Knife comp entry...Knife complete

[HillBill]

Hi folks.

I've never done a WIP before, so thought i would this time, along with making my first Bowie. Forgive me if its not upto the standard of some of the other WIP threads i have seen

Ok, here we go.

This knife is being made for the knife comp, i agreed with Brancho that i would make a stick tang knife for the first time. I didn't want to make a puukko though. I've always admired a certain Bowie i had seen online, so i used that for the inspiration for this one. Its not your standard clip point style of bowie, i prefer this style.

The steel is 4.6mm D2, and the knife has a 10" Blade and will have an overall length of around 15"

Here are the starting materials i had, A big piece of D2, some 6mm angle brass, and a nice block of Yew for the handle. Total cost to me... £0.00p . I figured i'd see what i could make for free, rather than spending the £50. My steel supplier gave me the D2 to try when i went in, set up an account and paid cash of 8 meters of 01, the angle brass was given by a mate when i first started making, it was the legs for my gas bottle forge i used when i first started. The yew is cut from some big logs i have that i cut down from a neighbours garden about 3 1/2 years ago.

Blank cut out and shaped

Ready to start grinding. I had to clamp an extra piece of steel to my grinding plate to accommodate the size of the blade, as this is waaay bigger than the normal bushy type knives i've made for the last 3 years.

A couple of hours later, the rough grinding is done

A couple more hours had the blade ready for HT, and leaving me with sore fingers

Time to make the bolster fitting. Off to the milling machine..I still haven't decided in what style i'm going to make the bolster yet, so i just got the slot sorted and all fitting nicely to the blade. I used a 4mm cutter and some nice files to get a good fit. I'll think on what i'm going to do with it tonight. Its all got to be finished tomorrow.....

The blade was then sealed in stainless steel foil, ready to go in the oven.

In it goes, for a heat treat process that will take the best part of 7 hours.

Thats where i am with it now, Its going to be a long night....

More to follow tomorrow.

 

[swotty]

Nice work.....i'm looking forward to seeing the finished job tomorrow

 

[Robbi]

Looking great HB

whats your electric bill like ? :yikes:

 

[Bluebs4]

Mark that looks big n sharp as it is , variety is defiantly the spice of life.

 

[HillBill]

Cheers guys.

Robbi, the oven runs on the same type circuit a household oven runs on, so its not a silly amount really. A few quid perhaps for this one knife. Luckily i dont run it every day, and batch HT where i can

Stewart - agree there mate, i need to mix up what i make or i'd get a bit bored. It still needs a secondary bevel putting on it, there about a mm of thickness at the edge. Might convex it.

 

[Mesquite]

Nice work so far Mark

What's the purpose of the steel foil during HT?

 

[HillBill]

Cheers Steve.

Its to minimize oxygen getting to the steel, it helps prevent decarburisation.

 

[Angst]

dude that is niiiiiiiiiiice! and free!!!

 

[HillBill]

Cheers Sonni

 

[sasquatch]

Thanks for sharing, it's not every day you see a bowie wip...

 

[HillBill]

I'll be trying all sorts of new things this year, if folk want to see more work in progress threads then i'm happy to oblige.

 

[Dreadhead]

ooo nice one Mark definitly want to see more wip threads tis all good stuff

 

[British Red]

Fascinating thread - and yes please to more WIP threads!

I love threads where people actually do things and show progress etc.

As for the bolster, can I suggest a minimal bottom guard on it?

 

[Dave Budd]

Like I said over on NB, it's nice to see somebody making a knife that's not just another boring scandi! At last a WIP on a proper knife with proper geometry okenest:

Next time, radius the internal corners of the tang/blade juntion. The sharp corners generate stress risers that can cause the blade to snap at that point; which is why the cheap nasty imported blades have given stick tangs an unfair rep for not being as strong as a full tang

 

[HillBill]

Cheers Hamish I'll do them more often mate.

Red - The bottom guard extend about 18mm from where the bottom of the handle is. This Bowie will have a coffin shaped handle, so i've done a coffin shaped bolster too. I think it will look sweet

 

[HillBill]

Lol, Variety is spice of life, as said

Like I said over on NB, it's nice to see somebody making a knife that's not just another boring scandi! At last a WIP on a proper knife with proper geometry okenest:

 

[sasquatch]

Funny, I'd like to do a coffin shaped handle when I get time as well. Have you done any hollow grinds before Mark?

 

[HillBill]

This ones a full flat mate, not done a hollow before. I'd need a jig set up on my radius master for that. Which is on the cards anyway as i need to learn it for a roman gladius i'm making, which will have a fuller down the centre, hollow grinds leading out from that, with a convexed edge. Gonna be a toughy

Coffin handles look good when properly done, lets hope this one is

 

[Dreadhead]

This ones a full flat mate, not done a hollow before. I'd need a jig set up on my radius master for that. Which is on the cards anyway as i need to learn it for a roman gladius i'm making, which will have a fuller down the centre, hollow grinds leading out from that, with a convexed edge. Gonna be a toughy

Coffin handles look good when properly done, lets hope this one is

Gladius aye? better be a thread on that badboy!

 

[HillBill]

Its in damascus too I already have the steel.