# Thats not a knife.



## sunnybob (28 Sep 2020)

This is a knife (with apologies to mr, hogan). 






Done as much as I can with the blade. Used ubelievable amounts of sandpaper and solvol and its still not mirror finish.
The blade is 12 3/4" long and 2 1/2" deep. It weighs in at over a kilo (2 1/2 lbs).
The cross guard is solid brass hollowed out so it slips over the metal handle and is epoxyed on. The handle is Bubinga, backed with Maple, with three brass pins, all epoxyed together. Since this picture I have added blood grooves. I shall try to get a good pic but my camera skills are slightly less than my Planing skills
Its been fun, but is just not practical to use it, let alone carry it, so now i'm making a permanent wooden display case for it and it will hang on my wall.


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## AJB Temple (28 Sep 2020)

I think your title is accurate Bob....  

From what I can see, you have not thinned the blade at all. If you don't do that you will never get a usable, balanced and sharpen-able knife. 

Grinding the blade properly is a lengthy job. Having done a couple of courses in Japan and spent a few days working with Will Catcheside, a large part of the grunt work is standing at a finisher getting the blade profile right. Hours and hours on a big linisher. Tedious actually. 

The handle also looks a bit slab like, and needs rounding off. Sorry. 

Why not keep working this one one until you get rid of at least half the weight? Be nice to have a usable implement. 

Adrian


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## sunnybob (28 Sep 2020)

Adrian;
many reasons;
I never intended to use this blade, it was a fun exercise in futility from the start, but it needed to be gotten out of my system (blame Forged in Fire). I dont have any use whatsoever for something this big. I dont even have a use for a normal sized bowie. I havent carried a sheath knife since the mid 60's when I had a green river in my inside coat pocket (shhhh dont talk about mods and rockers bank holiday weekends  .)
I dont have and cant afford to buy a dedicated knife grinder or linisher for something that is not going to be a hobby. I have a 4" belt sander and have done what I can. I suspect I have spent more on sanding materials than the original cost of the steel.
I have sharpened a carpenters pencil with it though, so it has done at least something in its life.
The mrs has gone apesh*t over the black dust I have dragged all around the house. I dont fancy a divorce after just shy of 50 years so I'm not making another. 

The handle has admittedly not impressed me. The bubinga knot is much better than the picture shows, but I made it too flat and suspect that will be changed before it goes into its glass case.


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## AJB Temple (28 Sep 2020)

Fair enough! I don't have a big belt linisher either and that has held me back. The one's I used at Will's were very large and as I recall the belts are very expensive as you get through a lot. I do have a small; Robert Sorby one, but it is not really suitable for life making. 

For me I enjoy the forging work and would prefer to make forged blades rather than ground ones. My main interest is kitchen knives, but I really don't have time for it at the moment. 

I imagine the black dust is quite hazardous thinking about it. Never heard of a green river.


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## novocaine (28 Sep 2020)

that's something Sinbad would be proud of, but it's not a knife, it's a small persons sword.
Might need to put some support in the wall before you hang it in its box.


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## sunnybob (28 Sep 2020)

Adrian; Green River Knife

Novocaine; its just too damn heavy. Walking 50 yards with it my hand made my wrist ache. It serves no other purpose than to echo the original for shock value when some one asks me what I'm making at the moment.
Fun, passed a couple of weeks as a hobby, but I'm not about to change to another hobby at this stage, no space, no money, no time.


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## Trevanion (28 Sep 2020)

Nice axe


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## hawkeyefxr (28 Sep 2020)

That is a beautiful knife, it reminds me of one i bought over 55 years ago (and still have) I will never let it go. 
You MADE yours and it is truly magnificent!


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## AJB Temple (28 Sep 2020)

sunnybob said:


> Adrian; Green River Knife
> 
> Novocaine; its just too damn heavy. Walking 50 yards with it my hand made my wrist ache. It serves no other purpose than to echo the original for shock value when some one asks me what I'm making at the moment.
> Fun, passed a couple of weeks as a hobby, but I'm not about to change to another hobby at this stage, no space, no money, no time.


Thanks. Had not heard the phrase Green River before. Reminds me of my grandfather's bayonet. He brought it home from the war, along with his rifle. And a German telescope.


