Another guy showing off the knives he made :-)

[jethro224]

Purty dang nice to be callin' 'em "amaturish"! I like 'em! :bow:

Not a criticism, just an opinion, I think they'd be even better looking with small iron pins to attach the handles.

 

[Marc Adamchek]

Great job! They look like the real deal, not replicas

 

[Brasilikilt]

Thanks again everyone!
One thing, the antler knife does have iron pins, the others are poured pewter, basically because it is period correct, and I had never done rivets that way, and wanted to try it.

I suppose the goal for many of us is to make/get our kit appear as though we use a time machine to go gear shopping
Since a lot of you commented on that little knife, I figured I would show you all the inspiration for it.

You can see it stuck in the door right above the drummer kid.

Here's a direct link for a little more detail
http://www.museumsyndicate.com/images/2/14003.jpg

 

[jbwilliams3]

Hi, Iain,

This is not a criticism of your work, by any means. I have no ability in forging or knife making, but I am interested in historical knives. Since you mentioned that you were going for middle 18th century, I have a couple suggestions (particularly in regards to English trade knives- ubiquitous in the period for white men in the city and frontier and natives alike. Keeping in mind that your top two knives are more appropriate than what many fine makers market as being 18th century, there are some tweaks that you could make that could make them spot on. Of course, short of examining excavated originals (of which there are thousands, though tucked away in museums and collections) or someone else’s repro based on the originals, you may have to guesstimate on actual profile measurements and such.

From period art, store ledgers, and archeology, we find that, by far, the most common knife of the period was the trade knife (also called butchers/scalping knives). Your top two knives are in the spirit of those knives. One thing you will notice with period knives is the lack of bolsters. This seems to be more of an 19th century thing. You will also notice that the vast majority of knives were half-tanged with very small (usually three) steel rivets. I don’t have any pictures of originals on my hard drive, but a couple folks who make spot-on reproductions are Kyle Willyard and Wick Ellerbe (who posts here) Old Dominion Forge Wick Ellerbe for some visual examples (look particularly at the trade knives, which are the most common historically accurate of the knives they make).

You do some great work!

 

[colmoultrie]

They look really nice! You have a good artistic sense of aesthetics.

I do have a question, since you said you were trying for Rev War appropriateness. How common were pewter bolsters on knives at the time? I'm hardly an expert, and I really like the look of yours, but I thought they were rare (if around at all) until the 19th century, from the bit I've gathered.

I might be completely wrong, and if so, please tell me, so I don't make the mistake in the future.

Again, this is a question, not a slam. I think your knives are great, and I wish I had your talent.

 

[BillinOregon]

Ian: I think you've definitely arrived as a knifemaker! I'd be proud to have one of your blades.
(P.S. Did you make it to the smithing conference at Mount Hood?)

 

[Brasilikilt]

Wow....I've gotten nothing but compliments and praise from you all....It almost makes me think that I accidentally posted pictures of knives someone else made :grin:

Once again thanks to you all...I've been prompted to do some more work affixing handles, and forge more blades.

Jbwilliams...Thanks for your informative post!
First off, I had trade knives in mind while producing these.

The antler handle knife is in fact a half-tang, and based off the French blade (2nd from top) secured to the handle with piened over iron pins.

The large walnut handle knife has a blade based off of the English patterns in the same photo, but has a French influenced handle, making it a hybrid of sorts.

To answer your accurate statement regarding a lack of bolsters on mid-18th century knives.

Correct or not, it seems like bolsters (especially poured pewter) are currently the norm, and in my opinion give the handle a better, more completed appearance.

I admit I fell victim to the "If the other guys are doing it, I should as well".
Kyle from Old Dominion makes plenty of knives with various kinds of bolsters, and I have borrowed ideas from him so much that I should probably send him a thank-you note

That being said, pewter was used extensively back then and is very easy to melt, cast and shape into whatever form desired.

BillinOregon..."I have arrived as a knife-maker?!" Wow, first time I heard that, and I kinda like it...
Be warned...It's hard to get rid of me!
I will drink all your beer, eat most of your snacks and leave my dirty boxer shorts on the floor :blah:
And yes, I made it up to the Mt. Hood Blacksmith meet for one day. I had almost no money to buy stuff, and a guy backed into my truck!

Anyways, I need to run...I had no idea that this thread would turn out to be so interesting!

 

[RC]

:thumbsup: as already stated,,excellent! agree with Claude...they look..real! like that lil one too,, but the bigger one,,,looks gooooooood! nice work! keep at it,,(make up for those of us have no talent!) thanks fer postin!! :hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[Marc Adamchek]

Just visited this thread again and AGAIN I was knocked out by the authenic look of these knives.

Made me wonder why nobody specializes in knives that look more realistic to the 18th century. Probably because the prevalent thinking is that nobody would buy them?

Anyway, I dig your knives. A lot.

 

[S.Kenton]

YUP..Ditto. I wouldn't mind owning the small one..
I like the fact that they're imperfect, that fact all by itself makes them PERFECT to me.. Anyhow P.M. me if your selling. :thumbsup:

 

[rkmeyer]

Send them on over I'd more than happy to make use of them! :surrender:
Ya done GOOD :thumbsup:
Dusty :wink:

 

[Cascade Pete]

UMMMM...Yes...Yes...And Defenitly....YES...I like em....How about one that is 12" long and with a curly maple handle...I would be up for one like that......