# Now for Something Completely Different



## seaco (28 Apr 2008)

This is my first attempt at making any kind of knife my father does hawking and needed a good knife so I thought I'd have a go from scratch, 

I know it's alot of metal but the handle's wood...:wink: 



I started out with a bar of 01 steel 30mm x 4mm







Roughly cut out with a hacksaw






Little work on the grinder






Gave me this






Now time to bevel the blade edge I made this jig from a link I found on the net, all done with varying size files...






Gave me this!






Next to diamond polishing stones used wet






I missed a bit here as I got a bit excited as the next step which was forging the blade, this I did by hollowing out the centre of a large air/fire brick then drilled a hole in the side to let a propane torch in, I heated the blade until the metal became un-magnetic the quenched it quickly in a 2 gallon of cooking oil then reheated it with the torch to hopefully temper it and ended up with this...










A bit more polishing!






Now for the handle I used Amboyna burr






Cut roughly to shape






Drilled out






Pins used for attaching, these are hollow rod as I added buffalo horn as an insert!






Roughed up the tang and handle






Joined together with epoxy






Clamped up






After 24hrs I sanded it all around to follow the tang...






Now for shaping the handle again with varying size files






And sandpaper right up to 2000 grit






now it's steeped in a solution of 50% linseed oil 30% turps and 20% Danish oil for 36hrs






Dried for a week a lightly buffed I'm not 100% happy with the finish so I may try something different soon...

Sharpened it to 20 degrees and it easily take hairs off my arms...



















Hope you like I'm really happy with for a first go... Please let me know what you think!
.
.


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## PowerTool (28 Apr 2008)

Whole thing looks very nice  
Handle is a lovely shape,and has a nice "warm" look to it.Like the idea of the jig with files for shaping.And the finished blade looks excellent.
Pleasantly different project - thanks for all the photos.

Andrew


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## wizer (28 Apr 2008)

WOW!

Love it!


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## motownmartin (28 Apr 2008)

Fantastic project with a good outcome, not sure that I understand the sharpening jig though


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## Philly (28 Apr 2008)

Wonderful! Great work, Lee!
Love the burr, smashing. Also like the file guide - must have a go at one of those. Any links?
Cheers
Philly  

P.s. Notice I didn't make any cheap puns like "cutting edge woodwork" :lol:


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## Slim (28 Apr 2008)

Beautiful! The finish looks great from here. What don't you like about it?


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## TonyW (28 Apr 2008)

Fantastic job - really appreciated the WIP shots. 

Hard to believe that this is your first attempt at knife making  

Is the design specific to "Hawking" (assume this to be falconry not Stephen :lol

Cheers  
Tony


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## Gordon T (28 Apr 2008)

First attempt, very well done, it is a beauty.

GT


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## brianhabby (28 Apr 2008)

That is fantastic, it looks really nice. And for a first attempt you should be very pleased indeed.

As Slim says above - Why don't you like it? - It's beautiful.

regards

Brian


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## shim20 (28 Apr 2008)

that awsome. where do you get the tool steel from??. i want to have a go at this.


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## tnimble (28 Apr 2008)

Very, very nice indeed. Lovely knife!


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## Rich (28 Apr 2008)

Very Very impressive, if I had made that I would'nt want to part with it, thanks for showing us, very nice indeed.
Rich.


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## Waka (28 Apr 2008)

Now thats really beautiful.


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## DavidE (28 Apr 2008)

Hi Lee,

That is an amazing piece of work - I think the finish looks awesome on the handle. I like the filing jig... though having spent weeks as an apprentice filing bar flat then square - I think it is cheating!  

David


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## seaco (28 Apr 2008)

Thankyou for all you very kind comments...




motownmartin":dynt0m1f said:


> Fantastic project with a good outcome, not sure that I understand the sharpening jig though



Hi Martin

The jig has a vertical bar with the adjustable cube on it by raising or lowering this you can set the angle of the second horizontal bar that holds the files, the two cubes have a grub screw between them that allows movement, like a simple universal joint then you just move the file back and forth... that either explains it or sounds like double dutch and I'm not sure which?



Slim":dynt0m1f said:


> Beautiful! The finish looks great from here. What don't you like about it?



Hi Slim

I was looking for a bit more of a shine on the handle but it is growing on me now...



TonyW":dynt0m1f said:


> Fantastic job - really appreciated the WIP shots.
> 
> Hard to believe that this is your first attempt at knife making
> 
> ...



Hi Tony

The design isn't specifically for hawking but is based on a bushcraft my father wanted it for paunching rabbits to chopping holly bushes for walking sticks so needs to be a jack of all trades really...

Being as I was making a knife my father thought he would do one also and his has turned out well also, I'll post some pics of his soon, so it looks as though I may be keeping this one myself after all oh pipper...:wink: 



shim20":dynt0m1f said:


> that awsome. where do you get the tool steel from??. i want to have a go at this.



Shim20

My Dad ordered the steel but I will find out and post asap.


