mesquite scandi

[forginhill]

This is my first forged laminate blade. The core of the blade is 1080; the outer layers are mild steel. The handle is silica bronze, black fiber spacers, and two kinds of mesquite wood; the lighter is a wood that has been treated by flash floods and intense desert sun. It created a unique blond color. The darker part is from the root of a mesquite tree. I sanded to 1500 grit and finished with Danish oil. The blade is 7 cm long and 3 mm thick where it meets the handle. The overall length is 18.6 cm. Thanks for looking, Todd

And a couple shots of the planning stage...

 

[stevesteve]

Very nice indeed Todd.

When I read the title I thought Mesquite was the lucky recipient! What sort of forge are you using for welding the blade?

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Like the handle very much, the whole knife is lovely.

 

[Mesquite]

When I read the title I thought Mesquite was the lucky recipient!

So did I

That's a real nice knife you've got there Todd and I do like the handle as well.

I've actually been toying with the idea of doing my first knife and handling it with Mesquite wood but it's a bit of a difficult wood to find over this side of the pond Who did you get the wood from?

 

[SOAR]

Really nice knife Todd, very nice blade.

 

[forginhill]

Thanks for the feedback!

Steve, I used a charcoal forge (made from part of a 55 gal barrel) to forge the blade.

Mesquite, I live in the desert and harvested the wood from my back yard.

Todd

 

[Mesquite]

Mesquite, I live in the desert and harvested the wood from my back yard.

LOL that's handy What's like to work with?

 

[forginhill]

In general, I think it's great to work with. It's a bit of a challenge to find a piece that wood boring grubs (they even go after the ironwood here) have not destroyed or that does not have checks or cracks in it. For some reason most of the wood has thin cracks that radiate from the center out into the wood. You generally either have to find an extra large piece to use some that is not close to the center, or find a good root. The roots are denser and don't have those cracks. The roots are easy to find along washes where they are exposed. I like how it sands and finishes up. It also seems to get darker with age.

Todd

 

[Dannytsg]

Very nice indeed.

I'd love to be able to make my own knife for using when out as i think the satisfaction of using something i'd crafted would be great but alas i don't have the tools nor the means to do so.

 

[Bernie Garland]

Very nice

Bernie

 

[stevesteve]

Very nice, I have s aimilar small forge now so I may give it a try.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[forginhill]

Thank you for the comments! Danny, have you bought a blade and then constructed your knife from there? You wouldn't need many tools to do that, and you'd still have that satisfaction.

 

[Singeblister]

Nice little carver you made there nice work

 

[DKW]

very nice work

 

[Minotaur]

Nice Work!

Two quick questions : -

1. What do the spacers actually do?
2. How is the brass held in place?

Keep putting off re-handling three frosts, due to this. Well that is the current excuse.

 

[brancho]

Todd fine job I like it a nice flow to it.

Two quick questions : -

1. What do the spacers actually do?
2. How is the brass held in place?.

1 they look pretty and if necessary (but not in this case as far as I can see) they fill small gaps in the handle construction
2 a slot is cut in the brass that allows the tang to pass through but go beyond the point on the blade you wish it to be at then glueing the thing together holds it all together.

 

[forginhill]

Thanks. Alf said it. The only thing I would add is that I try to make my first bolster/spacer piece very tight fitting. I file until it's close and then use a slightly flattened pipe tool to drive it on the rest of the way. I think it adds a little to the integrity of the handle.

Todd

 

[Minotaur]

Thanks for that.

Running out of excuses now.

 

[forginhill]

Let's see those rehandle jobs, Minotaur!

I wanted to add that I destroyed a handle constructed this exact way. It was surprisingly strong and took some hard beating with a hammer to break it apart. Modern adhesives are truly amazing.

Here's a shot of this blade with some ferric to bring out the laminate line.

 

[Minotaur]

Let's see those rehandle jobs, Minotaur!

Getting to them.

Want a decent coking knife, that can take an edge.

On your blog, you mention a Birmingham Axe, any more info on why it is called that.