Hunting knives and related projects

[Von Gruff]

So I wont repost what was lost but have these all with the first coat of sealer (thinned spar varnish) on them this morning so that will get sanded back to wood tomorrow and be repeated another twice before the oil finish is started. It will be about 2-3 weeks to get them and the sheaths done and they can be shipped off. Two for here with the 2nd from the right for Glen and 5th from the right for Mike.

[Von Gruff]

On the Africa Hunting forum a member (Troy) posted a test that was done on a number of kinves for the safari huner and the resuts were quite mixed but there were over $5000 worh of production knives tested with most having issues of one sort or the other added to which the sheaths came in for criticism as well. The testing started in the Troys back yard with only 4 knives going on to be tested on US based hunts then going to Africa and spending a lot of time in the hands of hunters, guides, and the hunt staff who all treated them to as many every day tasks as would normally be expected a good knife to perform from cutting sticks to roast the lunch time meats to skinning animals and cutting fine cigars. There was use and abuse and some very definate ideals were concreted on to a wish list. The Esee camp lore was the most ideal but didn't have removable scales as the guys wanted the ability to remove the scales to possibly replace them with bone, tusk, horn or antler from thier own trophies as time and or hunts provide and the sheath was not suitable for what was needed. Others tested were rejected for one reason or another so after consulting with Troy, I have started on a 6 pack of the knives today after confirming the design and cutting a patern from some 15N20.


Steel is to be 4mm O1 HT to 59-60, with scandi grind in a horizontal carry sheath to be worn on the off side hip. Scales are olive canvas micarta secured with brass torx screws (2 only) and a lanyard hole. They have excellent reasons for each of the design criteria I will send the first one to Troy to undergo the same series of tests that the other knives went through so am looking forward to seeing how mine stand up against the others.

[Drillboss]

So I wont repost what was lost but have these all with the first coat of sealer (thinned spar varnish) on them this morning so that will get sanded back to wood tomorrow and be repeated another twice before the oil finish is started. It will be about 2-3 weeks to get them and the sheaths done and they can be shipped off. Two for here with the 2nd from the right for Glen and 5th from the right for Mike.

They look great. Keep up the good work.

[Von Gruff]

That is yours second form the right Glen

[Drillboss]

That is yours second form the right Glen

I've been keeping an eye on it.

[Von Gruff]

All the handle finishing is done now except for a final buff before delivery so started on the sheaths today. Going to be a few days in this part of the project.

[6.8 klr]

That is yours second form the right Glen

What kind of wood scales did you use on Glen's knife there V.G. ? That is Jara on the bolster I presume.......Mike

[Drillboss]

I'll jump in. Yes, Jarah on the bolsters. The scales are fiddleback maple. I'm digging them quite a bit. My brother had a knife made with bird's eye maple a few years back, and it was pretty nice too.

Google will tell you more, but the alternating color bands run parallel to the grain pattern.

My bad. I said parallel, but the bands run perpendicular to the grain structure.

[Von Gruff]

Have had a couple of day on the leatherwork. After the knifework, the thread groove,makers mark and stamping was done before the top part of the belt loop was glued and sewn on. The welt was then glued in and the belt loop folded over and glued in position ready for sewing tomorrow. Then they can be folded and glued in thier final position before the thread holes are drilled and the main sewing starts.

[Von Gruff]

I'll jump in. Yes, Jarah on the bolsters. The scales are fiddleback maple. I'm digging them quite a bit. My brother had a knife made with bird's eye maple a few years back, and it was pretty nice too.

Google will tell you more, but the alternating color bands run parallel to the grain pattern.

My bad. I said parallel, but the bands run perpendicular to the grain structure.

Fiddleback can be one of the most spectacular grain patterns for its complicated simplicity. There is a visual shifting of the colours of the grain as the piece is moved in relation to the light. As the tree grows upward the longitudinal grain structure ripples in and out from the pith toward the heart of the tree so that when the boards are cut you are basically seeing is alternating end grain as the top of the waves in the wood are cut. There is a reason that violin makers chose this wood for the back of the finest of instruments because of the beauty it offers. Sometimes on larger pieces of the wood like rifle stocks it can be scorched to enhance the colour differences between the end grain and long grain along the board, or a stain can be used as it penetrates the end grain more fully than the long grain and when sanded off enhances the dark and light visual apearance but I am inclined to prefer the wood in its natural God given colours.

[6.8 klr]

Thanks for the info Glen. I guess I should have you directly......Awesome wood......I have had a rifle stock made of curly maple, very cool, but that custom knife is just too much.

.......Mike

[6.8 klr]

Fiddleback can be one of the most spectacular grain patterns for its complicated simplicity. There is a visual shifting of the colours of the grain as the piece is moved in relation to the light. As the tree grows upward the longitudinal grain structure ripples in and out from the pith toward the heart of the tree so that when the boards are cut you are basically seeing is alternating end grain as the top of the waves in the wood are cut. There is a reason that violin makers chose this wood for the back of the finest of instruments because of the beauty it offers. Sometimes on larger pieces of the wood like rifle stocks it can be scorched to enhance the colour differences between the end grain and long grain along the board, or a stain can be used as it penetrates the end grain more fully than the long grain and when sanded off enhances the dark and light visual apearance but I am inclined to prefer the wood in its natural God given colours.

Great write-up V.G. That wood is truly something special. Now we know why it is called Fiddleback.....Great looking Sheaths by the way..........

.........Mike

[bldsmith]

Fiddleback can be one of the most spectacular grain patterns for its complicated simplicity. There is a visual shifting of the colours of the grain as the piece is moved in relation to the light. As the tree grows upward the longitudinal grain structure ripples in and out from the pith toward the heart of the tree so that when the boards are cut you are basically seeing is alternating end grain as the top of the waves in the wood are cut. There is a reason that violin makers chose this wood for the back of the finest of instruments because of the beauty it offers. Sometimes on larger pieces of the wood like rifle stocks it can be scorched to enhance the colour differences between the end grain and long grain along the board, or a stain can be used as it penetrates the end grain more fully than the long grain and when sanded off enhances the dark and light visual apearance but I am inclined to prefer the wood in its natural God given colours.

Fiddleback is a extraordinary grain pattern. I use it frequently on my knives. Here is some I picked up a bit ago. Maple.



And on a knife.



Here is some Koa. Ringed Gidgee or Taz blackwood for those down under.



Finding quality figured wood is not easy sometimes. Some can get rather expensive also.

[Von Gruff]

I have seen some really nice ringed gidgee shown on the knife forums. It is the desert ironbark that I would like to get as that is about the nicest exotic in my eyes.

[bldsmith]

Something like this??