A little while back SGL70 from Sweden was interested in having a copy of one of my books: to avoid the hassle of international money transfers (I do not do PP) I suggested a trade - for something of his choice from his area.
He settled for sending me a knife blade which suited me fine
In fact it is a slightly hollow ground 3.5" long 3cm wide 4mm thick Damascus blade with a lovely patterning and a long hidden tang! It is worth much more than One copy of my book ... so I sent him a copy of one of my other books as well...
Now my workshop is not quite as cold as it was I have managed to get in and put a handle on the blade.
I chose a piece of plain Beech and made the handle in an "Adapted Henry" style - that is have too bits of wood, rebate one and stick the two pieces together before shaping the handle. I ground in some "keys" to hold the tang in place mechanically as well as just relying on the glue - Bison Epoxy - and hand shaped the handle with rasps and abrasives before I raised and removed the grain (soak in water, dry, sand, repeat until it stays smooth) prior to soaking the wood in a mix of Raw Linseed and Teak oils.
I then polished the handle with a mix of bees wax and oil, sharpened the blade to "hair popping" on diamond stones and a strop and brought up the blade etch but soaking it in stupidly strong , cheap, instant coffee.
Oiled and polished again this morning the knife looks like this
The "scratches" on the blade are just excess oil - not in the blade!
Next week I will make it a sheath but for this weekends trip into the woods I will be carrying it in a spare sheath I had knocking about...
He settled for sending me a knife blade which suited me fine
In fact it is a slightly hollow ground 3.5" long 3cm wide 4mm thick Damascus blade with a lovely patterning and a long hidden tang! It is worth much more than One copy of my book ... so I sent him a copy of one of my other books as well...
Now my workshop is not quite as cold as it was I have managed to get in and put a handle on the blade.
I chose a piece of plain Beech and made the handle in an "Adapted Henry" style - that is have too bits of wood, rebate one and stick the two pieces together before shaping the handle. I ground in some "keys" to hold the tang in place mechanically as well as just relying on the glue - Bison Epoxy - and hand shaped the handle with rasps and abrasives before I raised and removed the grain (soak in water, dry, sand, repeat until it stays smooth) prior to soaking the wood in a mix of Raw Linseed and Teak oils.
I then polished the handle with a mix of bees wax and oil, sharpened the blade to "hair popping" on diamond stones and a strop and brought up the blade etch but soaking it in stupidly strong , cheap, instant coffee.
Oiled and polished again this morning the knife looks like this
The "scratches" on the blade are just excess oil - not in the blade!
Next week I will make it a sheath but for this weekends trip into the woods I will be carrying it in a spare sheath I had knocking about...
