English Rose - My First Attempt – My First Knife – See It In The Making - TRACY

[Englishrose222]

Hi,

I had a days holiday so i managed to get quite a few things done, including a little bit more work on the blade. I've rehoned the cutting edge, if that is the correct term, softened up the scallops on the underside of the handle section - i'm not sure if this is the right phrase,:S and rounded off the butt. I'd love to hear your comments and advice on the next stage that i should be preparing for now. I am undecided about the scales. I attach a picture of the blade and two sets of scales, as i think one of these two sets may be my choice - what do you think?

Tracy

 

[Phil562]

Both sets of those scales are great, if the top one I'd arrange the tang so as you don't use the golden bit


Which ever you don't use give us a shout and I'll take it off yor hands

 

[Englishrose222]

Both sets of those scales are great, if the top one I'd arrange the tang so as you don't use the golden bit


Which ever you don't use give us a shout and I'll take it off yor hands

Hi Phil

You are too kind - if you really mean that.... oh this is difficult, someone help.... This is not a dealer forum - i don't want to cause any problems , but that is fine with me. Do you know where they came from. .........Tilly.. quick....... help,,,,,,,,,,,someone tell him where they came from.

Tracy

 

[baggins]

If your wondering what the next stage be, then work out where you'll want the pins for your handles and drill the holes in the tang before it's heat treated (you won't be able to do it after). Then make sure the blade is as smooth and clean as you can get it, them you're ready for the scarey bit. I've quite a good but simple method, so let us know when you're ready.
Those slabs will look absolutly stunning, by the way.

 

[tilly]

hi phil the scales you are wanting are sold by a member called englishrose222 and yes they look fantastic hope she has more of this kind.hi tracy you need to drill out the holes then get it heat treated what i do to fix scales is to mark the holes in the wood useing the blade has a pattern i then do the same on two scraps of wood mix resin and and spread it on both scales fix them in place with the two scraps on out side and through the holes put some 6mm bolts and tighten them when all is set remove the bolts and scrap wood . job done forgot to say draw around scales and remove most of the waist first when resin is set i use a bobbin sander and go round the wood and leave about a mm then finish by hand glue pins in and lanyard and sand them flat then you can shape the handle how you like hope this helped tilly.

 

[Englishrose222]

Originally Posted by richeadon
Thanks for the zebrano wood, it's superb. I'm putting it on a frost laplander 90 for a friend.

I have a sheet of light grey vulcanised spacer you can have a bit to your spec if you like. Let me know if you want it and how much.

Richard




Hi Richard,

I'm glad you are pleased with the Zebrano, and i guess you saw my thread mentioning the vulcanised fibre spacers which i sent for were too small when they arrived . I would very much appreciate your kind generosity in sending me some I can use . I know i haven't heat treated the blade yet, but i am getting rather twitchy about moving on towards the handle and the choice of wood, as it is not so far away now.

Tracy

 

[ozymandias]

that knife looks as though it's going to look absolutely great. good job you had a ready supply of scales lying around...

 

[leon-1]

and i guess you saw my thread mentioning the vulcanised fibre spacers which i sent for were too small when they arrived .Tracy

Tracy, what colour are you in need of, if you are not sure of the thickness that you want let me know by PM as I have a number of different pieces in different colour and thicknesses, all I have to do is dig them out.

Also let me know rough (square dimensions) and I will ensure you have bits the correct size for your knife.

ATB,

Leon

 

[Englishrose222]

Tracy, what colour are you in need of, if you are not sure of the thickness that you want let me know by PM as I have a number of different pieces in different colour and thicknesses, all I have to do is dig them out.

Also let me know rough (square dimensions) and I will ensure you have bits the correct size for your knife.

ATB,

Leon

Hi Leon

Your generous offer is the kind that restores faith in human nature. You are tood kind for words, i will PM you.

Tracy

 

[Englishrose222]

that knife looks as though it's going to look absolutely great. good job you had a ready supply of scales lying around...

Hi again, i bet you'd given up on me, but no way. I've been busy with a Smithy who is an elderly gentleman, teaching me how to harden steel, so i have been a little slow on this site, but i've been spurred on by a young man sending me e-mails, who has just joined this wonderful forum, who wants to see the completion of this knife i have started. Let me say hello and welcome to Ozymandias first of all. He's so new, he hasn't said hello on the introductions forum and i hope you say hello to him as well.

Right, things have moved on a little bit in the last few weeks. Some of you have already seen this, but if you haven't, i'm sorry to have kept you wondering.



Okay Guys, you've got me this far, and I think you did a pretty good job with me but look at my nails, look what i've done to my nails, pphhheeeeww
so what do you think? No not of my nails, of the blade - what do i do next, have i polished it too much? I'm sure i have to drill the holes for the scales, but where, could you pencil in a position for me for the rivets and the lanyard hole and then having read back over all your notes, i think i'm ready for heat treatment - could you tell me the best way to heat it - would a plumbers gas torch be okay? Don't laugh, i've got one and i know how to use it Or is there something better. I think i have to drop it in engine or vegetable oil when the blade is cherry red - do i put this in slowly or literally drop it in - little things like this would help me so much, and how many times do i do this - and then how long should i wait from it being cooled down to the stage of tempering and what's the best way of doing this? When this is done, is that the full heat treatment completed?

