Finished - 1084 and Bocote - One for Christmas

[tomsm44]

Hoping to finish this one up for Christmas.  It's 1084 and is a slightly larger version of the one I did last Christmas for my dad.  This is going to be a small part of a larger package that my mother in law got me to build for my father in law.  Here it is beside the one from last year.  

   

[bjansen]

Great work Matt.

[Gdpolk]

Looks nice.

[4est trekker]

I like the lines (or lack thereof) on both of those. Very natural flow by my eye.

[Steve Nuckels]

Very nice!

Steve
----------
Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Foundation
ABS AP

[tomsm44]

Thanks guys.  I got this one heat treated tonight and will hopefully make some real progress on it this weekend.

4est Trekker,
When I built the first of these two last year, I had just read something that Lin Rhea wrote about line and flow on a knife.  Up to this point, I would sketch a knife on paper, then build it.  Problem with that is that the sketch is two dimensional where a knife is three dimensional.  I started this one with a scrap piece of 1084 and just started grinding.  I started at the tip and worked my way back, stopping regularly to look at it from many different angles, and essentially designing it as I went.  It made a big difference, I think, considering the design from different angles while I was building it.  Plus it was a really fun process.  The second one is based on the first just because it turned out so well.  I was actually planning on a knife around the size I'm doing now for the first one, but it lost some length when I was fine tuning the profile.

[Lin Rhea]

They both look great. The bigger one scales up in size very nicely. The lines are very nice.

[GRAYBEARD]

I really like that blade shape. Fine looking knives.

[tomsm44]

Made a little progress on this one today.  Got the bolsters pinned on and shaped.  Then I attached the scales with temporary pins and got them mostly shaped.  Still a little fine tuning to do on the handle.  I had planned to use cow bone for the scales, but I couldn't quite get the piece I had to stretch far enough for this knife.  So it's gonna be stuck with some old ugly bocote.  I'm gonna try something different with this one.  I've used the blue/bleach/boil etch method on several blades and like the way it comes out.  On this one, once everything is like I want it, I'm planning to take the scales back off and then etch the entire knife.  That'll give me a bleach etched finish on the blade, spine, bolsters, and the edge of the tang all the way around.  Then I'll permanently attach the scales and clean everything up with 400 grit sand paper.  That's the plan anyway.  Here's a couple of progress pics from today.  Hope to get it mostly finished tomorrow.

 
 

[tomsm44]

Getting close.  I took the scales back off and bleach etched the blade this morning, then put it all back together permanently.  Pins and thong tubing are in and sanded down flush, and the first coat of tung oil is drying.  Here's a quick picture with the first coat on.  I got started on the sheath today as well.  I'll get some better pictures up once the whole package is finished.  Hopefully the first part of next week.

 

[tomsm44]

One thing I hadn't considered when etching the blade with the bolsters on.  The etch made the outline of the pins visible.  Oh well, this is how we learn.  Also, the mild steel bolsters etched a little differently than the blade, but I'm still happy with it overall.

[Thadbow]

I really like the looks of this one!  Great job!

[KSCATTRAPR]

WOW, love the looks of that, great job!

[tomsm44]

Thanks guys.  I got the sheath finished up last night.  I'll try to get some pictures of the finished package up today or tomorrow.

[tomsm44]

Final specs below:

OAL:  8 3/8"
Blade:  4 1/8"
1084 blade with mild steel bolsters - bleach etched finish.
Bocote with copper/brass two tone pins.
Black tooled leather ambidextrous cross draw sheath.

Here's a few better pictures of the knife and sheath, as well as the full package that it's part of.

 
 
 
 
 

[NittanyRider]

Great looking knife!  I'm not usually a big fan of bocote, but I think that handle looks awesome with the etched blade and bolster.     Your FIL is a fortunate man!

p.s. any info on the six-shooter?

[tomsm44]

Thanks.  It's a Ruger Vaquero, 45 Colt.  That's his gift from my mother in law.  She bought the materials and got me to build the rest to go with it.

[Steve Nuckels]

Wow, impressive knife, sheath and rig!  

Great looking Bocote!

Steve
---------
Potomac Forge
Member. W.F. Moran Foundation
ABS Apprentice Smith

[tomsm44]

Thanks Steve.

[just_a_hunter]

Very nice!

Todd