A couple of my home made patch knives

1. Well you stay the hell away from my mule sir! We aint havin that! -- You can use cow hide if you like. As for your mules, what happens inna barn, stays inna barn!
2. So the mule washer keeps the file in the shoe groove until you push it all through then its not really needed until you pull the reamer out entirely to add more paper shims if needed. -- Do not understand "shoe groove" you speak of. The washer merely applies pressure on the reamer & shoe which keeps the paper shim in place. The washer slides off the reamer as it enters the bore and rides on the shaft. When the reamer comes back out, you or a helper need to slide the washer back on.
3. You must reharden the file after filing the corners right? wont cut very well otherwise will it? -- YES!! The reamer gets reheat treated once it is welded onto the shaft.
4. Once you wear out one "corner" of the file you can put the shoe on another corner and keep cutting? I'm assuming that only one corner is cutting at a time.-- The reamer cuts both directions, thus two corners can do all the work. When the corners get dull, sliding a stone on the sides whets'em back up.
5. So if you still got pits or irregualarities that rifling wont get rid of and you reach your desired bore then your screwed? Am I even close?-- Usually not. In rare instances you might be.. All pits and irregularities are removed by boring. You might end up with a larger caliber than intended IF you didn't weld the barrel up properly. Theoretically, you can make any caliber barrel you want--as long as you have enough barrel wall thickness. But, if you're the guy who has welded & rifled more barrels than Colonial Williamsburg, Old Salem, Brad Emig all put together, then this issue probably won't rear it's ugly head. I have rifled more barrels by hand, with home grown wooden tools, and no electricity, than any man living. This IS one thing that I did actually write the book on.:D If you could find copies of one of my books and DVD on this, you might better understand what I'm trying to say about the processes. Want everyone to understand I'm not trying to toot my own horn and sell stuff on this forum.
6. Like I said before Damn your good! Your krazy kami That's what she USED to say to me....
 
I love this thread man, unbelievable craftsman we have here folks!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I've always preferred a good mule over a horse any day of the week. Must be my Missouri (that's Missouri, not misery) upbringing.

I vividly recall a horse show at the county fair when my daughter was in 4H. Doing the show off stuff to the judge, maybe 20 horses and one mule. Mule didn't win and the little gal showing him was none to happy leaving the ring. I cut her off on the way to the barn and told her I thought it was the finest looking mule I'd ever laid eyes on and offered to buy him on the spot since he weren't performing to her expectations.

Instant repair to her ego and she come away much happier, her mother cornered me later and thanked me for pulling her daughter out of the doldrums so quickly.

Truth be told I really wanted that mule and the mother far as that goes but that's a whole nuther story. I can almost see myself and Miss Cutie Curl riding off into the sunset on the back of that mule with Bubba follerin along.

Happy thoughts.
 
Yep Pugs, I have learned more real world "how to" in this thread than in 2 books I read about the topic. As they say the Devil is in the details and these sort of details are hard earned knowlege and not many folks even learned 'em to begin, forget being able to tell them in a way that dummies like me can understand.

Bookie is one of you craftsmen on this forum that I would have loved to spend a few years in my youth apprenticed to but probably still wouldn't have had the talent to allow me to move past the incompetant but trying stage. I just love knowing the "HOW" even if I wouldn't be able to do it myself. It helps me understand what goes into making some of my favorite weapons/tools and is one of the reasons I appreciate hand made items like these, your sheaths, Bawanna's grips/scales, JW's blades and the Kamis work, always the Kamis. Skills like those are dying out unfortunately but it makes me appreciate them even more.
 
