Latest Project--Knife and Sheath

[DaleNabq]

Realize this knife is not totally PC. But was quick, cheap, and easy. web page web page web page

Reground blade and handle, finished with gun blue, then chlorox and ferric chloride. Tru-oil on handle. Sheath hand stitched with artificial sinew.

Thought turned out pretty good for first knife and sheath.

 

[BS]

Nice knife, but you did a dandy job on the stitching!

 

[Slamfire]

Looks good to me. When I git a round tuit, I'm gonna put a new handle on an Old Hickory butcher knife. I liked the blue effect, but think oil bluing might be cheaper and quicker. eace:

 

[thehorn]

Dale,
Very nice indeed... all around. I too especially like the stitch work on the sheath. Super job!
Bob

 

[crockett]

The Old Hickory knives are on EBay right now for $4.97. I just re-finished one. I re-ground the tip to match a I. Wilson or similar type and I ground off the stamped pattern enough that its no longer visible. I took off the handles and drilled a 5 pin layout and used iron nails. The new walnut grips are more square with rounded edges rather than the bevels. Took a couple of afternoons.
I want to etch on a Hiram Cutler trade mark, It is a cross with a sideways F. I haven't done much etching so I'll have to work on that.
The knife is sort of thin, about like a hand saw. If anyone knows, is that PC or were the originals of thicker steel?

 

[DaleNabq]

Get them here (Albuquerque) at one of the Wal-Marts. Not all of them carry them. Same price and no waiting or shipping. My understanding is that most were thicker steel than the 1/16 that the Old Hickory ones are. I want to do one with new scales and pins. Haven't gotten to that yet. How did you drill the holes? Did you heat up the tang and keep the blade cool? Think I'll just order some 1095 steel. That way I can get the shape more like what I want. A little more work than starting with the Old Hickory but better result in the end, I think. Plus can work with annealed vs. the hard stuff.

 

[DaleNabq]

Rather than messing with heat to drill the holes (since the blade already tempered) I remember reading somewhere about using a carbide bit to drill them. That worked pretty good. So, I made another one with new scales and steel pins. I'll post a photo when it's done.

 

[crockett]

I used a carbide bit. The holes closest the blade were a bit tough but the back two holes were like drilling through swiss cheese. There's already a middle hole.
I bought the Old Hickory as a sort of trial- see if I liked the results and if so- then get some bar stock and put up a really good blade.
It brings up a point. Why aren't there any exact blades out there that are period correct? Scalpers, butchers, dags, etc. What is available is close but not exact. It would seem that it wouldn't be any more expensive for a manufacturer to produce an exact replica.
Given that no exact patterns exist, what would be nice is at least an exact profile of an original so if somebody wants to grind out his own, he has the correct shape.

 

[DaleNabq]

Another thing that I'm not sure of is the file work on the back of the blade. Not sure if on only thumb side or on both sides? If on both sides if notches are aligned so they just make thin spots in the spine of the blade or if they are offset to make an "s" curve when viewed from the top of the spine?

Also, some opinions that shouldn't "antique" blade. Most I've seen for sale didn't just have a shinny blade.

As for shapes, I copied some that were susposedly copied from originals.

Dale

 

[crockett]

I have seen them on either side. The Russell-Harrington 5" Green River blade has them on the thumb side(if your are right handed). Some of the roach belly types have them on the other side. You need a thicker blade to have them on both sides and to be honest, I didn't think the original butcher type blades had any file work.

 

[DaleNabq]

Thanks for the info. Probably right that many originals didn't have any file work. Not knowing any better, I solved the thin blade problem by alternating the notches. See original post and the 3rd weblink. I think on the one I'm doing now (hopefully more PC) I'll just have them on the thumb side.