Doug Lester
Well-Known Member
This was the knife that I was making for the recent KITH until I had trouble with installing the spur on the side of the guard.
The blade is 11.5" with an OAL of 16.5". The blade was forged from 52100 and the furnature from 1" rebar. The scales are cut from Elk leg bone and have been dyed a brick red. Temporary brass pins are shown in the photo but it will either have copper tubing for pins of pins made from black Micarta® rod. That will depend on how the steel of the handle and furniture looks after I finish the acid bluing.
It took me three times to get the spur on the side of the guard right. The first time it was too small. The second time I flared the tenon out in the hold through the guard and didn't get the fit quite tight enough and it worked loose after grinding it flat on the opposite side. The third time I got carried away a bit with the length of the spur but I got a little carried away with the length of the blade so it matches. I left the riveted side raised. Right now the whole thing is in a tank exposing the handle to aqua regia fumes to give the rust base for the bluing. The blade is protected by coating it with etching ground. Just had it out to brush off the loose rust. It's been in about a week but I think that I will give it a couple of more days until I boil it black and finish the assembly. Finished pictures to follow by week's end.
Doug
The blade is 11.5" with an OAL of 16.5". The blade was forged from 52100 and the furnature from 1" rebar. The scales are cut from Elk leg bone and have been dyed a brick red. Temporary brass pins are shown in the photo but it will either have copper tubing for pins of pins made from black Micarta® rod. That will depend on how the steel of the handle and furniture looks after I finish the acid bluing.
It took me three times to get the spur on the side of the guard right. The first time it was too small. The second time I flared the tenon out in the hold through the guard and didn't get the fit quite tight enough and it worked loose after grinding it flat on the opposite side. The third time I got carried away a bit with the length of the spur but I got a little carried away with the length of the blade so it matches. I left the riveted side raised. Right now the whole thing is in a tank exposing the handle to aqua regia fumes to give the rust base for the bluing. The blade is protected by coating it with etching ground. Just had it out to brush off the loose rust. It's been in about a week but I think that I will give it a couple of more days until I boil it black and finish the assembly. Finished pictures to follow by week's end.
Doug