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I finally had time to make the handle on a blade I bought long ago. It was made by Kris Lipinski. Life got in the way, but I think it was worth waiting to have proper time for it rather than rush it. This is walnut and red deer antler with nickel silver fittings. Now I have to make the sheath.

Been a long time since I've posted any finished work, but here are three I made for a customer for Christmas: 1084 with bone slabs and G-10 spacers. A lot of firsts here for me. Trying to make three identical knives was a good challenge and learning experience. These are the closest thing to a "contemporary" piece I have ever made. My first foray into well defined riccasos and plunge lines. I got the order in Sept/Oct... finished them the night of December 22. Need to work on time management. I learned a lot about how valuable "truly flat" reall

Couple attempts at planning the engraving. These things change pretty organically as I’m engraving so this is more of a suggestion than anything.

Beautiful piece of work

That part I don't get, but I can't argue with your results Doubt I could do it without completely messing up the heat treat completely. Thanks Garry Apologies for the slight hijack

I can't even manage one of the little pieces, never mind combining several Excellent as always Gary, can't wait to see the end result

The only grinding I do pre HT on this steel is profiling. I make my packets longer than needed and can get two and sometimes three uses per packet. When I unfold the end, if there is the slightest sign of fracture at the fold I cut it off and with the extra length can get another use from it. My blades come out super clean with just a dull look to the steel. The foil while it is not cheap is relatively inexpensive when taken into account as far as overall cost verses financial return for the finished knife and in saved time and effort to get there..

It looks like you planned that out. People will be asking you how to make that pattern!

Welded. Using the C-channel worked like a charm. The steel definitely has a different pattern (as many made from scrap do).

Nice Tiaan

Been a while since I have had a chance to work on the rapier. My last plan to forge weld cable Damascus to the already forged out 1070 blade is not going to work, for a couple of reasons. One, I dont have enough cable. And two, well, I dont trust my abilities to pull off that forge weld yet. So that 1070 blade will get turned into a small sword. It's perfectly dimensioned for that already. Onto the rapier. Yes, I'm still making a rapier. A mild steel san mai rapier I'm a sucker for punishment. What you see here is my billet all welded up. 2 layers of 1070 s

Gameco in Australia was going to get in 14C28 but in the meantime 12C27 is still a good cutlery steel. There is a NZ subsidery Co that brings in orders every week so we have access to most of our needs that way although I still get some things from my agent in the US. 12c27 has a 2 minutes critical cooling window so the plate quench does that and as you mentioned ensures there is no warp as may happen in an unsuported oil quench. I quench in this old vice with quick release lever. I have 12mm plates bolted to the steel vice jaws and then 20mm removable plates for 64mm thick heat sin

Saw this knife on FB as well.....just stunning Tiaan!

My father gave me an old belt grinder (sander) it takes 8" wide belts and is converted from belt drive to electric motor. Today I fixed the belt tension, next stop testing but we need to move it first - it weighs near 200 kg. Anyone seen one of these ? It uses 200 x 1070 belts

I made this a couple of days ago, and did the finishing today.....

I was thinking the same thing. It would work well for the lever on a lock-back too. Tiann, your domed head pins look perfect.

All: It's been about two years since the death of my father. He died unexpectedly and suddenly. Him and I were working on our jointly owned boat in Cordova, Ak and he got a stomach ache. A few days later he was diagnosed with stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. Ten days later he died. We had a few days to say goodbye. The very last beer I shared with my Dad was sitting on the flying bridge of his Boat in what was going to be his retirement home in Florida. I asked him what he wanted done at his funeral. In my Dad's characteristic humor he said he wanted me to build a Viking shi

I though I should come back and close the loop on my solution. I can't claim that this is a good solution, but it appears I got away with it. Dealing with opening up foil pouches during a quench bugged me, and I didn't have anything available to use for a plate quench. In the end I just oil quenched the parts pouch and all. Since this is a borderline air hardening steel, I reasoned that the slower transfer through the stainless foil would still be a pretty fast quench. I have no idea if that is good reasoning or not. Here is a pic of the parts in the pouches. I did