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## gidon (28 Apr 2008)

I love it! Would love to have a go at that myself. How did you know what you were doing?
Cheers
Gidon


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## Harbo (28 Apr 2008)

Great knife - love the handle - how did you cut the horn for the inserts?

Now how about a leather sheath to go with it?  

Rod


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## seaco (28 Apr 2008)

gidon":361ccdl6 said:


> I love it! Would love to have a go at that myself. How did you know what you were doing?
> Cheers
> Gidon



Hi Gidon

I have done a fair bit of research on the web even youtube if anyone is really interested I'll try to post a few useful links, if you take it step by step then it's not to bad probably the hardest thing is to get the even bevel on the blade in my case 10 degrees?


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## seaco (28 Apr 2008)

Harbo":2af5m4i7 said:


> Great knife - love the handle - how did you cut the horn for the inserts?
> 
> Now how about a leather sheath to go with it?
> 
> Rod



Hi Rod

The buffalo horn was a real headache i needed a 5mm cylinder of the stuff to fit in the brass tube, first I tried drilling a 5mm hole through some steel plate, cutting the horn down a bit oversize on the bandsaw and gently tapping it through but it split...

The way that worked was to cut it on my lathe but being a big Record C3 wasn't the easiest but it worked.

We have the leather for the sheath so your right that's next!


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## srs (29 Apr 2008)

interesting project, up till now I have only put handles on blades that I brought, How did you get on with the tempering of the blade, dose it seem to be holding the edge ok?


Simon


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## gidon (29 Apr 2008)

seaco":38dvxhun said:


> gidon":38dvxhun said:
> 
> 
> > I love it! Would love to have a go at that myself. How did you know what you were doing?
> ...



Thanks Lee yes am interested if you get the chance. Definately will be on my something to try list - although that list has got pretty long recently!

Cheers

Gidon


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## Paul Chapman (29 Apr 2008)

That's quite stunning. Beautiful job =D> 

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Mcluma (29 Apr 2008)

A work of Art.

That is really nice to compete with your dad, It is true then, beauty comes with age :lol: :lol:


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## seaco (29 Apr 2008)

Here's some pics of my dads just got it from him today...


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## seaco (29 Apr 2008)

srs":1wlj1sat said:


> interesting project, up till now I have only put handles on blades that I brought, How did you get on with the tempering of the blade, dose it seem to be holding the edge ok?
> Simon



Hi Simon

Hopefully the tempering went ok the blade will shave hairs but as it's just been made I'm unsure to the edge holding as yet!


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## OPJ (29 Apr 2008)

That's a very beautiful knife. I even thought so before you added the wooden burr handle!  :wink:


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## shim20 (29 Apr 2008)

seaco":2z4vsd3w said:


> gidon":2z4vsd3w said:
> 
> 
> > I love it! Would love to have a go at that myself. How did you know what you were doing?
> ...




some links would be good. i orded a piece of high carbon tool steel of ebay found a bit one there that said it was for making bushcraft knifes  
heres a link to the ebay shop http://stores.ebay.co.uk/ENGLISHROSE222


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## shim20 (29 Apr 2008)

i sopose you could do the 10 degre bit on the tormek if you had the knife jig. but might take ages??


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## seaco (29 Apr 2008)

Here's a few links that could help

Four parts to this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ysKd1cswlo

This forum is a God send well worth registering

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/index.php

More info

http://www.customknivesandsticks.co.uk/ ... ojects.htm

Another forum...

http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/index.php?


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## seaco (29 Apr 2008)

shim20":v7vvetqg said:


> i sopose you could do the 10 degre bit on the tormek if you had the knife jig. but might take ages??



That would turn out to be a very expensive blade as you'd have to price in a new stone, lol...

Did use my Tormek to sharpen it though!


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## shim20 (29 Apr 2008)

yer see your point wold probally be best to file it. did you ge that filling jig off one of the forums??


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## tnimble (29 Apr 2008)

seaco":14r6maxa said:


> Here's a few links that could help
> 
> Four parts to this one!
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ysKd1cswlo


Lovely video!


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## Blister (1 May 2008)

=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> \/


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## seaco (3 May 2008)

Sorry for not answering earlier but I've been busy making sets of doors for two yachts out of teak very stressful...



motownmartin":wtavwa51 said:


> Fantastic project with a good outcome, not sure that I understand the sharpening jig though





Philly":wtavwa51 said:


> smashing. Also like the file guide - must have a go at one of those. Any links?



Hi Martin & Philly

This is the link I used

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/sho ... roidsblade


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## Digit (3 May 2008)

Looks like the start of another slope!

Roy.


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## seaco (26 May 2008)

Better late than never here are a few more pics, now made the sheath and the last couple is of some filework on the spine of my next knife which will be a little skinner!











Filework


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## woodyone (26 May 2008)

truely jealous, makes me want to make a knife of my own now  

thanks for the inspiration


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## Chris Knight (27 May 2008)

Lee,
I missed this while I was away - what a great job! Many congratulations.


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## wizer (28 May 2008)

oh wow nice finishing touch. Another long term tuit there.


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