Stew's Works in Progress!

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punkrockcaveman

Full Member
Jan 28, 2017
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yorks
It's a beast! Both look good. The only thing I would say about the space is in cold weather the handle might feel cold? So I'd vote no spacer based on using. But spacer for aesthetics.
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Yep, a fair size! The moose will be smoothed out somewhat and reduced in size.

In terms of using, this one is for me and is what I’m terming the lockdown Bowie from when it was started - i will use it but how much, I don’t know!
 
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Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Dust sparkles!

E65-CC4-C3-BB05-4-E51-A61-E-436-A87-C0037-C.jpg
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Designing a handle for this one is a mental challenge for me. I struggle in my head to have the blade wider than the front of the handle but that's the style.





Sorting the garage, i came across this piece of antler.





8243F90B-674E-4252-AB52-E3E15DA618AC.jpg






It could be perfect





476E7AA6-F06F-4A39-AEA3-897378FFC014.jpg






781E2DFF-2357-4D68-B186-CB21A1850447.jpg






but it's for a left hander!





551EF92E-0860-4E88-9A96-FEEEB889D257.jpg






More hunting and doodling needed. The tang is a bit of a half and half for a slab handle - almost big enough at the front, too small at the back. Might need grinding back some to do a frame tang but only when a design is done.
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
I need to swap the chosen handle material for one of the enzo neckers because it warped as soon as cut despite sitting for years. I’m considering this piece of rag G10. It won’t match across the tang from side to side but I think the random pattern could look quite interesting. I only have the one scale and could just squeeze two sides out.

5-C68-D55-A-5-BD7-4-D86-8-DC5-9-E2-BE2791431.jpg
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
This little bolt necker finally finished - it’s been sat waiting for a sheath for some time.
The blade has a convex grind with forced patina. The handle wrap is paracord with the core removed and soaked in glue.
A simple low profile sheath in brown dyed veg tan leather that can either be slipped in a pocket or hung from the hole at the top.








 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
And another ready. TLIM bushcrafter with a dangler sheath - my preferred style as it allows the sheath to move out of the way when sitting down.


The TLIM has been pictured before but a quick refresh that it’s 52100 steel with a Bainite heat treatment, green Micarta handle with red G10 liners and carbon fibre pins.



























 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
I haven’t managed any real knifework since moving into this house. A bit of sheath work but diy and a lack of suitable workspace has had anything else on hold.



A few weeks back I brought a box home from work. Finally got round to having a sort through it today. This was put into store, as is, a couple of years ago.



B41-B07-D3-DB9-E-4684-BFDD-A2-ECE0-C60-CE5.jpg




A box of rusty sludge!



In actual fact a box of knives in a molasses mix. I was concerned that they would all have rusted away if the molasses had given up the ghost so had been putting it off.



1-C97-F007-21-D2-4625-BB45-0647218-B296-F.jpg




The first dig through was promising. Lots of sludge but blades there. Some stuck together, lumps of crud - lots of rinsing and flushing!



Finally all tipped out:

8565-E710-09-DD-496-D-B81-D-B45-B09-B41-E65.jpg




And then some more rinsing and scrubbing.



They’ve come up well.

75792-FC3-2-B31-478-F-B775-7-B19-FD93-F3-FF.jpg


Most of these had a full coating of rust following the salt bath heat treat. Wasn’t happy about getting it cleared so tried a few things over the years. The blades where they’ve all but disappeared on the handles are from where I tried a vinegar soak and forgot them!



How good does this wrought iron look!!!

25-EB19-B5-8-C4-C-4321-9286-3140-B49078-C4.jpg




All lined up but then realised that they’ll probably rust up quite quickly again without some other treatment so I’ve made a fresh molasses batch up and dropped them all back in.



73-E6-A284-DAC2-45-D6-B684-66-DA7-CE8-DD50.jpg




Maybe a few more years yet??
 
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gg012

Full Member
Sep 23, 2022
378
216
43
SE
I haven’t managed any real knifework since moving into this house. A bit of sheath work but diy and a lack of suitable workspace has had anything else on hold.



A few weeks back I brought a box home from work. Finally got round to having a sort through it today. This was put into store, as is, a couple of years ago.



B41-B07-D3-DB9-E-4684-BFDD-A2-ECE0-C60-CE5.jpg




A box of rusty sludge!



In actual fact a box of knives in a molasses mix. I was concerned that they would all have rusted away if the molasses had given up the ghost so had been putting it off.



1-C97-F007-21-D2-4625-BB45-0647218-B296-F.jpg




The first dig through was promising. Lots of sludge but blades there. Some stuck together, lumps of crud - lots of rinsing and flushing!



Finally all tipped out:

8565-E710-09-DD-496-D-B81-D-B45-B09-B41-E65.jpg




And then some more rinsing and scrubbing.



They’ve come up well.

75792-FC3-2-B31-478-F-B775-7-B19-FD93-F3-FF.jpg


Most of these had a full coating of rust following the salt bath heat treat. Wasn’t happy about getting it cleared so tried a few things over the years. The blades where they’ve all but disappeared on the handles are from where I tried a vinegar soak and forgot them!



How good does this wrought iron look!!!

25-EB19-B5-8-C4-C-4321-9286-3140-B49078-C4.jpg




All lined up but then realised that they’ll probably rust up quite quickly again without some other treatment so I’ve made a fresh molasses batch up and dropped them all back in.



73-E6-A284-DAC2-45-D6-B684-66-DA7-CE8-DD50.jpg




Maybe a few more years yet??
What do you expect them to look like with another molasses treatment? I don't understand

Sent from underground
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
What do you expect them to look like with another molasses treatment? I don't understand

Sent from underground
Well, importantly, no worse.

I had t really planned to clean them out then so wasn’t prepped for a proper clean up and protect. They would have flash rusted straight away if not dried quickly, and probably would have even then.

They’ve sat in that tub of water for a few years. A while longer in some refreshed stuff shouldn’t hurt and might clean the last of the sludge up.

The wrought might just end up totally rust free too! Seriously impressive when you look at how thick of a layer was on there.
 
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gg012

Full Member
Sep 23, 2022
378
216
43
SE
So the molasses cleans the rust off? I hadn't heard of that.

Sent from underground
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Yep, it eats it away. Called chelating.

Very sympathetic to what’s below as well.

I’ve played with soda and electricity but you need to keep an eye, the same with vinegar. With this - dip and forget!
 
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gg012

Full Member
Sep 23, 2022
378
216
43
SE
Yep, it eats it away. Called chelating.

Very sympathetic to what’s below as well.

I’ve played with soda and electricity but you need to keep an eye, the same with vinegar. With this - dip and forget!
That's brilliant, thanks for sharing the knowledge

Sent from underground
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Chefs knife with integral bolster and tang?
I think so…

Early on at playing at forging, I didn’t see the point in taking a nice flat bar of steel, knocking it around and mangling it to then grind it so it was all flat again.
Integrals out of round stock made more sense and I’ve attempted the style a few times. I don’t think I’ve ever successfully finished on yet though.
This needs a load of bringing but I’m relatively happy with it and think I can make something usable!
 
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