A friend found me a great used lathe recently. I was able to get it set up and work up a couple of new tops.
Happy Making,
Jim
Making a fixed blade pocket knife in O1 and micarta for every day carry
Posted in EDC, knifemaking, Leather working, metalwork with tags bob loveless, edc, everyday carry, knifemaking, leather sheath, micarta on September 8, 2011 by JimI got to spend a great day with my dad making knives. I have been interested lately in having a fixed blade pocket knife so, I put together this pattern and we each made the same knife.
Here is how mine turned out:
It is sized like a neck knife, but I specifically designed it to be carried as an EDC (every day carry) pocket knife.
And here it is in its sheath. I made the sheath with the Loveless style cam so it makes a great ‘snap’ when you put it away.
It is comfortable in my front pocket or the leg pocket in my work pants.
Happy Making,
Jim
Two Bob Loveless Style Hunters in 01
Posted in knifemaking, metalwork with tags bob loveless, hunting knife, knife making on August 27, 2011 by JimI plan to make this a set of three knives. I have two roughed out and plan to cut the third in a similar style to the Loveless chute knife.
Here is how far I got tonight.
These are in 01 steel.
Happy making,
Jim
Making a drop point hunting knife
Posted in Blacksmithing, knifemaking, metalwork with tags bob dozier, bob loveless, drop point, hunting knife, knife pattern on August 25, 2011 by JimI am starting work on a set of three hunting knives all based on Bob Dozier Patterns which are based on Bob Loveless patterns.
Here is your treat for tonight, the first patten:
If you make knives or are interested in making knives, go get a copy of ‘Knifemaking with Bob Loveless‘ right now and read it. This book is a good one.
Happy making,
Jim
The Finished Dagger
Posted in Blacksmithing, hammer texture, knifemaking, metalwork with tags 1095 steel, bronze, dagger, hammer texture, knifemaking on August 21, 2011 by Jim
I finished the dagger today!
Making a two edged knife was a bit of a stretch for me but I am really pleased with how it turned out. It has a 5.5″ blade length and 10″ OAL. It is made out of 1095 steel. The fittings are hammered bronze.
The pommel is heavy and almost 3/4″ at its thickest. Having the weight there offsets the weight of the blade and makes the knife feel agile in your hand.
Because this was a gift, my friend gave me a silver coin so the knife would not cut our friendship. I expected a nickel but instead I got this beautiful solid silver handmade Baron Guglielmo Bardicci coin!
This was a great project. Next up, hunting knives.
Happy Making,
Jim
Making a knifemaking file guide for for two dollars
Posted in Gear Making, knifemaking, metalwork, Tool Making with tags file guide, knife making, took making on July 29, 2011 by JimFor my current dagger project, I am worried about getting the plunge lines straight and equal; that and the edges of the ricasso where they meet the guard. I have known about file guides for a while but have a hard time spending fifty dollars to get one. Or even $150 to get the really nice carbide faced one from Uncle Al’s.
Here is one I made last night in the shop.
The most expensive parts on this jig were the bolts. Two of them for $0.98. The rest is scrap from around the shop. I spent a couple hours getting it together.
The jaws are O-1. The guide rods were scrap 3/8″ rod stock. I drilled four holes and tapped two opposing holes in each piece. I checked that everything was ground flat, square, and parallel as I could get by hand. I don’t have a mill. I hardened with straight soybean oil from the grocery store. I just barely tempered the O-1 (350 for an hour). I wanted to leave the face hard so files will not wear thorough them.
These are not as pretty as store bought but I think they will work just fine.
Oh Happy Dagger…
Posted in Blacksmithing, Forging, knifemaking, metalwork with tags dagger, knifemaking on July 26, 2011 by JimMaking a dagger from a file.
A friend had this blank for years. It was started by his pal. He told me that he wanted to make or have it made into a finished dagger so he can return it to its original creator as a surprise. Maybe there is a little romance in the fact that he has carried it around all this time. I get sentimentally attached to objects myself, so this project interested me.
I’m all in when I think there is a little history or romance in a project. I spent a little quiet time with it last night and here is where we got:
The blank was still hard as diamonds when I got it, so it went in the forge and got annealed. After, I ground the sides flat just enough to put the purple layout dye on it, scribe a center line, and begin to layout the tang.
More to come soon as I can get back into the shop.
Happy Making,
Jim
