Less than a Newbie here

M

MoroCreek

Member
Hello folks,

I am becoming interested in learning how to make custom knives. I'll not be able to get into this full time, because I teach Math to the "Hormonally Challenged" ( ie. 7th Graders). I am a soon to be 59 year old guy whose wife bought him a nice set of carving knives a year ago on Valentines Day, and said, "Get to carving!" After carving several Walking Canes, and Hiking Staffs, and other odds and ends, a Custom Knife Maker that lives up the road from me asked me to carve a knife handle for him that looked like a Canebrake Rattler. Well, I gave it my best shot, and he was pleased. I was too, when I got half of the $675.00 sale price. Anyhow..... I have been carving other Snake Handles, and have enjoyed that part of it greatly.

I found this site this morning, and decided to join. I know I'll be asking questions that you folks have heard a thousand times, so I apologize in advance.
My main concern, and I guess my first question is, If I wanted to fit a blade that I could buy from a supplier..... something like a Bowie, or Skinner, etc. How would I do that into a solid piece of wood that I have carved into the form of a snake.... from the head down about 5 inches into the body? I'll try to post a pic so that you can see what I'm asking. Is there a way to bore into the wood and insert the tang and still be able to secure it properly?

I do not have the necessary machinery to do my own blades at this time, but I think I should be able to mount a blade into a handle with help from you folks..... if you don't mind helping me.

Let me see if I can post a picture or two to help you visualize what I'm asking.

Again, many thanks in advance!

Kim Allen
 

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Welcome to the pack, Kim. Nice looking carving. A handle such as that can easily be fitted to a stick tang blade by drilling the tang hole and securing with epoxy. You'll want to mount some sort of guard in front of the handle, but from there on it's pretty much just refinement. Warning: THIS IS ADDICTIVE!

You should let us know where you are - there may be a knife maker close by. Also, take a look at the wealth of tutorials on this forum.

Good luck.

Dick
 
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Trying to add another couple of photos

I may not be able to add these photos...... can't seem to find an editer to downsize them with here on my school computer. I'm wondering if there is a way to downsize them as I try to load them here on the forum.

Before I post, and hope they are not too large. One is a completed knife with my carved Canebrake Rattler handle. The other is a Copperhead handle that has since had a blade fitted to it. But, I don't have a pic of the completed knife.

Anyone at the Arkansas Gun and Knife show this past weekend may have seen it, and a Cottonmouth handled snake knife that I had carved for the same knife maker.

Again, I apologize if the pictures are too large. Moderators, you may remove them if necessary.

Thanks for looking.

Kim
 

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Thanks, Dick. I know the carving has become addictive. I can see by many of you guys' knives that it may become addictive as well.
 
Kim,
Welcome to the pack! Nice carving of a rattler, I was a juvenile herpetologist back in my youth. Collected and had many pet snakes.

You need to invest in just a few tools to get started making Thru or Partial tang knife
handles. If you are steady you may be able to use a hand turning drill from the school wood shop or invest in a small drill press and table vise if you think you will be making and drilling these handles on a regular basis.

Your knife maker down the road may be able to show you how he drilled the handle on the knife you two made?

Ask away and one of us here can and will help you.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Thanks, Laurence......
I have a table vice and a multi-angle table vise that I use when using an angle grinder and Dremel tool to rough out the main shape of my carvings. My deceased father in law had a shop that my mother in law has kept intact. It has a drill press in it. So far, when mounting a carved head or other wooden cane or staff topper, I've used the table vise and a hand drill to drill the holes for a metal (all thread) dowel and epoxy to bind the two pieces together. I've seen, thru reading some posts here, where I can order tanged knife blades from knife supply places. Can I get a decent blade from these places, or should I ask you guys where I might get a quality steel blade?

Thanks,

Kim Allen
 
MoroCreek said:
Thanks, Laurence......
I have a table vice and a multi-angle table vise that I use when using an angle grinder and Dremel tool to rough out the main shape of my carvings. My deceased father in law had a shop that my mother in law has kept intact. It has a drill press in it. So far, when mounting a carved head or other wooden cane or staff topper, I've used the table vise and a hand drill to drill the holes for a metal (all thread) dowel and epoxy to bind the two pieces together. I've seen, thru reading some posts here, where I can order tanged knife blades from knife supply places. Can I get a decent blade from these places, or should I ask you guys where I might get a quality steel blade?

Thanks,

Kim Allen
Click to expand...

Kim,
Many of the blade knife kits are a fine way for a hobbyist to finish and handle a few blades to start with. I myself started making knives out of old files.

A man that became a good friend build those kits and showed me alot about halfting or putting handles on knives.

The kits that Bossdog here at " Midwest Knifemakers Supply " has should be of decent quality. The link is at the top of the page.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Good LORD! Looks like those are real! WAY beyond my artistic ability, they look fantastic! Seeing that in someones kit, I'd think they had serpentine company!
 
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