My biggest challenge yet. Now a WIP

Gene Kimmi

Gene Kimmi

KNIFE MAKER
A good friend wanted me to make a replica out of twist damascus of the knife he carried in Vietnam and Iraq. I agreed as long as I could change a few things so it won’t be an exact copy. Here is the drawing I came up with and the ironwood burl he chose for the handle.




I can see many challenges ahead on this project, but I’m excited to get it started. I’ve got the rough shape forged, but have several orders to finish first. I’ll work on this one here and there as I get time.
 
Looks like fun, Gene. I could see how it would carry challenges but also how it could turn out to be a beautiful piece.
 
That will turn out to be a beautiful blade. The handle will really set it off. I'm looking forward to seeing it complete. Who made the original knife?
 
I spent a little time on this one yesterday. I got the faces and profile cleaned up.



Next, I made a jig to be able to mark the center of the blade.



I cut some strips at different widths to use for marking.




I also put some marks across the blade to use as reference points when I ground the profile of the tip. Then I used the jig to draw the profile of one side, then flipped the blade over to compare the other side.




The next step was tapering the tang. Here I have the profile tapered.



Now to taper the other way. When I grind this taper, I lay the blade on my granite top and use a shim to make sure both sides are tapered the same.




The last step I finished yesterday was cleaning up the shoulders. I use a file guide, squared to the blade, to grind them in, then finish them up with files, rounding the corner so I don't crack the blade in the quench.




I'll stop here as I need to finish making the damascus for the fittings.
 
I'm glad that you got rid of the narrow waist with the teeth. I think that the teeth detract from the appearance of a knife in general and a dagger in specific. If your friend is old enough that he was in Nam I think that he would be rated as combat ineffective but I hope he enjoys the final product.

Doug
 
Thanks everyone. These are the kind of projects I want to do more of.

Tonight, after I wore myself out hammering on the billet for the guard, I practiced putting a flute in an old guard I had messed up. Built my confidence up a little before I do the flutes on the damascus parts.





Then I had to do a quick etch on the blade to see what it looked like.

 
GeneK said:
Thanks everyone. These are the kind of projects I want to do more of.

Tonight, after I wore myself out hammering on the billet for the guard, I practiced putting a flute in an old guard I had messed up. Built my confidence up a little before I do the flutes on the damascus parts.





Then I had to do a quick etch on the blade to see what it looked like.

Click to expand...
Looks really good! Looking forward to the finished project!
 
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