4th Knife Completed

[wmhammond]

Blade: 01 Mirror Finish
Bolsters: Damascus
OAL 6 1/8”
Blade Length (Mid-Bolster) 2”
Blade Width 3/4”
Stainless pins
Grip Mesquite Burl (Stabilized)
Thickness at the tang 1/8”
Time of fabrication -- 15 hours

This little Bulldog is a knife of my own design. I try to push myself and attempt new, more advanced techniques on each subsequent project. With this one I tried to combine a Mirror finish on the blade with Damascus Bolsters. I had my share of difficulties with that combination but I'm very happy with my results on that. As always, I can find a lot wrong with a knife I finish. On this one, I'm not particularly happy with the spacing between the 10 pins - I just missed it. Also, the unexpected: I put this knife together 10 times before I glued it up and it fit perfectly. When I glued it up 3 or 4 of the pins split out the wood. I think I get a little tense and excited during glue-up and may not take as much time as I need to get it right. Oh, well, it is what it is and I will try to improve on the next one. I am very happy with this design and will probably make it again. Any and all comments are appreciated.

Wallace

 

[rhinoknives]

Wallace,
You have done well! Especially for No#4. Are you using a slow cure epoxy? That would help relieve any tension in final assembly. I prefer G-Flex. The best I've ever used. Bossdog sells it.

On your split outs, are you aware you can mix some saw dust of your given scales, mix with a slow-cure CA/ Super glue and press into the holes then hand sand with your finish grit?

It's a different kind of knife and I like that. Have you tried tapering a tang yet? That would look cool on your Bulldog.
You would need to square up the butt end a little for a tapered tang.

OK! Time to finish this one up and get started on No 5.

 

[Justin Presson]

Nice Wallace! You are truckin along. Are you addicted yet the glue up still gets my blood flowing too i have to remind myself to take it slow and not rush I think acraglas which is what I use had a 15 minute working time I have set a timer before and that helped me get a better grasp of my time management.

 

[caseythehost]

I was surprised this was only #4 too. I think it looks pretty damn good. I've found myself grinding the pin ends to a slight taper to help them slip in the holes before I grind them flush. Not sure if that would help your splitting issue or not.

 

[brandon0403]

I put a slight chamfer on my handle pins as well, I also drill out my handle holes a little oversized. Not sure if this is required with stabilized wood, but with a handle material that is porous the extra room is needed when the epoxy is absorbed and swells up the holes around the pins.