Christmas KITH 2019 poll

[Conner Michaux]

 

Alright looks like it worked! If I didn’t put the correct options on the poll I’ll edit if needed. 

Edited October 11, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Will Wilcox]

So how do we decide when to close the poll? 

 

A poll for how long to keep the poll open? 

[Conner Michaux]

Looks like the blacksmith knife is going to end up winning the poll.

 

I need to do some serious forging practice to get a good entry in, should be able to do it in time...Hopefully...

[JohnK]

already counted my eggs before they hatched @Conner Michaux hopefully this one hatches sometime tomorrow afternoon.

[Will Wilcox]

I know the poll isn't over, but it seems like the blacksmiths knife won, or will at least. I'm going to start work on mine tomorrow .

[Conner Michaux]

Id say we can end the poll, blacksmith knife pretty much wins.

 

and so it begins...

Edited October 15, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[JohnK]

Are there any important parameters for a blacksmith knife? 

[Conner Michaux]

Maybe a sheath? But as for the perimeters on the knife I’m not sure.

[Alan Longmire]

As far as I know,  the only definition is it has to be one piece of steel, no scales.  I have seen them with a bit of wood held in the handle loop, but no pins or screws or rivets allowed. 

[Will Wilcox]

Would a leather wrapped handle be acceptable?

[Dan Hertzson]

No riveting on scales, right?  Would a Lin Rhea style X-Rhea be acceptable?  I was thinking about trying a version of one of the simpler ones...

 

[Conner Michaux]

I’m also doing something like the x-Rhea 

[Alan Longmire]

The X-Rhea is pretty much the epitome of the style, so yeah!  And a leather wrap is okay in my opinion, provided you have the long looped-over tang.  No wrapping plain barstock, in other words.  Again, just my opinion, I'm not even it this one.  So far, anyway...

[Gerhard Gerber]

I'll be using the learnings from Mr Rhea's demo in South Africa to make a better attempt, but I was thinking of doing the same for the handle....resin impregnated para-cord,  gutted in this case.

From the video it seems you loose some functionality by not being able to dangle it from a finger when briefly not in use, but there are advantages as well I guess...

Will stick with 52100 for sure

[Dan Hertzson]

Those are very nice Gerhard.  Starting to make me worry that my skills are not adequate for KITH submission.  Did you rivet, like Lin, or forge/arc weld the loop closed?

[JohnK]

Well darn @Alan Longmire about rivits. I actually intended to give mine a somewhat old school commercial construction look to it . Think trusses 

[Gerhard Gerber]

2 hours ago, Dan Hertzson said:

Those are very nice Gerhard.  Starting to make me worry that my skills are not adequate for KITH submission.  Did you rivet, like Lin, or forge/arc weld the loop closed?

 

I cheated, arc welder, and looking at some of the blacksmith's knives and forge work posted recently I very much doubt my own skills.

 

Not to mention Mr Rhea is likely 20 years my senior, and on my best I need double the time for half as good a result.....humbling indeed.....

[Alan Longmire]

2 hours ago, JohnK said:

Well darn @Alan Longmire about rivits. I actually intended to give mine a somewhat old school commercial construction look to it . Think trusses 

 

I'm not making the rules, that's for you guys to decide!  I was merely offering the prevailing opinion of what makes a "blacksmith's knife," which is that it is forged from a single piece of steel with the handle formed by drawing out and curling over the tang.  You can rivet the tang to the ricasso where it touches, or weld it like Gerhard if you want, or leave it free and loose.  

 

If you want to do some riveted cross-bracing inside that looped handle, I say go for it, if everyone else approves.  All I meant was no riveted-on handle slabs that hide the construction details.  And again, not making the rules, just an opinion.  Y'all get to set the rules. 

[Conner Michaux]

I’m fine with whatever, I’ll be wrapping a small portion of the handle In copper wire purely for looks.

[JohnK]

Well that sounds like a relief. Figured I'd try to do a little fancying to it. They won't be for any structural reasons. Purely esthetic. The thing is pretty darn stiff without connecting.