Gary Mulkey

I am going to make available some classes next winter. These will be 3 day (4 if needed) classes to construct a 19th century style Bowie with one-on-one instruction by me and held in my home shop in Branson, MO. During this class you will complete a historical Bowie to take home. Possible choices of knives would include Confederate D-guards, or recreations of some of the 19th century masters like William Butcher, Peter Rose or F.C. Goergen. I have possible dates available in January, February & March. Tuition runs $750 and includes all materials, supplies and

Chris--this year's Central States has been called off due to Covid-19

It was a little too hot to do any forging today but was a good day for checkering handles:

I got my first real look at the pattern tonight. I decided to remove the ricasso from this one. I think it looks better without it. I'm still debating one what style of guard to give it. I have enough of the blade steel left to do either a guard or a butt cap. What do you think? Use it or make them from 416?

Thanks, Alan. Hopefully it will turn out ok.

I've been working on other projects recently but got time to forge this blade this evening after work:

I started on the forge today but didn't last long as the summer heat & humidity convinced me to do other things. I opted for handle work and got my ivory handle cut out, slotted and one side checkered before calling it a day.

The shop temperature was approaching 105 before I finished but I got the cannister welded today:

All of the pieces are now in the canoe. I'll try to get the canoe capped (after a coat of white-out) and welded tomorrow.

I didn't manage much shop time today but got the canoe started. Those of you who have taken my class will recognize what I'm doing here.

Tiles cut and in annealing oven.

Yes. It also added the wavy aspect to the lines.

4-way welded pattern (I'm still debating on whether or not to do another 4-way) Handle material

The weather here was so hot & humid that I only managed a couple of hours of forge time today. This first photo shows three layers of 30 x 4 "W" pattern separated by multiple layers of both steels. This will give me two layers of 15N20 separated by one layer of 1080 between each of the three W layers. I didn't bother to trim them to length so you can see the back ends of them flaring out on the scrap end of the billet. Normally when preparing to square a billet on the bias I will forge it 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" square. This time in order to bend the added layers of the billet a little more j

As I'm waiting on a delivery before I can proceed with my rapier, I've started a new Bowie project. I'm needing something to place in the Best Bowie Knife competition at the AKA Show in Sept. so this hopefully will be my contribution to the competition. This is the start of a cannister mosaic which will eventually get a semi-checkered ivory hilt. I'm doing this one after work, a couple of hours at a time. Hope you enjoy the trip through it's progression.