Crooked knife

[tombear]

Inspired by the article on crooked knives on Old Jimbos web site I tracked down the Sheffield manufacturer of the long crooked knife blades that were being sold in the US. They agreed to sell me a couple of unmounted blades which hadn't been sharpened, which saved me a lot of work as when factory finished they have a bevel on the underside of the blade which I didn't want.


Anyroad, when they arrived they had 3 inch long full width tangs as opposed to the off set spike like tangs I had expected from what was being marketed overseas. They are marked with "I CUT MY WAY" "I-XL GEORGE WOSTENHOLME SHEFFIELD ENGLAND" and theres two peg holes in the tang

This has been my first project making a hilt and I used a piece of Ash from the supposedly 160 year old tree that was blown down 2 winters back, narrowly missing our house and crushing next door brand new Ford Ka. The binding is from a ancient bobbin of tennis raquet cat gut I found on a car boot.

I'm thinking of making a simple sheath/case for it from birch bark rolled round a former with lots of glue to form a sort of plywood, with a plug at the botom, maybe tapering down to a semi circular insert for the back of the blade.

I just need to use it now!

All the best

Tom

 

[Shinken]

Very nice!


Pic a bit large though

 

[pierre girard]

Looks very nice! What did they charge for the blade?

 

[tombear]

Cheers!
yup, never can get them a decent size, it's a minor miricle that I got the picture up at all, being a bear of very little brain!

I can't remember the precise cost (see above ;-{D) but it seemed quite steep at the time like 15 quid each (just call me Mr Cheep!) I got the impression that they only had sharpened blades instock and these two where made up especially for me. I'd grovelled a fair bit, which had helped!

All the best

Tom

PS To be honest I'm slightly frightened of it's sharpness, and I've not even convexed it (I'd bodge it up and it's quite good enough for me as is) especially when it's slicing away above the bare arm your holding the job with. Still, I definately prefer it to my scandi draw knife.