A GERBER REBORN...

[LONGBOWKID]

I had a gerber fixed blade with serrations along most of the blade, aluminum scales, with the finish worn down, and I always had problems keeping the scales tight to the blade, and stripped the rivets out trying to do so.

 So I decided to rework it a bit, and filed the serrations off,they were always in my way, and ruined the possibility of the blade being a skinner. I re-shaped the blade completely, taking about 1/2" of the thin tip off. I also added some simple filework to give the thumb some friction.

 I took off the ugly aluminum scales and slapped some osage on each side, epoxied and clamped it up. Rasped that down into the general shape I wanted and a crack progressed towards the blade end of the scale, so thats where the idea for walnut accents came from.

 The blade could use a polishing or two, but for a novice like myself, I think it looks good.

What do yall think?

Constructive critisism is welcome. I can only learn...

The Kid

 

 

 

 

 

[Chris Surtees]

I like it  

[Ray Hammond]

great rebirth! Just clamp that thing to a board and use 120 grit, 220 grit, 320 grit, then some 400-600 grit sandpaper - each grit going in opposite directions and end up going lengthwise with your final grit to make that blade pretty...put some Danish Oil or TrueOil on that handle and steel wool it with 0000 steel wool or buff it with a wheel, or use real thin super glue and buff it to seal that grip and you are a knife maker.

Great job.That osage is really nice..its just going to get prettier with time.

[d. ward]

Great work looks good..bowdoc

[chiger]

That's a great way to start Kid.  

And you managed to get my 2 favorite woods in the world on it too!  Very ingenious use of materials.

Did you do anything to the back of the scales to make sure they would stay on?  

Don't know what the original shape was, but I like that shape.

Your right, only thing serrations are good for is dive knives and what you just did!  Sorry tactical loves, I think he's right.  Just in the way!  ;~)

Ray's right about finish sanding.  That's the most common, cost effective way to finish um.  

I noticed you even turned the grain north/south on the walnut.  Great move.  It should make it a lot more durable.  

Besides just looking cool.

Now...what's next?

[JEFF B]

way to go kid!!!      

[STOBBER]

You did an outstanding job.......now let's see another !!

[LONGBOWKID]

Wow guys, I guess I did better than I thought!

Outstanding approval is a confidence booster, thanks!

I am hoping to get together with my uncle and make a couple of my own blades.

Thank yall again, I really appreciate it from experienced builders like yourselves.

The Kid

[LONGBOWKID]

Oh and Chiger I gouged them up a bit with the edge of my rasp. When I sawed the osage off where the walnut is now, I had to WORK to pry it off. I think they are on there for good.

The Kid

[chiger]

Cool,

I was hoping you'd say that.  Epoxy doesn't hold well in thin layers, so you have to give it pools of places to grip.  Sounds like you did!

You did a nice job cutting it off the hedge apple and joining it to the walnut.  Good work.