And in the rawhide bind them.....

[VaughnT]

I really like using rawhide to finish the joint between the blade and antler. It gives the whole thing a bit more rustic a look, especially when you use sinew to close it up. In this example, (something of a teaser, I know ) I used one piece of rawhide to make a cap and then a second to act as a collar. A lot of the times the rawhide doesn't like to bend around the end of the antler and really close the pith off, exposing the epoxy and whatnot. So, two layers of very thin skin make up for that failure.



This blade is far more bushcrafty than the neck knife I posted a while ago. It started out as a golf cart leaf spring that my dad got from his friend. He doesn't know it yet, but this will be his new hunting knife.

And, no, I do not recommend using mystery metal like this. I can't count the hours it took to sand down the steel to a decent thickness, scrapping some once a hairline crack was discovered under all that rust. Way cheaper and easier to buy a known metal alloy and work with it, but this is a little something for Pops to carry back to his friend and brag on. We do what we must for family!

More to follow......

 

[Clouston98]

Looks good! Eagerly awaiting more photos .

 

[HHazeldean]

Oh you can't just do that, wheres the rest haha??

That looks nice though, I've never seen a rawhide handle binding like that I don't think. I've just received a fair amount of rawhide so maybe this is something I could do with it..

Can't wait to see the rest of it now!

And a fellow LOTR fan too I see??

 

[VaughnT]

How can someone not be an LOTR fan?

If you've got rawhide, there's not much better way to use it than as a handle treatment. Rawhide is the kydex of ages past and was often used to repair broken rifle stocks and loose knife handles. Different types of animals produce different textures of rawhide. For a complete handle covering, I really like either goat (very very thin stuff) or pig/boar (great texture for a sure grip). I apply mine wet, stretching it as I can so it shrinks tight when it dries. Wrap it with gutted 550 cord to really press it down in the nooks and crannies as well as giving it a bit of a ridged finish. Then paint it with hide glue to seal it up.....

 

[HHazeldean]

How can someone not be an LOTR fan?

Well I do know people!!

Ah right that does sound decent actually. I might give that a go..thanks for the advice! What else could I use it for do you think? Sorry for the thread hijack btw!

 

[VaughnT]

All done except the sharpening and then I have to figure out what I want to do for the sheath.

5.5" of cutting edge and 5" of handle capped off with a poured-in-place pewter pommel. A bit heavy towards the back end, but it's a comfortable weight that lets you know you're holding onto something stout. This was the first time I'd used the pewter for a pommel and I didn't factor in the incredible weight of the stuff when I excavated some of the pith in the antler. Way too much pewter!!!

The blade is a basic carbon steel that just loves to rust. I've never seen any metal that will pit so quickly even when it's soaking in a tub of oil! Still, gives it that old look. To age the blade a bit, I used Birchwood Casey's "Cold Blue" product and regular bleach. I am particularly fond of this technique over using various food products simply because it's instant. It probably took me less than an hour to apply and then tweak the look with sandpaper and steel wool. Of course, as soon as I cut some meat with it, that will only add to the patina.

As for the rawhide and what you can do with it..... well, the sky's kinda the limit. The indians used rawhide much like we use cardboard today. Look up "Parfleche" and take a long stroll down possibilities lane. A flat sheet of heavy skin can be folded up and pinned together to make a carrying case. It can be moulded into shape to make bowls and the like. If you like archery, you really need to have a quiver made from the neck of a bull!

Different animals will produce a rawhide that's suitable for different purposes. Goats have very thin skin around these parts and the hides aren't very good for something that needs to be robust. Cows, on the other hand, produce a very thick rawhide that's excellent for boxes and quivers, shields and sheaths. Deer's kind of in the middle of that range.

One of my favorite "hold-alls" is to peel the skin off the leg like you were taking off a sock. Clean the flesh side real good and then fill it tightly with sand, really packing it in there. When it's dried, you have a rawhide tube with the hair on. All you have to do then is put a cap on the ends and you've got a sheath, tinder box, whatever. A wooden bottom can be installed while the hide's fresh and it will shrink-fit as it dries. Sew on a soft leather upper and you can make a string bag that's easy to close, but offers protection to the contents.

 

[Goatboy]

Nice Vaughn, really nice. Lovely knife and you put your materials empathy very well too. A real feeling of reaching back. Photography is pretty darn good too.

I've read a bit about how rawhide was used and it's very interesting. We seem to have lost most of it over here bar for some bindings.

 

[VaughnT]

Thanks, Goat. If you get a chance to play with some rawhide, you won't regret it. Very neat stuff.

 

[HHazeldean]

One of my favorite "hold-alls" is to peel the skin off the leg like you were taking off a sock. Clean the flesh side real good and then fill it tightly with sand, really packing it in there. When it's dried, you have a rawhide tube with the hair on. All you have to do then is put a cap on the ends and you've got a sheath, tinder box, whatever. A wooden bottom can be installed while the hide's fresh and it will shrink-fit as it dries. Sew on a soft leather upper and you can make a string bag that's easy to close, but offers protection to the contents.

That is such an awesome idea, have got to give that a go! And that knife looks great, really nice rustic look to it. Thanks for sharing