new project...ivory cracked

[soundmind]

My wife worked out a friendly deal for an expensive piece of dog-training equipment. Part of that deal involves me building a couple knives in exchange. I picked up some fossil mammoth rib bone and two small pieces of fossil ivory large enough for spacers. The person were trading with said she likes "rare, unique, and handmade" and said that the trade doesn't have to be of equal value, but I want to give her my best with some unique handle material. I'm hoping to pull off two knives and an ulu by August.

I'm starting with what I have already heat treated, since I'm not confident in that part of knifemaking yet. These are 80CrV2, part of my batch I'm trying to complete anyway.

Plan A: Copper, a thin piece of moose tine, ivory spacer and black fiber spacing.


Plan B: Same as above except with caribou.


Here's a shot of the mammoth bone after I filed away the surface scum (which I think was stabilizing liquid). The person I bought them from, who I trust, said it had been stabilized:

I opted to show the ugliest shot. I'm not sure if I'm going to use it because of the large check. I also might try ferrules on the ends. Or if I am able to do some research - some type of (copper?) inlays in two places around the whole piece... like iron around wooden gates. I think by itself it is strong - but not sure. If not, the moose, caribou, and ivory will suffice for unique and rare.
I would use it for the ulu, but I think it is too brittle for downward pressure.

 

[Daniel Macina]

Awesome! But good lord how expensive was that equipment!? Hahahaha!

 

[Kevin Zito]

Looking good! Im really digging that mammoth rib... is it cheaper than tusk?

 

[Chris Railey]

I'm going to use it because of the large check

Can you cut it in half along the check and grind it flat to use on a full tang knife? That way you can save the piece.

 

[soundmind]

Awesome! But good lord how expensive was that equipment!? Hahahaha!

Im really digging that mammoth rib... is it cheaper than tusk?

Lets just say it didn't cost me as much as it cost the animal... he paid out the nose .
no- they weren't expensive, but just cleaning it up brought home the reality of that thing's existence.
Last I checked Mark Knapp's website he had "lots" made up of scraps for sale that didn't seem expensive. Mine came out of the scrap bin - not Mark's.
And I'm not sure on the difference between bone and ivory. It might depend on the size.

 

[soundmind]

Can you cut it in half along the check and grind it flat to use on a full tang knife? That way you can save the piece.

Sorry, Chris, I meant crack not check - as it goes all the way through. Cutting them for a full tang knife is still what I probably will do.
I did begin some research on cord/wire wrapping. I also have it bouncing around in my head to find a way to crimp a copper ring into a pre-milled groove. That is all going to take a lot of experimenting to make it work, and not sure if I have the time. The crack would probably still eventually open up no matter how tight I got the wire to wrap or could precisely crimp a ring.

 

[soundmind]

This material is brittle: I did this using a fine file to clean the ends. I must have just pointed the file down enough to chip the edge.

 

[soundmind]

While I'm excited to do this project, I didn't intend to get the cart before the horse - I've had my hopes dashed many times in this venture. So, I'll get the blade done, and plan from there.

I was hoping for some feedback on this build.

I'm trying another plungless grind. At this stage I have a "ghostly" shadow where the bevels begin at the transition from the ricasso to the edge. This is about 8 hours of grinding over the past few days.

If keep going I can't tell where to go to blend it more... up toward the spine?
That will make it thinner but that's fine. I think it wouldn't take very long. I'm afraid if I leave it like that it'll show worse when I get to higher grits. But I'm thinking that shadow looks kind of good. It's pretty darn close to even. I'm using a bench grinder, cleaning with sandpaper, and testing evenness by feel and by eye.

 

[soundmind]

Here's some pictures of what I'm doing. My files wouldn't cut the bevels at the angle of the file guide so I moved to my bench grinder. Compared to the old days, I'm fortunate to have an abrasive wheel turned by any kind of motor. I had to go back to the grinder and diamond files a couple times but this is the idea.

I'm also trying to keep the hollow grind created by the wheel.

 

[Von Gruff]

Lots of hand work going into these one

 

[soundmind]

That hand finishing video with Don Fogg has helped. Thanks for offering me that. Also, rhynowet and oil is efficient - another thing I picked up from this site.

 

[Johan Nel]

Here's some pictures of what I'm doing. My files wouldn't cut the bevels at the angle of the file guide so I moved to my bench grinder. Compared to the old days, I'm fortunate to have an abrasive wheel turned by any kind of motor. I had to go back to the grinder and diamond files a couple times but this is the idea.

