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So here she is after helping build the stand- gonna recess the anvil 1/2 inch and she will be ready to swing! Took us about 4 hours longer than doing the project by myself- but MAN- What a good day... Now on to build my stand and get this little chick SWINGING! Guys- sorry about the dad-bragging- but Im just stoked she wants to "play" and learn... not just cash out into the digital world... (and to be honest- it helps keep me wanting to "play" in the shop too!)

Hi all! After a long time I signed there because I made new knife which is available. It is small knife overall lenght is 22,5 cm, blade 10 cm and handle 12,5. Welded blade is forged from old, broken springs of agriculture machine and from the bearings. These springs I found unders old oaks on Kovalovec meadows. Guard is from patinated bronze and on handle is small patch of cow bone, which I found on the way to the Skalica hills. Last part I bought from my friend and it is Palisander Honduras burl wood. Hand sewn scandinavian type sheath with leather inserts in the blade part. Leather, knitted lanyard with small decoration from same wood as on handle. Price 370 USD with shipping. Paypal accepted. Contact on me: jakubpetras.noze@gmail.com

These handles are all from the same board of cocobolo. The one on the right is about two years old, the others are finished a couple of days ago. Turns into a nice chocolate color with some dark red mahogany coloring. I’ve found that leaving them in the sun for a bit darkens them up and just using them does it further. I’ve never had it go brighter orange after sanding is done though. Maybe it was because it wasn’t at a higher grit?

Well looky there. Yep sure is. You can use whatever works. I use the acetate because I have a pad of that in the shop and use it for a variety of functions. It provides a protection layer for fittings on the surface grinder so I do not scratch the faces placing on or removing them from the magnetic chuck. I also use it for protecting the handle material when doming pins. For a flexible measuring system, I use a tailor's tape.

Right....here I go again. So it begins. blade oiled, wrapped in cling wrap and then taped. Leather cut to rough size before soaking in water for about 10 min and then wet leather formed to blade before clamping and leaving to dry in my 90% humidity hot humid hell climate. Now to do a design.

I think pine tar may be the problem. I mix pine resin (authenticly sourced from ebay) and boiled for a while to evaporate the terpentine. and bees wax with finely crushed iron oxidea little finely crushed charcoal I also add a little caranuba wax which helps with the polishability. Iron oxide needs to be flour fine or its excessivly scratchy I have tried brick dust and i find it much too scratchy. exact mix will depend on batch but start with 3 to one. Ive made it with red iron oxide too and its a beautifull color. needs to stay solid enough to survice quick submertion in how water or a hot day! I love the stuff and use it on all my kitchen knives.

This is one I came up with some years back for the same reason but the ugly thumb stud area on the finished knife has always annoyed me so recently as a retirement gift to myself (a few years too late) I commissioned a talented young folder maker to make me the perfect knife with CPM154 blade ( mirrored flat and satin bevels), damasteel bolsters, 416 spacer with jeweled titanium liners and I sent some giraffe bone for the scales. It is on the way and should arrive next week.

I got the blade I made at Gary's heat treated today. Here is a sneak peak at the pattern.

Well here it is all done, I am happy with how this turned out in the end esp since it is my first sheath of this type and also my first go at leather tooling (thanks Josh). I have a confession....I had become a bit stale and board with making knives and I feel this has lit a fire again and inspired me to delve into the artist within me. I am really looking forward to my next project which will be a sheath for my pattern welded broken back seax. I also got some 90cm lengths of 15n20 and 1075 so this year I hope to get creative with my blades too. Thank you to all who have come along for the ride and for those who have posted invaluable info throughout this forum esp in history. Anyhow it is Friday night in Australia and I am about to crack a beer and light the BBQ. looking forward to any feedback etc. Oh...one more thing. I would appreciate any info/suggestions on your preferred suspension for this type of sheath as it might very well see active service on my bow hunts.

Hey All, thanks for the encouraging words!! Believe it or not the handle sections are pinned together! Certainly an interesting challenge, but necessary to keep things in line rather than rely on adhesives that may fail when the stone heats from being worked. I had the opportunity to take a lapidary apprenticeship around the time I started bladesmithing about 2 years ago. I immediately saw the potential for using it in knife making. Between cooking full time, stonework, and bladesmithing on the weekends I got burnt out and had to stop. Unfortunately I don't have a good lapidary set up right now. Lapis was a good soft material I could take down with diamond burrs on a dremel, belt sander, and sand paper on a granite block. Ultimately I want to use Agatized /opalized petrifid wood which is the Washington State gemstone. Be a good match thematically with the rhododendron burl (WA State flower). Thanks again ya'll! The positive support goes a long way