My new knife

[jojo]

This is my new knife. I made it as a prototype so that it can be field tested. It's 3mm thick tool 01 tool steel. It is sort of based on the woodlore, although not slavish copied. I did a drawing ot it first and made a ply and pine model of it and modifed it until it felt and looked nice to hold.

It is professionally hardened to 58RC. 210mm long, the cutting edge is 95mm and the blade is 26mm wide. I have used brass loveless bolts, brick red liners and spalted Sycamore for the handle. The fire steel handle is getting a matching spalted handle.

The sheath is wet formed to the knife and has a dangler strap that can be removed. I have put an extra pocket on the back for the steel striker. Not sure how this will work in practice.

I quite like the sheath, although it's a bit fussy to make.

What do you think?

 

[Silverback]

I think if you decide to go into production on this one I would like to be first on the list - That should tell you all you need to know (I am not joking!)

I am the proud owner of two jojo's already

 

[cccc]

The wood looks great, very suitable and a nice size by the looks of it. Nice one !

 

[unused[nl]]

looks great! Nice sheath also! but you already have a knife so why is there still a scrapper?
you could use it for some small tinder maybe, or fishing lines!

 

[Karl5]

Since Silverback already took place No.1 on the waiting list, I'll take No.2...

The knife looks great, jojo.
ANd so does the sheath.

/ Karl

 

[bushwacker bob]

perfect Jojo.
I am the kind of heretic that thinks 4mm is too thick for a working knife.The scraper pocket is a good idea as it saves the back of the blade from damage.

 

[Jedadiah]

I hate you Jojo. I hate you, hate you, hate you, hate you, hate you, HATE YOU!!!!!!!!

I'm in the process of oiling up my latest knife. It is made from 3mm 01 stock, it has a 95cm cutting edge, 26mm blade and is 210mm long. It has brick red liners and Spalted BEECh scales and it is loosely modeled on a Woodlore, although not slavishly. I have worked on the scales, carefully cut them out, along with the liners. I have caressed and smoothed those fine pieces of wood with a loving touch so gentle, it has taken me all week, (6 hours a day, i'm off work sick) to finish them to the exacting standards i require. In fact, so pleased with them i was, that i decided before they were even finished, to become a Full Member just so i could post the pic's up here on this site. But the Paypal is not working, so i cannot become a full member, and you you.......................geneious, only go and produce this thing of beauty, so similar to mine, that you had to be sneaking into my garage at night and copying it!! And you know what, from now on, when people see my knife, my fine work, they are going to say ' So Jojo sorted you one of them out as well did he!'


I Hate you, i hate you, i hate you, i hate you...................................................

 

[jon r]

Thats a dam good knife Jojo!!!! you are a master of many trades!

I was looking at your sign carving website earlier and i have to say that your signs are so professional! Amazing stuff! I bet a lot of people wish they had skills like you!

Thanks!!

 

[tinderbox]

I'm assuming that you're thinking of going into production with this knife, so I'll a make my comments accordingly. The knife is style is perfect for the purpose, you might want to offer a 4mm version for those who prefer a thicker blade, but the style is right.

The dangler is great too, a nice simple design and it gives you the option to use it or not as per preference. I'm not a fan of firesteel holders on sheaths, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me as I could always cut it off. However, if I was a fan of them I could imagine going for a competitor's knife because the sheath didn't have one. Why the striker pocket? If you use a striker in preference to the spine of a knife then I can't see the point in having the steel attached the sheath. It seems to me that it is a feature so few people would use that it doesn't justify the extra labour in making it.

 

[jojo]

I hate you Jojo. I hate you, hate you, hate you, hate you, hate you, HATE YOU!!!!!!!!

I'm in the process of oiling up my latest knife. It is made from 3mm 01 stock, it has a 95cm cutting edge, 26mm blade and is 210mm long. It has brick red liners and Spalted BEECh scales and it is loosely modeled on a Woodlore, although not slavishly. I have worked on the scales, carefully cut them out, along with the liners. I have caressed and smoothed those fine pieces of wood with a loving touch so gentle, it has taken me all week, (6 hours a day, i'm off work sick) to finish them to the exacting standards i require. In fact, so pleased with them i was, that i decided before they were even finished, to become a Full Member just so i could post the pic's up here on this site. But the Paypal is not working, so i cannot become a full member, and you you.......................geneious, only go and produce this thing of beauty, so similar to mine, that you had to be sneaking this would into my garage at night and copying it!! And you know what, from now on, when people see my knife, my fine work, they are going to say ' So Jojo sorted you one of them out as well did he!'


I Hate you, i hate you, i hate you, i hate you...................................................

Jedadiah Well......wellll......I'll take that as a compliment then

Are you sure you need to be a full member to post photos? I am sure I put some up before I became a member.

