Scandi knife - first knife of this year and a gift for a friend

[Xunil]

This is my first knife of the year from start to finish - I have others that I began last year, but this one is the first of 2011 in that I started work on it on January 2nd.

A friend of mine was very ill over Christmas with pneumonia, and he is still rattling when he coughs. He wants to get out and about and he asked me to take him up to the Scottish Borders this weekend for some shooting but I am concerned that he just isn't up to it yet, so I made this one for him to cheer him up:

Forged A2 blade, 3.5mm thick, soaked in liquid nitrogen for 24 hours after the first 2 hour tempering cycle and then tempered another twice for 2 hours each time after that.

Rockwell tested at 61

Exhibition grade Masur Birch handle with thin Ebony and Sterling Silver spacers and a bleeched bone on the handle. I soaked the handle for a week in a mixture of Danish and Tung oil and then buffed over it with a soft cloth and a dab of beeswax

Traditional Scandi sheath made by yours truly (I hate leatherworking).

Instead of pushing things when my mate is feeling so scuppered I figured we'd do some whittling and make arrows and stuff instead, which should give him the chance to play with his new knife and should also ensure that he doesn't over-tire himself while he's still feeling ropey.

I am not asked to make Scandi knives as often as I would like, so this was an opportunity to indulge myself as well as to try and lift my friend's spirits a little.

I hope he likes it.

 

[shaggystu]

i like that a lot mate, good work

stuart

 

[Hugo]

I like it as well, very tasteful, the leather looks good.
Tell you what, I'll be your friend as well, and I'm definitely not well at the moment.

 

[Hedgehog]

Very nice indeed - I imagine your friend will be overjoyed with such a gift.

 

[andybysea]

you may hate leather work but that sheath sure looks good to me and the knifes a beaut.

 

[dazcon]

Superb looking knife and sheath! I'm sure he'll be over the moon with such a personal gift!
I had pneumonia a few fears ago and it was the most painful experience of my life! The pains lasted 6 months after i was given the all clear.

Darren.

 

[plastic-ninja]

That sure is a thing of beauty.I'd say your friend is one very special individual and I'm sure that this will help his recovery no end.
I wish him well as pneumonia is a total wipeout for a couple of months at least.I found Hammam baths a big help after I had it : I was a smoker then too so took ages to get my breath back.
Have fun whittling.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

Thats really very nice,,,

i like the fit of the bolster and generally just the line and proportions of it,.....

i love making things with a recipient in mind,....

even with no spec from the person,, its still evolves easier than a build for ones self,..

welll done,...i hope your mate makes a good recovery

Stu

 

[Xunil]

Thanks everyone, for your kind words

 

[bandel4]

I wish I have more friends like you!
Beautiful knife sir!

 

[addo]

I think the lines are spot on, and combined with the traditional materials its a winner. Nice job.

Bet your mates well chuffed with the knife and you spending time with him.

 

[Shewie]

Wow that's a cracker Xunil

 

[Bluemerle]

That is a lovely knife, sure your friend will be very happy.

 

[dancan]

I don't know about your friend but I sure like it (I'm sure your friend will) .
Beautiful knife and sheath .

 

[WeThePeoplexfbm]

oh very nice, i like the handle what is it?

 

[brancho]

A nice little knife and your friend will be happy with it.
one thing I suggest is that you burnish the edges of belt loop to tidy them up ie just dampen them and rub with a smooth object to smooth out the fluffy bits.

 

[woodgrain]

Beautiful knife and sheath package! I bet that is one heck of a blade in use.

 

[Tiley]

I hope he likes it.

He's a churl if he doesn't: that is a beautiful knife.

 

[Xunil]

oh very nice, i like the handle what is it?

The handle material is Masur Birch, sometimes known as Karelian Birch Burl.

The patterns in the timber are caused by beetle larvae and it is a very popular handle material for traditional Scandinavian knives.

I am in Norway two or three times most years and I hand pick my Masur Birch pieces myself when I am over there and then send them off to be stabilised. I don't stabilise all of the material I get - I am quite happy for my own Masur Birch handled knives to be soaked for a week or two in a Tung/Danish oil mix and rubbed over every now and then with a soft cloth and a small dab of beeswax. Sometimes I treat them with a warmed home made mix of bees wax, turpentine and boilded linseed oil, in equal parts, with a generous amount of very finely powdered pine pitch thrown in for good measure. This really darkens the material and brings out some truly stunning colours and patterns. Most customers want stabilised wood though, which is why I get much of my material treated that way.

I have a lot of time for stabilised timber in the right environment but, to my mind, you sacrifice a lot of opportunity to really mix things up with how you finish out a knife handle by using stabilised woods. I don't usually like to have timber dyed when getting it stabilised (I like natural materials) and unless you repeatedly subject your knife to extremes of heat, cold and massive variations in humidity there is nothing wrong with the more traditional materials and finishes which, in most cases, can look truly beautiful. One advantage is that as the knife ages the handle continues to evolve and change through use and ongoing maintenance.

Natural timber and a good, traditional finish for knife handles works for me every time. Seems to have worked for everyone else for long enough, until a reliable form of stabilising timber came along...



Thanks again everyone, for your very kind words

 

[Shinken]

Proper knife!