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## sunnybob (28 Sep 2020)

My elder brother is the family knife man. German bayonets were on our bedroom wall along with other war trophies all through the 50's and early 60's. They got cut down to all kinds of sizes. I had 4 uncles who all served in different countries during the war. They bought back a lot of kit. He has a half dozen oversized knives a la Rambo. One of them has a long slot in it for which he has made a huge detachable cross piece with double curved axe heads that makes it almost impossible to hold. I feel its ridiculous ( I know, even MORE risiculous than mine), but each to his own.


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## sunnybob (28 Sep 2020)

This is the one that he has made the cross piece for.








RAMBO knife Rambo 3 Signature Edition with wooden handle, 9297


Handle/blade: wood/stainless steel Blade length: 32,0 cm Weight: 858 grams




www.knivesandtools.com





The wooden handle supplied is extremely poor, it fits where it touches. I made him a replacement out of teak. I havent seen him this year so have not seen the knife with the new handle.


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## novocaine (28 Sep 2020)

Whilst I'm partial to a nice blade and rather fond of the one's I have, I have absolutely 0 interest in something that does not serve a purpose. so a "rambo" knife just doesn't do anything for me. give me a delightfully cheap opinel or a decent size bowie and I'm happy as larry, but when you can't use it for fear of damaging yourself, nar your alright, you keep it. 

It was once said that the only things you needed to survive in the wilderness was a good knife and a piece of string to make a bow. unfortunately, no one specified what a good knife was, so you get grotesque and pointless pieces of tat like that shown above (the rambo knife, not Bobs folly), often wielded by the sort of person who believes war paint is high fashion for a walk in the local woods. 
I once wound up on a survival course with a bunch of them. It was most fun to watch especially once the instructor figured out the difference in skill set between the few who could and the majority who shouldn't. Think 3 people sat around a delightfully toasty fire after 30 seconds of effort watching 12 people run around, jumping off logs and rolling in mud trying to find kindling. it was a fun few days. bit like Bear grylls or Ray Mears, I know who I'd rather trust in a survival situation and it isn't the skinny one who sleeps in a moose.


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## marcros (28 Sep 2020)

novocaine said:


> Whilst I'm partial to a nice blade and rather fond of the one's I have, I have absolutely 0 interest in something that does not serve a purpose. so a "rambo" knife just doesn't do anything for me. give me a delightfully cheap opinel or a decent size bowie and I'm happy as larry, but when you can't use it for fear of damaging yourself, nar your alright, you keep it.
> 
> It was once said that the only things you needed to survive in the wilderness was a good knife and a piece of string to make a bow. unfortunately, no one specified what a good knife was, so you get grotesque and pointless pieces of tat like that shown above (the rambo knife, not Bobs folly), often wielded by the sort of person who believes war paint is high fashion for a walk in the local woods.
> I once wound up on a survival course with a bunch of them. It was most fun to watch especially once the instructor figured out the difference in skill set between the few who could and the majority who shouldn't. Think 3 people sat around a delightfully toasty fire after 30 seconds of effort watching 12 people run around, jumping off logs and rolling in mud trying to find kindling. it was a fun few days. bit like Bear grylls or Ray Mears, I know who I'd rather trust in a survival situation and it isn't the skinny one who sleeps in a moose.



a moose inside the local Holiday Inn.


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## novocaine (28 Sep 2020)

marcros said:


> a moose inside the local Holiday Inn.


I see you've stayed in warrington before. 

Sorry, couldnt resist. Yes, him of, explore the wilderness, but only the bit within driving range of a pool view and a minibar, fame.


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## AJB Temple (28 Sep 2020)

Interesting. When you see skilled hunters and so on using knives to skin deer etc, the blades are usually short and wide. The only time I have ever seen really large knives used professionally is in Japan, where the guys in the Tokyo fish market use knives a yard long expertly to slice tuna. Very impressive.


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## sunnybob (28 Sep 2020)

I like "Bobs folly"  
As said, it was always a pointless exercise, mainly because I knew that being the first I had made from scratch it would have many flaws.
Thats why its going to be a wall hanger. Stupidly large knives are not for real life, thats why they use them in the movies.
I have some heat treated rippled sycamore left from one of custards care packages. That will be the new handle for the folly.
I'll hang it next to my wooden katana set.







