Ever See a Handle that Needed a Knife?

R

ricky_arthur

Well-Known Member
I have a friend who was telling me about some of the knife making supplies he put in storage 15 years ago and never used. I asked him to dig them out and among the various and sundry items was a Cape Buffalo horn. He had cut up the bases to make scales, (started but never finished) and there was about 10 inches of the tip that was untouched. I immediately decided it needed to be a knife handle. I asked if I could buy It and he simply gave it to me.

It became todays project. I was pretty excited to design something for it. and here it sits so far. Had to take a break to come into work for a while, so I thought I'd post it as a WIP.

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Any input on the handle spacers? My wife liked it like it is pictured with 2 steel and one brass in the middle. I thought about taking the second steel one out and just using one of each.

If I get lucky, I will have this one ready for heat treat by tonight.

Any input at this stage is welcome as well as suggestions about working with this type of horn as it is my first time. I did cut, sand and polish a scrap piece and it appears to take a pretty good shine. :)
 
I am so fixated on knives and making knives that I have seen furniture that I thought needed to be knife handle material. So naturally I would agree that I have seen a handle in need of a knife. I have a deer antler that was from a deer that my grandfather took back in the 50's that I would love to make a knife for, but I am so afraid that I will mess it up that I havent done anything with it. Maybe when I get more experience under my belt (God knows there is enough stuff above it) I might give it a whirl.
On the knife in the picture...I see absolutely nothing wrong with it the way you have it layed out. I've never worked with that particular material before so I cant be of any help, but I'm sure there are others here that have.
I'd love to see that one finished out for sure. It has tremendous potential.

Just an observation...is it me or is the guard leaning just a tad bit forward at the bottom?

Good luck brother! I'll be watching for sure!
 
LaGrange, It probably is leaning forward in the pic, it is all just rough fit and I loosely used a clamp to hold it togther for a quick pic.
 
Listen to Momma.
Just me but I'd make the steel spacers the same thickness. The one against the horn stops your eye.
Maybe some file work on the face of the brass and inside edges of the steel spacers. I'd do all hand work on the horn, it stinks like #^&* on the grinder. Looking good so far.

Rudy
 
Thanks every one for the input.

Rudy. I almost did file work on the brass spacer but then didn't. We think alike tho. Also, the spacers and guard are 1/4 inch 5160. I'm afraid a piece of 1/4 inch steel on the butt cap would make it too handle heavy, so I used the thinnest steel I had which was some 1095.

here it is after blade grind and profile. I'm about to start working on the Handle parts.

I could use some more input here if anyone has an opinion. My plan is to do a simple blade on this one. This knife is about the handle, No swedge, no filework. I'm having a hard time now. I have never done just a plain ol blade. Can simple be elegant? I do plan on doing a Hamon, so maybe that will be enough?

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Ricky,
it looks great except my 2 cent addition would be to drop the tip of the blade in the same radius of the part of the handle right where that white dot is to the butt cap. About two inches or so.

That would give a corresponding radius in the front and we all know how great & attractive matching curves can be!!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
rhinoknives said:
Ricky,
it looks great except my 2 cent addition would be to drop the tip of the blade in the same radius of the part of the handle right where that white dot is to the butt cap. About two inches or so.

That would give a corresponding radius in the front and we all know how great & attractive matching curves can be!!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I understand. Do you mean to increase the drop of the point to match the angle of the handle drop?
 
Absolutely simple can be elegant! I truly admire a well crafted knife without the bling bling. Design, crisp termination lines, fit and finish will impress the trained eye.
Clint
 
Hows this hamon? :)

I had it all ready for heat treat this morning and the Clay popped off as I was heating it. :( Wrapped it in wire and redid the clay. Cost me the whole day waiting for it to dry. The wire worked like a charm, the clay stayed on good.

As I started to etch the blade I was thinking I didn't have a very good hamon, but the more I etched and polished the better it started to pop.
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Now to start finishing the handle.
 
It is starting to come together. I need to break the edges of the filework on the guard. It is a little rough on the hand.

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Here it is, I do like this one. Pics in direct light show The silver/while in the hamon. Pics in shadow show the handle better.

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Lol Rudy, It's still there I just filed it a little to give the spacer some character. It's hard to see in those pics. I like it the way it is, but I wish I had done some detail file work around it, That would have looked even better.
 
That's really wierd cause when Rudy wrote that I went back and looked. I could have sworn that the brass was still there, just filed down between the two stainless pieces. Then I thought, well it's just my old eyes. Thanks for letting me know I still got some sight left.
 
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