Knife #9 Finished - First Hidden Tang

Erin Burke

Erin Burke

Well-Known Member
{Cross-posted w/ BF}

I just finished my first hidden tang knife this week. Overall, I'm content with how it turned out; but I made a LOT of mistakes on this one that will NOT happen next time. Quite a learning experience. :D

Some Stats:
Length: 6-5/8"
Blade: Just a hair under 3" (tip to choil?)
Steel: 1/8" 1080 (from Kelly Cupples) Flat-Ground w/ hidden-tang
Handle: WSSI Gray/Black dyed Stabilized maple burl w/ 416ss pin
Guard/Ferrule?: 416ss w/ black spacer (I do hate this spacer... for many reasons, some to do with me and some to do with the spacer material itself.)

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Last year I had my first batch of maple stabilized at WSSI, and back in November I put 16 of these blocks up for sale in the SUPPLIES SUBFORUM to cover the cost of processing. All of the blocks sold but four, and these ones just seemed to linger. I figured I'd use my first hidden-tang adventure as an opportunity to use the least attractive (my opinion) of these four "un-sellable" blocks (just in case I messed up). I think it worked out OK. What do you think?

Erin

Note: The featured artwork in the photos comes courtesy of my wife Angie.
 
I like that Erin. The wood is great as it almost looks like there's a butt cap on it. :D

I don't think I like the black spacer either. It doesn't work for me.

You also need to spend some more time on the edge of your sheath. It looks like you may have sanded it back to smooth it off but I think it now needs redying then glazing with spit / gum tragacanth.
 
Stew said:
You also need to spend some more time on the edge of your sheath. It looks like you may have sanded it back to smooth it off but I think it now needs redying then glazing with spit / gum tragacanth.
Click to expand...

Believe it or not, I left it that way on purpose :eek:. I had died the edges the same as the rest and didn't like it... so I used a 400-grit belt to sand the color away, then more gum trag and burnishing. It makes it seem worn in to me. If I would have had some black edge finish, I may have given that a try.

Erin
 
Erin, great looking #9. Well Done.
I like the shape, style, and materials used. How big is it?
Dozier
 
Stew said:
Erin, the bolster isn't just 416ss is it? It looks to be two materials.
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Just one piece of 416ss with a black fiber spacer between it and the handle. There are two grooves cut around it using a round end carbide dremmel cutter mounted in my drill press.
 
If I weren't a manly man, I would say the whole thing looks fabulous! I can take or leave the spacer, but I really like the pattern on the handle.
 
Good looking knife and sheath. You have a created a good 'well worn' effect with your edge treatment. I like the pattern you have in the leather on the front of the sheath and have not seen that before. Do you do that by stamping/tooling?
 
+1 on that!
The only thing that I can see (maybe a trick of the pic?) is that the top
of the spacer looks like it didn't quite blend to the handle;looks like a slight lip at the top?
And I like the random distressed tooling on the leather too!
Well done!
 
Rock said:
If I weren't a manly man, I would say the whole thing looks fabulous! I can take or leave the spacer, but I really like the pattern on the handle.
Click to expand...

It isn't what you say... it's how you say it. Say "fabulous feather boa" in Clint Eastwood's voice and you still sound manly. Say "edelbrock carburetor" in Tim Gunn's voice and... well... :D


Garry said:
I like the pattern you have in the leather on the front of the sheath and have not seen that before. Do you do that by stamping/tooling?
Click to expand...

Garry, to get the texturing on the leather I just grabbed a beveler (leather stamp) in an ice-pick grip and stabbed it repeatedly into the cased leather. It could probably be done just as easily with the tip of a spoon or something. Just stab, stab, stab.


Ironwolf said:
+1 on that!
The only thing that I can see (maybe a trick of the pic?) is that the top
of the spacer looks like it didn't quite blend to the handle;looks like a slight lip at the top?
Click to expand...

Good eye!!! That's the main thing I was refering to in the OP by "mistakes". Thankfully, I think I've learned a few things about the process... so next time I try a hidden-tang, that transition will be smoother. :cool:

Erin
 
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