Wish I hadnt given away my bubinga bowie now.


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## AJB Temple (28 Sep 2020)

Not sure about wooden knives. Almost as useless as a butter knife. I mean, honestly, how can you use a knife made of butter?


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## Phil Pascoe (28 Sep 2020)

Yeah ....... even softer than a cheese knife.


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## AJB Temple (28 Sep 2020)

Have you not heard of Rock fort?


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## sunnybob (29 Sep 2020)

Strange you should say that, I made a butter knife as well. I copied one from some swedish youtuber who made lots of them and sent them to his subscribers.
I have a lot of spare time.    
I also made this bokken to order. Its 3/4" x 1 1/4" beech, and apparently a martial artist will practice a 1000 swipes a day with it.


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## Jackbequick (29 Sep 2020)

It's not news that not all knives are for fighting as in 'dagger' some are for wielding downwards with weight driving the edge . 
I know Mr Temple gave some good advice, I want to suggest an alternative...leave it as it is but change or extend the guard to a hoop...even to something similar to a sword basket. It then will be a utility able to be securely 'held onto' much as would a cutlass. Bolo knives are of that ilk, most don't have the hoop guard but I think it could be useful and attractive. 

My own fighting knives include dual edged trenchers, one a modified bayonet and one somewhat heavier and with an edge as dangerous as a Japanese weapon in full polish. It would weigh about 2/5th of yours. 

All mine are knives for thrusting. Serious fighting may see two knives...the mainly used hand-fist with the knife held in reverse so back along under the wrist, blade down...the other hand the thrusting knife. The thrusting knife tends to hold an opponent's attention. The hidden blade is useful during distraction particularly when throwing a punch at jaw or other exposed area...the punch enables the slashing, which could be the opponent's face, throat or upper arm. Your knife in that scenaro would be the slashing knife. 

The Americans I think commonly confuse I think slashing knives ("Bowies" ), something used to clear vegetation tendrils, pare timber and the like as a 'thrusting' knife. You'd have to be very closely engaged, and strong for it to be effective in that fashion. 

Their fighting knives...I have one here from Civil war are a knife from which the Sykes would have been modeled...light, sharp ..and don't have 'blood drains'...Those 'drains' said to be useful to withdraw a bayonet from a body ....I am circumspect.....I think rather that they gave strength and some lightness to the blade. 

You did a nice job of what you did. I think the guard is typically too small on commercial knives used for thrusting ...some have no guard and a hand can slip past a small guard or no guard and be damaged. Yours is some degree in that category, it's definitely for me a 'slasher' .


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## AJB Temple (29 Sep 2020)

Indiana Jones cleared this up years ago. When faced with an opponent brandishing a big knife or sword, putting on a fearsome display, he pulled out his pistol. 
Go to 2 minutes in for the prototype of Bob's knife.


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## Jackbequick (29 Sep 2020)

Of course the wooden katana (or much more rarely wakazashi or tanto)is for practice ...similarly as in Kendo which I 'played' .We don't need our mates lopped up. It has some weight and assists in perfecting strokes.

Musashi's first killing was, if I recall, using a bokken...they can split a skull and break bones ( not at the same time of course) when wielded forcefully on the draw stroke. Miyama Musashi, one of his names, was the premier swordsman of Japan, his '5 rings' manuscripts ended up...predictably?...as American business practice models! 

The bokken tip can also do serious damage to all aspects of face throat and body...Though the kendo shinai is bamboo, not wood, we wear armour.


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## Jackbequick (29 Sep 2020)

I think a similar situation arose in the early Monty Python where they were being taught to defend off an attack with a banana or some such....fresh fruit....a pointed stick. As your once-were-allies across the channel might say_ "c'est tellement stupide...si pas bizarre" _


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## johnbaz (29 Sep 2020)

Hi all

Here's a couple I made around 35 years ago at work when there wasn't much to do!!

I didn't have a linisher or any other power tools as such so it was all done with Oxy Acetylene, Files and emery cloth! (Must have been crackers!)

The cutlass type is just mild steel packing that was 1/2" thick, Had to heat it and draw iot out.. It would bend dead easy and is actually just a wall hanger, The scales (It's a full tang) are from an old deal pallet, I used 1/8" brazing rod to pin them (Along with Araldite)..

