KITH WIP Tanto

[Conner Michaux 228]

Alright, here is my design, If you have any design input feel free to share, Its about 6-1/4 long, but its a big ole edc, (Ive seen bigger)   This is a very rough sketch.

Im allowed to do stock removal for KITH right?  Lets hope so because my forging skills are not that great yet.  I was originally gonna do a friction folder, but i decided I would rather stick to a fixed blade,  This one looks pretty big, but its going to be a very slim blade so it can fit in the pocket better.    Let me know what you like/dont like.

re. 

Edited August 20, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Bruno 81]

That's a slick design Conner.  I like it.  Super useful for an edc.   The only thing I don't like is the choil at the bottom of the blade there.  It is my experience that choils get hung up in things when cutting.  Especially on a small blade.    I've never had a problem sharpening a knife that didn't have one.      Just my personal taste though,  if you like it there, then by All Means, put it in.   

Great looking design either way.

Edited July 13, 2019 by Bruno

[Conner Michaux 228]

Thanks Bruno!   I do like the choil, I’m definitely gonna make it smaller though.  

Haven’t started on this dang knife yet, I’ve been out rafting on the peyette river. 

[Conner Michaux 228]

Still some shaping to be done, but I need to get some more dremel abrasive drum things.  

 

 

[Conner Michaux 228]

Forgot to mention, these will be the scales for the thing, any idea what they are? Looks like dyed box elder, but I’m not sure. 

[Conner Michaux 228]

File guide arrived today, Im quite happy with it, looks like its gonna work! Gonna start working on the bevels once the weather cools down a bit, its hottest in the evening in Idaho. 

Edited July 23, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Conner Michaux 228]

Well.. Theres been a slight issue, an issue I cant fix before KITH ends, because I will be out of town for almost all this week and august. So ive decided im going to change from this cleaver, to the Tanto I was hoping to keep... The Tanto is almost done, all I need to do is touch up the sanding a little bit, I took it up to 1000 grit today, rough mirror finish, And then slap a handle on the thing, Im gonna find some sort of dark brown wood, maybe Koa, im not sure yet.

[Zeb Camper 753]

The deadline was August right? There will likely be talk of a time extension soon. Not many people are done yet. I know I'm a month out from the finish line easy. Life just won't wait for me to catch up.  

[Conner Michaux 228]

Im pretty sure the deadline was september 1st.

[Conner Michaux 228]

Here is the blade right now, it’s only my third knife, But I think I’ve got hand sanding down. This is a 1000 grit finish, might take it up to 1500 after vacation. 

 

Ive seen a few times on Instagram, people were rubbing some sort of small stone on the blade to give it a more polished finish, any idea what that may be? 

Edited July 24, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Alan Longmire 2,312]

The fingerstones are the next to last step of a traditional Japanese polish to bring out the hamon.  They are very fine grit waterstones.  Since you don't have a hamon to worry about, you don't need them. 

[Conner Michaux 228]

Alright I’m stuck..  I’ve been searching countless hours online for handle material, but nothing has spoken to me yet, I’ve looked at double dyed curly maple all the way to Bog oak and some sort of fancy walnut, and Everywhere in between.. even An Ito wrap. Since this blade is not going to be for me, I’m gonna ask the participants of Kith, do you guys have any ideas on what would look good on this blade?  Im really hoping I find some sort of dark wood, with a copper guard type of thing. 

Kind of a stupid question, but I can’t find anything. 

[Robert D. 73]

one good combination, is Copper and Narra Bees Wing.  In block form the narra has a very plain appearance, but once you grind in your shape it gains some very interesting figuring. 

The one on the right is the one i am talking about ( the other being Brass and Lacewood ) 

[Joshua States 1,441]

First step: Pick the hardware. What's the guard going to be?  Next step: Pick a handle material that works well with the guard color.

Have you looked at this page?

[Conner Michaux 228]

spalted maple with copper and bog oak with copper, which ever one I decide, I’m currently In Vermont on vacation for a reunion. Here are some pics (pic heavy) 

 

the pond is called sterling pond, and I decided to hike without shoes...   beautiful wether all week,  mid to low 70s and tomorrow had a high of 63   Driving through the Notch, (that’s what they call it). There were some massive boulders probably weighing somewhere around 100k pounds, and bigger. And then some pics of the Brewster river.     Back to work on Tuesday. 

 

EDIT   There’s always a country fair/market thing every week in the resort we are staying in, and there were some people that made Carolina reaper maple syrup, and o couldn’t resist.  It’s actually quite good. Great ice cream topper. 

 

Edited August 9, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Zeb Camper 753]

Noice! My best freind used to hike with no shoes too! Pretty country...

[Conner Michaux 228]

Spalted maple, copper spacer,  as much of a mirror finish I can get on the blade.   I think that’l look cool. 

[Joshua States 1,441]

On 8/10/2019 at 8:53 PM, Conner Michaux said:

Spalted maple, copper spacer,  as much of a mirror finish I can get on the blade.   I think that’l look cool. 

Good choices. Git ER done!

[Conner Michaux 228]

Alright, the maple showed up today, once i get the copper I’ll finish this thing. I’m going to take it up to 3000 grit, that’s mirror finish enough for me, and I’m not sure what a mirror finish looks like on copper, but that may be something I do. 

I would assume that fitting a space or is pretty straight forward, drill a couple holes and file a little bit (or a lot).    But are there any tips and tricks to make is fit better on the shoulders of the knife? 

[Alex Middleton 384]

That's a nice piece of maple. Is it stabalized?

For your guard, you pretty much have the basics.  Take your time, file a little, then test fit, repeat as needed.  The nice thing about copper or brass is that if you file the slot too big, you can reform the slot to your blade by putting them together, laying it on your anvil, and smacking it with a hammer. Gives you an almost perfect fit.

[Conner Michaux 228]

Yep k&g stabilized I believe. 

Im already planning on hammer finishing the guard so that will make it way easier to get a good fit. 

[Brian Dougherty 898]

That is a very pretty piece of maple!

Copper finished at 3000 will indeed look like a mirror.  However, copper is so soft it won't stay that way for long.  It may be worth doing just to experience it, but I wouldn't take copper fittings up that high myself.

[Conner Michaux 228]

Alright thanks,I’ll stick with a hammered finish, that should look okay. 

[Joshua States 1,441]

22 hours ago, Conner Michaux said:

Yep k&g stabilized I believe.

While I generally trust K&G to stabilize properly, I still always test any "stabilized" wood I purchase. Fill a small pail with water and drop the wood in. If it sinks, it's stabilized. If it floats, it isn't stabilized all the way through. This becomes less important, if you use the whole piece and only grind into the surface area. If you cut that block into scales, the unstabilized center becomes exposed.

[Conner Michaux 228]

Can it still be tested after cutting into it?     Because I cut into it this morning, I’m drillig the tang holes while I wait for the copper.