I'm also trying to keep the hollow grind created by the wheel.

The plungeless grinds I have done so far was by hand using files and a jig. I had drawn the lines on the blade beforehand up to where I wanted to bring the filing or plunge. My grinds runs very similar to where yours seems to be with the exception that it is a flat grind, the line is straight and it came up higher on the spine, giving the blade a full taper to the point of the blade. Just some photos assist with my comments:







I hope this may help.

 

[soundmind]

The plungeless grinds I have done so far was by hand using files and a jig. I had drawn the lines on the blade beforehand up to where I wanted to bring the filing or plunge. My grinds runs very similar to where yours seems to be with the exception that it is a flat grind, the line is straight and it came up higher on the spine, giving the blade a full taper to the point of the blade. Just some photos assist with my comments:

I remember your thread from about the time I first joined the forum. I built a filing jig as well and I've gone back to your thread for a reference a few times. I shaped the bevels on these knives with my file jig pre HT.

I think I remember you saying you filed the bevels a little at a time. If I remember right, that might have been my mistake. My files wouldn't bite into the bevels after the knives were heat treated. I probably should have tried to take off less at a time.

However, I did dull a brand new Valtitan shaping the swedge. My blades were 59-60 HRC and I was using it correctly. The only file I could find on hand to final shape my steel was a fine cut Nicolson. I'm wondering if the finer cut of a file makes more of a difference than the hardness when filing hardened steel? I want to buy some good files again except with a finer cut to find out.

Anyway, that's why I moved to the bench grinder and diamond files to finish out. The next thing I'll try is glueing sand paper to a piece of barstock tied to the bar on the file jig. And use thinner barstock.

But yeah, that's a good thread you have up. Thanks Johan.

 

[Johan Nel]

I remember your thread from about the time I first joined the forum. I built a filing jig as well and I've gone back to your thread for a reference a few times. I shaped the bevels on these knives with my file jig pre HT.

I think I remember you saying you filed the bevels a little at a time. If I remember right, that might have been my mistake. My files wouldn't bite into the bevels after the knives were heat treated. I probably should have tried to take off less at a time.

However, I did dull a brand new Valtitan shaping the swedge. My blades were 59-60 HRC and I was using it correctly. The only file I could find on hand to final shape my steel was a fine cut Nicolson. I'm wondering if the finer cut of a file makes more of a difference than the hardness when filing hardened steel? I want to buy some good files again except with a finer cut to find out.

Anyway, that's why I moved to the bench grinder and diamond files to finish out. The next thing I'll try is glueing sand paper to a piece of barstock tied to the bar on the file jig. And use thinner barstock.

But yeah, that's a good thread you have up. Thanks Johan.

Yep, filing hardened steel is not for the faint hearted. I trust that you will persevere and end up with a great knife.
I like the profile of the knife.

 

[soundmind]

Plan B coming along. Hollow until the last 1 1/2" which transitions to convex at the tip.



This works out well for my limited tools and I think will also add some strength to the knife. I think its okay as long as everything is even.

 

[soundmind]

Also some good progress on plan A. I tried to show right and left sides with different angles in the light.

I didn't go back to the file guide b/c I already had the edge and spine established. Since the evening things out was between them I just freehanded it. I'm thinking that a lot of previous time on the file guide gave me the muscle memory to help me hold the angles.

 

[Sean Jones]

That's looking really nice!

 

[Johan Nel]

Also some good progress on plan A. I tried to show right and left sides with different angles in the light.

I didn't go back to the file guide b/c I already had the edge and spine established. Since the evening things out was between them I just freehanded it. I'm thinking that a lot of previous time on the file guide gave me the muscle memory to help me hold the angles.

Yeah, that looks good, well done! It looks like you nailed it. Are you going to put a false edge on the harpoon point?

 

[Chris Railey]

A true testament to hand work. Thats a big ole knife to do mostly by hand.

 

[soundmind]

A true testament to hand work. Thats a big ole knife to do mostly by hand.

Yeah next ones will be shorter... but I'm really, really, surprised how efficiently I'm watching material float away.

Are you going to put a false edge on the harpoon point?

I had planned to, but was taken off guard when I dulled my files so fast. So, nothing left on them to use. Although I think it would look a lot better, and pierce better.