The double edged one is a hidden tang and was originally an old sharpening steel so is high carbon and will hold an edge if it was honed (I tempered it with Whale oil of which we had thousands of gallons in the heavy forge back then), I work in a heavy foundry and carved patterns from pallet wood to make moulds and pour molten brass in for the handle and knuckle guard  

Not sure if they would qualify as long knives or short swords!!














Here's a couple of biggies, The right hand one is a full sized Katana (Modern but made in the old way rather than cut from steel sheet) The other is something like a Claymore (Wall hanger), It's not mine, A friend brought it with a broken tang so I welded it back together for him, I cleaned it up too as there was rust on the blade and everything was tarnished!





I bought this blade and made it up with Amboiner burr and some imitation ivory pieces that I bought from an old cutler that finished work in the mid 70's and had some left over, He also had some water Buffalo horn and silver pummels that I bought from him too 





Some bits I acquired when I was going to start making knives..














I found this Mammoth tooth at a bootsale that I was going to use for handles, It's beautiful stuff when polished up but as it's 30,000 years old (That's older than me granny!!) I didn't have the heart to start cutting it!!










John


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## johnbaz (29 Sep 2020)

Jackbequick said:


> Of course the wooden katana (or much more rarely wakazashi or tanto)is for practice ...similarly as in Kendo which I 'played' .We don't need our mates lopped up. It has some weight and assists in perfecting strokes.
> 
> Musashi's first killing was, if I recall, using a bokken...they can split a skull and break bones ( not at the same time of course) when wielded forcefully on the draw stroke. Miyama Musashi, one of his names, was the premier swordsman of Japan, his '5 rings' manuscripts ended up...predictably?...as American business practice models!
> 
> The bokken tip can also do serious damage to all aspects of face throat and body...Though the kendo shinai is bamboo, not wood, we wear armour.



Hi Jack 

I have a 340 year old Wakizashi that was credited to Omi Daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro, Apparently a smith of some repute!

A chap that is a leading authority on hizen blades (Roger Robertshaw in Hong Kong) confirmed it as being genuine (In his opinion) as there's many forgeries! but mine has been abused by unsympathic owners and doen't hold much value  I was offered £1,000 for it but I simply liked it too much to sell it (Cost me £5 some decades ago!!)





It's been rehandled twice in it's lifetime..










There would originally have been gold in the Tsuba but someone must have removed it to weigh it in  The face is missing on the figure, Not sure if this would have been original to the blade as I was told it had been rehandled in the last hundred years by an expert at my local museum, That was around twenty five years ago though!!

Although it's hard to see, There fish at the bottom and a bird, I thing it's a stream from memory!





I sent this pic to a friend that's on the Nihonto group forum and he posted the pic in the group, The members all went scatty at me me laying on the rough surface! 





The sword is obviously out of polish, I was advised that if I sent it for a polish that it could come back worthless if any hidden problems surfaced, It would have cost around £2,000 for a Japanese polish and as i'm not a gambler, It stayed here out of polish!! 


John


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## sunnybob (29 Sep 2020)

As always, a lot more people a lot more skilled than me.  
I did forge work as an apprentice, but after that never got a chance again.

I have changed the handle now on Bobs folly. Its Thermally Modified Rippled Sycamore, with two solid brass pins and a mosaic pin made from 1/4" brass tube filled with 1 mm brass wire and clear epoxy (which for some reason has dried black?).
2 coats of shellac, a quick rub with a 600 grit wet and dry, and a coat of gloss wipe on poly.


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## AJB Temple (29 Sep 2020)

Much nicer handle. Top job. I think the blood channel needs to lead somewhere through.


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## sunnybob (29 Sep 2020)

Thats it for this one. I am sick and tired of polishing steel and brass  

I've decided not to build a shadow box for it. It can hang on the workshop wall just in case the zombies invade.


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## baldkev (30 Sep 2020)

Nice work bob and everone else! I finally got round to making my first wooden knife at the start of lockdown. I wanted a cheese board and matching knife.... 
Im going to make the next one with a bandsaw blade within the wooden blade, so that it should be possible to get a semi sharp edge that will be retained.....


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