A bit of ethnic and rustic anvil battering...

[juttle]

I've not posted anything of much interest for quite a while as it's not easy battering hot metal with inoperative thumbs! Anyway, here's three that I managed to produce, more playing and therapy really, rather than a proper attempt to produce quality goods!

From the left, Semi skinner with cowhorn scales and horizontal carry sheath. Brut de Forge, rustic copper rivets and a bit of (not very good) leather embossing.

Next, Hunter/ utility with ramshorn scales. Neck sheath with belt loop, constructed in the same manner as above.

Right, I've never made a nessmuk, so I thought it was time I gave it a go! Proper rustic, this,just two antler scales and a bit of steel, no frills. I did, just for the hell of it, cap off the raw ends of the antler! The sheath is finished pretty much as above with the addition of what I can only describe as 'Kensington Market Tribal' which will only be appreciated by those of a certain age!

All the steel is 75ni8, hardened and tempered to somewhere near 57 - 59 rockwell, which is as near as I can get with my test files.

I've also got to upload what can really only be described as a 'puukko on steroids', but that'll have to wait for a bit.

Anyway, comments, opinions, requests for after dinner speeches, etc, more than welcome!

Oh, incidentally, to continue with the theme of producing not very good knives and leatherwork, the pictures are rubbish too!

 

[greencloud]

You're a bit too modest, they're all very nice and look well made despite the rustic style. I particularly like the middle one.

If you don't mind sharing, how did you cap the antler? I'm keen to use it as scales on a full tang, but wasn't sure how to keep the width without exposing the marrow, other than add excessively big bolsters...

 

[juttle]

The antler was a very thick walled piece that I'd had hanging around for ages, I just split it on my bandsaw and capped the ends with a few bits of buffalo horn offcut. After the epoxy had dried, I thrashed them into shape with my grinder. I've found that the easiest way to work with antler scales is to fit the handle to the available width of antler. If you split and flatten your antler to more or less the finished size, and then lay the tang of your knife on it, you can see where the antler wall ends. Then adjust your tang to suit!

Hope this helps!

 

[Herbalist1]

Those look great - a fair way beyond rustic anvil beating.
but the best bit for me was 'Kensington market tribal' - just spit coffee all over myself

 

[juttle]

Like l said, not everybody will get that!

 

[sandbender]

Those are lovely, I really like the Nessmuk.

 

[sausage100uk]

All three are great but I love the Nessmuk! wish I could make something as impressive.

 

[John Fenna]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOh - nice!

 

[Macaroon]

I've always admired your work, and these are no exception; I especially like the semi skinner, lovely usable blade shape to it.

I always get a lot of comments when folk see the farrier's rasp jobby I had from you, and it's the only large camp knife I use now

 

[greencloud]

Thanks juttle. That's actually a relief, I presumed that it must need some sort of mechanical support that I'm not tooled up for in addition to glue.

Good call on matching the tang to the antler too - it would be a LOT more tricky the other way!! It defines a handmade knife too, rather than just a material option for a pattern production blade. I suppose symmetry in the bar and an appropriately shaped piece help too.

Thanks again, and again -lovely work on all of these. I'm off to search again for a better ( cheaper) source of antler than pet shops...

 

[juttle]

You could do a lot worse than look at Highland Horn. I get a fair bit from them and I've never had anything I couldn't use. Prices and delivery are pretty good too.

If you discuss with them what you need, they'll do their level best to sort it!

 

[greencloud]

Good call on highland horn, I've hunted the web and can't find better.

It's a shame they keep shutting the whole catalogue though (as currently for a few weeks), surely they could leave it available for browsing and just disable ordering with a banner for notice when required....

I certainly won't be going back for more stagbar at a tenner a roll (the dog gets jealous if I don't buy him a bit too! lol)

 

[forginhill]

All three look like worthy blades to me! Some mates will have nice knives to accompany them into the bush!

 

[Dreadhead]

cracking work as always, love that wee nessy

 

[richardhomer]

Stunning work