there making knives these days and many expertly built with attention to eye appeal and ergonomic science but to this day, every masterpiece that you produce is something that I think to myself "Man, He Made That Just The Way Id Order It!" Hats off to you Sir!
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Thanks Izzy.
Thanks for all of your comments.
The sheath should be done tomorrow afternoon and I'll try to get a photo up soon.
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I applaud the way Gary honor's his parents. I'm sure we've seen just the tiniest tip of the iceberg of that quality in him here.
When I saw the assortment of items Lin Rhea had to work with I could not imagine how they would be turned into a knife. His mind's eye must be a crystal ball to exhibit such vision.
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Thanks for your kind words Roy. I received the knife in the mail today and it's everything that I had wished for. I'll post a few photos when I can.
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Amen, to the all the posters praise and sentiments.
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This is a photo that Gary took of the knife after he got it. His photography is much better I think. :)
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3949/15341731520_81473ee318_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pnGohq)
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That's unbelievable.
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Gary,
Truly sorry for your loss. An amazing way to cherish the memories.
Lin,
Master Workmanship beyond words.
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Thanks gentlemen. :campfire: