Curly Walnut Hunter

[Lin Rhea]

This Hunter has special significance for me. It dont have any bells or whistles, as you can see. The clipped blade is about 4 3/4 inch of 5160. The gaurd and pin are stainless steel.

The piece of Walnut is one that I cut from a tree that was removed from some property in Little Rock. I took the chunk of tree home and sliced it up with a chainsaw till I got to the curly area. I cut it up in handle sized pieces and stuck them in a drying box I made from plywood and a light bulb. They stayed in there about 4 months and got good and dry.

Believe it or not, this knife won the Clyde Fischer award in Old Washington last weekend. Actually it tied with one made by Terry Vanderventer from Mississippi. Terry and I were pretty happy about it. Lin

 

[Squirrel Bait]

As with everything you make Lin, it's beautiful!

[tomh]

that is a classic beauty Lin, I like the blade shape a lot.

[d. ward]

Outstanding as always...bd

[4runr]

Beautiful!!

[Ray Hammond]

I believe thats my favorite of your knives, so far, Lin! Wonderful.

[2Knives]

Oh, thats a beauty for sure!!!!

[Lin Rhea]

Thanks guys. I appreciate your encouragement.

Did anyone here ever meet Clyde Fischer before he passed away?

Lin

[kbaknife]

Lin, the curl in that walnut is spectacular!
I never met Clyde, and I can't even spell Vanderventer.
Is that a mortised handle?
Saving some for Silver wire?

[Chris Surtees]

   

[Lin Rhea]

Karl,
         I never met him either. He passed away before I started making knives. His knives were mostly hunting knives and made from materials that were easily available or indigenous to his home state of Texas. He is known for making tough, but simple looking knives with few embellishments.
       
     The requirements for the award competition stated that the hunting knife must be of carbon steel, no filework or embellishments, and the handle material indigenous of Texas.
       
     Mr Fischer is an inductee in the Bladesmith Hall of Fame located at the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock. If you ever get to Little Rock, it's worth a visit. Lin

[Jon Christensen]

Nice blade Lin, it's begs to be used.
Well deserved award.

Jon

[Brad Singley]

Awesome Job Lin!  I tend toward the simpler look and that is one beautiful knife

[tomh]

Lin what did you use to finish the handle on this knife? Thanks!

[Lin Rhea]

Thanks Jon and Brad.

Tom, good question. When I had the handle 99% to shape, I poured the Minwax Wood hardener to it. I let that dry for a day or so and sanded it with some progressivly finer sand paper till it was ready to wax and put Ren wax on it.

Since this is Walnut and has plenty of color, no stain is necessary. If I was going to use stain (such as with curly Maple), I would have to do that before I seal it with woodhardener. Lin

[tomh]

Thanks you Lin!

[OconeeDan]

Very nice, Lin.  Congratulations on the award!
Dan

[Larry Surtees]

Very nice

[vermonster13]

[TxMoon]

Clyde Fischer,,,I am sure I have had or seen one of his knifes.. Did he work with G.W Stone in Richardson Tx or was he from West Tx? I will do some looking into it to be sure.