Classic Range - Kephart COMPLETE

[HillBill]

Hi folks

Following on from a recent thread here
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106101&page=3

I've started on a "classic" range of knives. Initially i'll be doing classic woodsmans and trade knives.

I decided on the Kephart knife first of all. As many will know Horace Kephart was a well known hunter and outdoorsman.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Kephart

My design came from an old advertisement, seen here. i went with the 5" blade version


So today, i cracked on. Thought i would show the progress pics to you and see what you think. I took pics as the grind developed at various heights as i think they all look nice.

Which do you guys prefer?

This is the grind part way through. I like the look. The black lines on the blade show where the plunge line will come to and the back one shows how the handle will go around my stamp.



This is basically where the grinding stopped. I considered leaving the blade so that the grind line was visible as you can see here, though obviously better finished.

But i had intended to hand sand it all and get a nice even finish, similar to the ad of the kephart knife i posted above.
So this is how it was prior to heat treatment, which in now done.

Now, i'm not quite sure in what style to do the sheath. Do i stick to the original in the ad above as much as possible, or do i make a normal sheath for it??????

It has a nice piece of walnut ready for the handle.

 

[mountainm]

Looking good Mark. For the first one I'd stick to the original as closely as possibly, then evolve it to suit.

 

[Kepis]

Looking good Mark, id go with the original style sheath, it all ties in nicely that way.

I'll have ten if you are doing them for the same price as the original advert

 

[British Red]

Liking that very much indeed...original sheath for me!

 

[Niels]

Nice knife!

 

[Mesquite]

That does look nice Mark

As for sheath it's got to be the original

 

[HillBill]

Original sheath it is then chaps.

Hoping to have it all finished tomorrow.

 

[Mesquite]

I know you said walnut... but what do you think the scales would have been originally, hickory?

 

[Albus Culter]

Agreed with the above's - great job so far, and original. Then evolve as you find refinements that suit you.

 

[HillBill]

You know Steve, i really have no idea.

I know you said walnut... but what do you think the scales would have been originally, hickory?

 

[British Red]

For me it needs to be fairly plain...oak perhaps?

 

[HillBill]

We have the same tastes then Red

I've got some plain walnut for them. Got loads. I used to get offcuts from a gunstock maker in return for a knife. Got loads of high quality and loads of plainer but still good quality. Hold on, i'll take a pic of whats going on this.

 

[HillBill]

Here you go. The swirly bit will go to the rear of the handle.

 

[British Red]

That would work nicely Mark - not too "bling" for a working knife

 

[HillBill]

I added liners to them. I didn't know weather to or not, probably shouldn't have but i think they enhance the look.

 

[British Red]

Are they black?

 

[HillBill]

They are

 

[British Red]

Shoould be okay - hardly "showy" with black

 

[Samon]

Looks nice mate. I think it looks a little too long though, and bulbous towards to end for a kephart.

as a hunter/woodsmans knife though it's superb!

 

[John Fenna]

That looks spot on to me!
I m glad to see you agree with going trad with the sheath - I think that the scales look fine ... but I don't think liners really "go" if you are being trad ... but then I am not into liners anyway