Unused(nl) I kept the scraper so as to not damage the back of the blade. yet! I think I could perhaps make a slightly larger pocket so as to keep a small sharpening stone? Do you think that it would be a more useful addition?

Thanks Jon. I really enjoy doing these things.

I am glad you like this knife. You should see the other one with filework on the spine
and then the other one.....

 

[Jedadiah]

Seriously Jojo, nice work, as usual. Your eye for detail is spot on and your finishing is the mutt's. If mine is finished half as good as your's i'll be made up. Top Job!

 

[jojo]

I'm assuming that you're thinking of going into production with this knife, so I'll a make my comments accordingly. The knife is style is perfect for the purpose, you might want to offer a 4mm version for those who prefer a thicker blade, but the style is right.

The dangler is great too, a nice simple design and it gives you the option to use it or not as per preference. I'm not a fan of firesteel holders on sheaths, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me as I could always cut it off. However, if I was a fan of them I could imagine going for a competitor's knife because the sheath didn't have one. Why the striker pocket? If you use a striker in preference to the spine of a knife then I can't see the point in having the steel attached the sheath. It seems to me that it is a feature so few people would use that it doesn't justify the extra labour in making it.

There was not really any great wish to use the scraper. simply, when i was making the sheath, I thought the nice, relatively large flat area at the back of the sheath could be useful for something. Perhaps a sharpening stone would be more useful?

 

[tinderbox]

There was not really any great wish to use the scraper. simply, when i was making the sheath, I thought the nice, relatively large flat area at the back of the sheath could be useful for something. Perhaps a sharpening stone would be more useful?

A pocket for a sharpening stone would be a definite plus.

 

[woodwalker]

Lovely tool that one on all accounts. I too am not sure about having that scraper there, it seems a little redundant.

Can we see the other knives too please?

woodwalker

 

[jojo]

Lovely tool that one on all accounts. I too am not sure about having that scraper there, it seems a little redundant.

Can we see the other knives too please?

woodwalker

As soon as I can find my dig camera I think my daughter borrowed it as I can't find it in the house It's a quite different knife to this one!

 

[jojo]

Some photos of that other knife I have made

This one is based on a french moutainman knife of the 1700/1800. The knife is 235mm long, the cutting edge is 105mm long and the blade is just under 30mm wide, 3mm thick 01 tool steel, full tang. The handle is made of Mallee Burl, an absolutely beautiful wood with a red colour to it, stainless steel and brass loveless bolts, brass pins and lanyard tube. Filework on the back.

The veg tan sheath is not finished yet, it will also have a "dangler" and be stained, not sure of the best colour yet. I was thinking of waxing it but I am not sure of how much wax would be needed.

The knife feels well balanced, very comfortable to hold and used and, I think, has very graceful lines.

I don't see why it should not make a very good "bushcraft" knife. Again your comments are appreciated, good or maybe not so good.

I am fairly thick skinned these days

 

[jon r]

another beautiful knife jojo! You seem to have a lot of knives now, have you gor an armoury in your house?

I love the metal stud pattern in that one! It's got the x factor!

Do you mind me asking what the serated area is for just to the back of the cutting edge?

And how do you cut the blade shape out of the tool steel so accurately?

Thanks for showing jojo!

Jon

 

[Silverback]

"Jojo knives get em while they're hot they're lovely"

Jonr - knowing jojo's knives as I do I think the 'serrations' you refer to on the back of the blade is in fact very detailed filework. looks like a cracking knife for food/game prep

 

[Snufkin]

Lovely work as usual mate .
Hopefully if it's dry tomorrow I'll fire up my forge and heat treat my latest knife, a Canadian bowback/nessmuk hybrid thingie.

 

[jojo]

Yes, the serrations are a filework pattern. see the pic. I make them using small file, round, triangular or square, depending on what I want to achieve. The principle is simple, achieving a nice, regular pattern takes a bit of time to master to get a good regular pattern.

On this knife, I used only two files, one is a chainsaw round file and a square file. The pattern is quite simple, alternating round and square, round and square and so on, then I joined the squares in the middle of the blade. There are lots of patterns than can be done, some easier and some much more difficult to get right.

Here are some more examples I have made::

All these are repetitive patterns. You have to make sure the files are a 45 degrees to the corner of the blade to ensure the pattern is regular both on the sides of the blade as well as on the back of it, otherwise, it will look really bad and ragged on the sides.

I also do some free-hand patterns, that's off the top of my head, mainly.

Easy to mess up those!


As to cutting the blades, I use a small 115mm diameter angle grinder, I try hard to cut it quite close to the scribed line as it saves quite a bit of time, and after the blade is cut, I put sanding discs on the grinder and finish the shape of the blade that way. If there are bits I can't reach with the grinder, I use files. The grinder is not the easiest to use, but it's quicker, messing up is quicker too!

The stud pattern is made with 2mm grass rod and a loveless bolt in the middle. On this knife, when the blade is pointing down, it forms a cross.