making a saami knife info

[leon-b]

hi guys
shinken is giving me a blade, some reindeer antler and maybe some wood with which i am going to make a saami knife out of
he said that i should maybe start a thread asking for info on how to make a saami knife

what tools do i need to make it ?
what pieces do i need to make it ?

leon

 

[leon-b]

come on guys i need your help
leon

 

[Shinken]

Some one should be along soon Leon!

You will need some Sandpaper, a file, some drill bits, a drill, some glue, a vice and anything that i forget to mention

Someone will put me right. There is no hurry in making this Leon take your time to learn how to do it. When you feel confident in knowing all that you need to know to make it then have a go.

Like walking in the woods patients is a must (i need to learn this more than anyone)

 

[Ogri the trog]

Leon,
Have you seen (or do you have access to) the Ray Mears DVD Bushcraft, the Sweden Episode - he has someone make a blade which he puts a handle on. Its rudimentary stuff, but in essence its all there - get the bits together, glue them on and then shape it to fit your hand.

Good Luck

Ogri the trog

 

[leon-b]

i have seen that episode of ray mears
i have a vice, a drill, drill bits, files and sandpaper i just need to get some epoxy from b & Q
leon

 

[leon-b]

so i
1. cut slices of the antler and wood
2. drill holes in the antler and wood
3. slot them on the knife in the order i want then glue them with epoxy
4. hammer the rivet on
5. shape with files and sandpaper

how do i finish the knife ?
where can i get a rivet to rivet the end from ? what type do i need ?
leon

 

[Shinken]

Oh i should add a ball pein hammer. (a hammer with a round end)

You drill a countersink and hammer the end of the tang into this. will try and find pic of this for you

 

[leon-b]

yes i have a ball pin hammer
so i dont need a rivet i just counter sink the last slice and hit the end of the tang with a ball point hammer
leon

 

[Shinken]

Right i think there is a diagram on coutersinking and riviting the tang in this thread Leon http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=16586

It is for full tang handles but it is what you do to the end of a Saami knife

 

[leon-b]

sorry but i dont understand lol
leon

 

[Shinken]

Go to this website http://www.brisa.fi/start3.html

And scroll down untill you get to the red section on the left scroll bar which is marked "work instructions" and clik on saami knife.

 

[Shinken]

Well i cannot see the pics at work on that link (work blokes them) so i was working from memory. And i have a bad memory

 

[Ogri the trog]

Leon,
Having a bucket full of tools is great but you can get by with much less, so don't get caught thinking that you simply "have to have" a certain gadget in order to make your knife.
Drills will be handy, as will be files and sandpaper as you've said. Take your time and if it all goes pear-shaped, you can start again.
I think Ray used PVA glue as its a little more flexible than epoxy once set.
The rivet is formed from the very end of the tang - fit on as many disks of the material you have and then stab the knife into the end grain of a piece of hard wood - then gently rivet over the end of the tang to hold the disks in place.
Once all the glue is set, you file away everything that isn't handle shaped - only you can tell if it fits your hand - if it doesn't you can take more material off, or start over again.
Get the finish as smoothe as you can and then rub a little wood finishing oil as a protective layer, it can be Tung oil, Danish oil, Linseed oil, or probably many others.

ATB

Ogri the trog

PS Damn you two are fast!

 

[Shinken]

Here

 

[leon-b]

ogri what were you on about stabbing it into a piece of hardwood
leon

 

[Shinken]

When you hammer the rivit the blade needs some where to be. If your vice is on a sturdy table you can protect the blade with wood and pin it in the vice, and then peen it. Or you can use Ogri's method dont matter which!

 

[leon-b]

i have a vice which is secured to a strong table so i will put it in the vice and do it
i think i have a rough idea of what to do, have any of you got some pictures of saami knives so i can choose which sort of handle i like
what wood do you reccomend i use
leon

 

[Shinken]

Traditionally i think it is Masur Birch or sallow root! But if you would like it darker walnut would be nice i think

 

[leon-b]

i have a big piece of walnut so i will cout some slices of that
leon

 

[leon-b]

shall i use epoxy or wood glue ?
i was thinking of doing antler then a thick piece of walnut then antler then a thick piece of walnut then antler
do you think this would look nice
leon