Old kitchen knife conversion

[putodebabylon]

I've got this old kitchen knife with a fairly substantial blade that takes and holds an edge. I'd like to cut down and reshape the blade to make it functional as a patch knife/skinner/whatever else needs to be cut knife and at least mildly PC. I need ideas for the shape of the blade so feel free to outline possible shapes on the pic and repost. Also if some of you could point me in the right direction for handle rivets and how to install them that'd be great too. This is my first knife project so I don't really know what I'm doing, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[LRB]

PC for what time?

 

[shmrck1]

Length of current blade and handle?
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[Brasilikilt]

I'd leave the blade as is and replace the handle with antler or a nice type of wood. Depending on the period, you might want to add a brass crossguard or something.

Good luck with your project :thumbsup:

 

[putodebabylon]

Thanks everyone. I was thinking PC for early 19th century. The blade is 10 in. right now and I was planning to cut it down to around 6. I was planning on using a hacksaw and handfile for cutting and shaping to avoid work hardening. Do I have the right idea here? Thanks!

 

Ya got the right idea, but this is a leather project, not metalworking. I would leave it alone except for staining, and oiling the handle. The way it's rivited, antler won't work without a lot of rework, but ya might wrap it with rawhide.. What I meant by leather project is to make a sheath for it. Just my thoughts Bill

 

That knife is PC for earley 19th century right now. Don't do anything to it. Make a simple sheath and carry it as it is, 10 inch blade and all.

What you have is what 98% of the settlers carried into the frontier.

Don't replace the handle until it falls off.

Crossguards were unheard of on butcher knives.

In another ten years of sharpening the blade will snap apart on it's own at a PC length without your assistance.

Find another blade with less character than this one to chop up. You'll find one at the first flea market you visit for $1. You don't find those five pin rivited handles like you have every day.

 

[putodebabylon]

Well in that case, where is a good place to order leather pieces suitable for a sheath? What tools/knowledge is needed to sew leather? Thanks!

 

check you PM

 

Well in that case, where is a good place to order leather pieces suitable for a sheath? What tools/knowledge is needed to sew leather? Thanks!

1) Lots of vendors - check out the vendors links list on this forum - IMO what would be the easiest to acquire/use for a beginner is known as veg tan (it comes in shoulders, half shoulders, sides, and backs - a half shoulder will give you plenty for sheaths and not cost an arm and a leg) any weight from 6/7 oz up to 9/10 oz will work good, with the heavier weights being stiffer, giving the sheath more body, but also harder to work.

2) How to - Saddle Stitch Leather - will show you the basics and includes a list of the basic tools - there is also another link inside the one below on how to build your own stitch pony[url] http://www.wrtcleather.com/1-ckd/tutorials/_leatherstitch.html[/url]

 

[Goldhunter]

I agree. Many spend alot of time trying to find a knife that looks like that. Keep it as is.

 

[putodebabylon]

I've decided to leave the blade as is. I got this knife at a garage sale for $1 for the purpose of chopping off :grin:. The blade is growing on me though. What makes this particular knife so desirable? You can't see it in the pic, but the other side of the handle is cracked and falling off. I took the handles off and glued the cracked part in case I get sentimental later. I want to put some simple walnut grips on it with maybe brass rivets or whatever is sturdiest. Here is a pic of the tang.

 

[Brasilikilt]

If you have a store near you which specializes in selling hardwoods, you might want to go get a chunk of Hickory or Ash for the handle.
I work at a shop like this, and we would cut a 6" chunk off the end of an inch thick board and give it to you as a sample.

Another option is to salvage a section of broken axe handle which are usually made of hickory and make your handle from that, which would be very PC as folks back then would tend to recycle things rather than throw them out

 

[sledgemeister]

I dont know if I would classify that as a kitchen knife. To me it is a butchers knife, the shape if formed from many years of using a steel to keep an edge on it.
My old man has one exactly the same, the blade is mutch more worn that that one in fact its only about 3/4 inch wide at the narrowest point, but is sharp as buggery. I know hes had it way before I was born and I am 38, hes 80 and still uses it.

 

[chipper]

I've been doing the knife changing thing to a bunch of high carbon machetes I bought at yard sale. I bust the handle off with a cold chisel, bring them up to critical temperature in my forge and anneal the metal back by letting them cool slowly in wood ashes. I then hack the blade down and gind it into a desirable shape bieng careful not to over heat the blade. I then re-heat, harden and temper.
It's allmost easier to start with bar stock and forge from the begining but I'm incredibly cheap so I use what's available.
Regards
Wounded Knee

 

[crockett]

Your knife is a butcher knife alright, you can tell from the hump on the top of the blade near the point. Can you read any of the original stamp mark? The five pins IS historically correct. DON'T replace them with cutler rivets- they are around 1880-1890 ish. Your blade has a slight choil in the bottom indicating it may be post 1850. Beech wood would be a good wood for new scales and it can be bought at Wood Crafters or the like. The pins can be 1/8". If you need bevel angles. etc send me a PM.
FYI files were used to sharpen a lot of old knifes, using a draw stroke. That is one reason you see so much wear on these blades, not from use- from re-sharpening. Files were a common fur trade item and in Canada (NW Co. HBC) files were sometimes included with a knife.
Keep the knife as is. Get some leather from Tandy's and use tacks (The Trunk Shoppe) to put as sheath together. One line of tacks only.

 

[Slamfire]

I second Bill's suggestion of just wrappin' the handle with a leather strip, you can't get more PC than that. :rotf:

 

[putodebabylon]

I can't find any stamp marks. There was goopy stuff like some sort of pitch on the tang and in the extra space in the rivet holes as if it were bedded for a more secure fit. Was this common back in the day and a step I might include in attaching the new handles? What goopy stuff should be used?

 

There was goopy stuff like some sort of pitch on the tang and in the extra space in the rivet holes as if it were bedded for a more secure fit. Was this common back in the day and a step I might include in attaching the new handles? What goopy stuff should be used?

yes
it's a mix commonly called cutler's resin
one formula is:
5 parts pitch/resin (you get the Brewers pitch from James Townsend & Sons)
1 part beeswax
1 part filler (sawdust, finely ground charcoal, etc.
mlet it together and apply sparingly - warm the metal, rub on a THIN coat of resin, and clamp the scales immediately. Let dry/cool, drill, and insert the pins

 

[crockett]

There is a crow knife in the collections of either the Montana or N. Dakota historical society(I think it is Montana). This knife is wrapped in a crisscross pattern over the handle- almost like a Japanese Knife. The wrapping is either cord/string or sinew but in any event PC at least to 1880's. You could probably get an image of it if you contacted them.