Scalping knives

[Runewolf1973]

Here are a couple scalping knives I made last week. Steel is 1075 with tapered tangs and peened pins. The handles are Pau Ferro.

 

[firestick]

They look very nice. Love the tapered tangs.

 

[Brokennock]

Loving that ball grip knife. How long is the blade?

 

[Pietro]

Nice work !

Since I had it hanging around, I installed crown stag to serve as the handle.

 

[gabedard]

Sweet

 

[Rató:rats]

Awesome. Nice distal taper.

 

[Runewolf1973]

Loving that ball grip knife. How long is the blade?

Thanks, the blade is 6.5" on the ball grip and 7" on the partial tang. I plan on making many more.

 

[Notchy Bob]

It gladdens my heart to see people making well-researched and accurate reproductions, like those in the original post. So much of the kit you see these days, and maybe especially knives, is based on speculation, assumption, "reenactorism," or pure fantasy. However, I see nothing to fault in those two knives, and everything to praise.

I might add that the finish, and particularly the coloration on the blades, is very appealing.

Well done, brother!

Notchy Bob

 

[Runewolf1973]

It gladdens my heart to see people making well-researched and accurate reproductions, like those in the original post. So much of the kit you see these days, and maybe especially knives, is based on speculation, assumption, "reenactorism," or pure fantasy. However, I see nothing to fault in those two knives, and everything to praise.

I might add that the finish, and particularly the coloration on the blades, is very appealing.

Well done, brother!

Notchy Bob

Thanks! My aim is was to make them as historically accurate as possible.

 

[Red Owl]

How did you fit the tapered partial tang to the handle? That it, how did you get a tapered cut in the handle for the tang to fit?

 

[Irish lad]

Here are a couple scalping knives I made last week. Steel is 1075 with tapered tangs and peened pins. The handles are Pau Ferro.

Really fine work!
Irish

 

[Notchy Bob]

How did you fit the tapered partial tang to the handle? That is, how did you get a tapered cut in the handle for the tang to fit?

@Runewolf1973 can certainly answer for himself, but I do know one way to do it, and this is the way I make wedge cuts in axe handles when fitting them:

Clamp the handle in a vise or something to secure it. Make a saw cut the depth you want to slot to go. Then, put a small C-clamp on your stock right at the mouth of your cut, and tighten down on the clamp just enough to squeeze the lips of the cut so they are touching, but not so much that they will bind on your saw. Obviously, you'll also want to swing the body of the clamp down so it's out of the way. Make a second pass with your saw down to the bottom of the cut. Release the clamp and the wood will spring open to reveal a tapered slot. Repeat as needed if you want more taper.

That's the way I would try it. Runewolf1973 might have a better way.

Notchy Bob

 

[Red Owl]

THANKS- I have been trying to figure out how to do the job for a long time. I may be wrong but I think some of the originals may have have the sides sprayed out a little- I've never seen an original and the photos of the originals are not at angles that often helps you figure it out.- in any event the clamp saw, unclamp- I'm going to try that.
The 1075 steel- is it air quench or water quench and how do you heat treat it? Thanks
I guess you can tell I like this stuff. I've made quite of few of these type knives.

 

[Runewolf1973]

THANKS- I have been trying to figure out how to do the job for a long time. I may be wrong but I think some of the originals may have have the sides sprayed out a little- I've never seen an original and

1075 - Heat to just a little above non-magnetic and quench in canola oil warmed to 120°F. Temper for 2 hours at 400°F, let cool and put back in to temper for another 2 hours.

To make the taper, start with a single bandsaw cut down to the depth you want. Then take an old handsaw, grind the teeth off on the bench grinder and glue on or apply some sticky backed sandpaper to one side of the saw blade. I used this simple set-up to basically just slide into the cut and sand in the taper on both sides until the tang fit nicely. This was actually my first time making a partial tang knife let alone one with a tapered tang.

 

[Jaeger]

Very nice work, and, just like Notchy Bob said, it's nice to see knives that are pretty much period correct in style and construction.

 

[kje54]

Here are a couple scalping knives I made last week. Steel is 1075 with tapered tangs and peened pins. The handles are Pau Ferro.

I want the one on top. Do you take S&H Green Stamps?

 

[Runewolf1973]

I want the one on top. Do you take S&H Green Stamps?

I've never even heard of green stamps before. Is that a US thing? For now this is just a show and tell thing for me. I am actually trying to build up some inventory to do a trade show where I live, so selling off my knives now means I won't have anything to take to a show. I will try my best to pump more of these out here soon and hopefully have some up for sale in the near future.

 

[kje54]

I've never even heard of green stamps before. Is that a US thing? For now this is just a show and tell thing for me. I am actually trying to build up some inventory to do a trade show where I live, so selling off my knives now means I won't have anything to take to a show. I will try my best to pump more of these out here soon and hopefully have some up for sale in the near future.

S&H Green Stamps were huge back in the 1960s and 70s, guess you're too young for that.........

 

[Notchy Bob]

I remember S&H Green Stamps. My mom got me a fiberglass bow with them, to replace the hickory bow my dad had made. My first guitar was also "purchased" with trading stamps. This was back in the early sixties.

Thanks for the memories!

Notchy Bob

 

[zerosprk]

S&H Green Stamps were huge back in the 1960s and 70s, guess you're too young for that.........

I for one am old enough to remember those!