I know this heat treatment is important, so i must get it right. I haven't been told where to drill my holes, so i guess that's aaahhh, where you like it kind of thing, so i attach a picture of me drilling them, with a nice tight interference fit on the brass :O and another picture before the holes were drilled. I'm so excited i'm beginning to think about the stage after this - fitting the scales, but i haven't decided what to fit yet - any special requests

I've moved on to what feels like polishing this blade non-stop even in my sleep, to the stage that you see now, i have checked that the blade is flat, the holes are in place to take the wherewithall and the cutting edge is ground and ready , but first i have another question, I made a temporary forge then took the offcut from my blade and put it into the forge to see what i could achieve. You will see by the picture that the offcut is cherry red. I removed it from the fire and dropped it straight in to a new gallon of oil in a metal bucket and repeated this process two more times. The offcut is now very hard,and i have tried to snap it in the vice, but it won't snap and i have been very lucky and was shown and taught by a Smithy, who lives not far from me at his forge, over the last few evenings. So now i am at a stage where i think i am ready, having done a few practise runs, to harden my own blade and my thoughts are, if i try to harden the blade i could mess it up, but if i don't, i'll never know, so the big question is, do you think i should have a go? Are you with me on this or not? Yes or No

 

[Draven]

Very nice indeed!

The general test, from what I've heard, for testing the hardness of the metal is to try filing a bit... if it slips, it's too hard. If it bites and files easily, it's too soft Something along those lines, but don't take my word for it

I'm looking into making my first knife from scratch, I just hope it goes as well as yours is

Pete

 

[Englishrose222]

Very nice indeed!

The general test, from what I've heard, for testing the hardness of the metal is to try filing a bit... if it slips, it's too hard. If it bites and files easily, it's too soft Something along those lines, but don't take my word for it

I'm looking into making my first knife from scratch, I just hope it goes as well as yours is

Pete

Hi Pete

Thank you for your encouragement and advice Stay in touch and tell me how you are getting on with yours. I will be posting pictures here again soon hopefully, of my first blade being heat treated and then i'll try the file test.

Tracy

 

[beowolf762]

Your blade looks to be pro quality!! :You_Rock_ You have inspired me, I got some goodies from Sweden the other day, a M. Eklund fulltang blade and other stuff. I have a nice piece of burl maple that I halved to make scales and some brass Corby Rivets I will let you know how things turn out.

Cheers on your blade

 

[geoff88]

Please tie your hair back out of the way when using power tools. You look to be very close to that drill. The results of long hair catching in fast moving machinery are not nice.

Geoff

 

[Englishrose222]

Look forward to seeing the end result, you never know I may be tempted to make you an offer

Hi Phil

What's your offer then ???

Tracy

 

[Phil562]

A bit early for an offer yet ;-)

However I'm watching

 

[Englishrose222]

Well, some weeks ago i was drilling holes and getting into trouble and being told to tie my hair back. Since then, as you know, I found this lovely old Smithy (and his wife), who agreed to teach me how to harden steel, so i've been spending every moment of my free time at the forge, heating and hardening steel. First watching and listening, then practising on bits of old off cut, until eventually i felt confident enough to heat treat my own blade and phhheewww, what a tense time that was, :O i can tell you, but i did it and here's a picture of it in the fire.

So now i'm at a stage where i have to clean off the blade, put an edge on it, then attach some scales, but i just can't decide what to put on it.
I suppose i could have one of everything, if i make some more blades - but what surprised me over the last couple of months was the interest with me making my own knife and the kind remarks and all the advice i have been given both on the forums and through PM's from well wishers and the little complimentary items that came to me through my PO Box of pins and lanyard tube, fibre liners, templates for new blades and one guy even sent me a beautifully crafted and hand made leather sheath, which he did himself, finished in a deep nut brown .

It makes you think - life ain't so bad, when there is decent people like this around.

Tracy

 

[kb31]

this has got me thinking there's not many female knife makers knifes designed by a lady for ladys- smaller hands you could be on to something. good luck with the knife ..karl - please keep your hair away from that drill it won't just pull it out you'll lose your skin as well. try not to use power tools on your own just in case something bad happens

 

[Englishrose222]

this has got me thinking there's not many female knife makers knifes designed by a lady for ladys- smaller hands you could be on to something. good luck with the knife ..karl - please keep your hair away from that drill it won't just pull it out you'll lose your skin as well. try not to use power tools on your own just in case something bad happens

Hi Karl :You_Rock_

Thank you for your concern, it is comforting and reassuring - using power tools with other people around is a good idea, but what do you do when there is no one else around :thinkerg:

 

[ArkAngel]

WOW

That is a gorgeous looking blade you are making there. You must have a great sense of satisfaction knowing the project is drawing to a close and every part of your knife has been made to your design.

It is the utimate custom knife, Going through some of previous posts:

No you haven't over polished it IMO, i like shiney things...mmmm shiney!

Either of those great looking bits of wood would make a fabulous handle (have you decided which to use yet?).

I await the next instalment with anticipation :You_Rock_