Shav, you start forging a barrel in the middle of the skelp. As I said earlier, 20 Mule Team, oops. 19 Mule Team borax (Remember: What happens inna barn, stays inna barn!) is used as flux to help get the slag and other impurities out of the weld area so it will go together properly.
BarrelFluxing.jpg
[/URL][/IMG] The swedge block helps keep the cupped iron from spreading back out, assists control of the barrel as it grows longer, and provides much needed support of the barrel wall edges so you can butt weld them together.
BarrelGrows.jpg
[/URL][/IMG] To keep the bore from collapsing, a mandrel is used. It is just a pointed rod that is placed in the bore while the smith welds the barrel. As the smith hammers, the striker twists the mandrel back and forth to keep from welding it into the bore, a sad situation, yes, indeedy.
Mandrel2.jpg
[/URL][/IMG] Once the bore is started in the center, only one end is kept up to heat and that end is completed first.
BarrelWeld.jpg
[/URL][/IMG] As you hit the skelp, you upset the metal and that makes the barrel length grow. If you wanted a 36-38 inch long barrell you would start with a skelp that was 29-20 inches long.When the welding is complete, you can see into the bore. The flats are then put on by hammering
SmHotBore.jpg
[/URL][/IMG] Then, after mucho sweating, hair burned off your hands and arms, the effort finally pays off.
CopyofSheetzBarrel-1.jpg
[/URL][/IMG] The flats are only hammered in place. No filing or grinding at all. The barrel is pretty straight for a kid,eh?
 
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Man that is so wicked cool. Unbelievable. Hammering them flats and staying straight, your a magician.

I can't believe you share the same air with me.
 
Bawanna, I'm nobody special. I'm not even gifted. You, Ndog, Shavru, Pugs, Gehazi could all do the same. All I did was go to Oz and get myself a DIPLOMA! All ready had me a medal and a heart........
 
Bookie said:
Bawanna, I'm nobody special. I'm not even gifted. You, Ndog, Shavru, Pugs, Gehazi could all do the same. All I did was go to Oz and get myself a DIPLOMA! All ready had me a medal and a heart........
Click to expand...

You sir far surpass me in the skill area, but boy all of us together could be very dangerous, in a good way though, between the spring water and telling tales (lies) gosh would we get in some trouble, then getting down to some work boy oh boy would be killer.
 
Had to harvest my butternut squash (pronounced skworsh in proper Northern-eastern Missourian) and decided to use my gen-u-wine Kumar Villager Frog Sticker Special to cut the vines. And a very nice job it did of it, too. I planted 5 seeds last spring and I wound up with 44 over all. Here's a photo taken a bit ago by Bawanna's latest love interest, Cutie Curls. (I told her I had a photo of this West Coast surfer dude who likes blondes.......and she had to go shave real quick and then come take a look see. Not that I'd give out Bawanna's email addy, mind you, but war is hell.)
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You can give my email addy to that sweety anytime and I'm touched she had to shave on my little ole account. I'm just aching to see her in a new set of coveralls once the weather cools some, don't want to be breaking in new jeans or coveralls in the heat, I remember that part well.

Wonder does she come with a dowry? Maybe a muzzle stuffer or sumptin. Been thinking of taking the leaf springs off from the wifes car and getting it hot and seeing if I can make it into sumptin good like a barrel or a sword or sumptin.
 
Well I spent a couple solid hours today with my oldest son trying to learn how to throw a tomahawk. It's completely safe to say I suck at throwing a tomahawk. My son didn't do so well neither. He usually makes me look foolish but today he sucked just as bad.
He got me one of them CRKT Kange T Hawks for an early birthday gift. I'd looked at them at our gun show last month and put it back as a little heavy. BUT it'll make a great user and better for digging etc. We threw it too and it was like throwing a sledge hammer compared to the little Vietnam Hawk.

Only a couple throws and the head was loose BUT as we kept throwing it the head got drove further onto the handle and tightened back up. The epoxy or sealant that was on the end all came out. It looked good but didn't really help anything, kept moisture out which is actually bad. Now I can soak it or drive another wedge in.

I got to where I hit the log round pretty regular just couldn't control what I hit with. End of the handle, the spike or the blade. I varied my RPM's and how hard I threw and distance. Didn't seem to improve much.

Guess I'll keep tossing it. Anybody that has any spiritual guidance to learn this, please send it along. I thought about a feather headdress to set the mood or something but I'm just not getting it YET. At least the handle didn't break, got dinged up some on the end but no worries, it's a user.
 
Joe, Instructions have been sent. You normally do not want to wedge the head on the hawk handle. It's good if the handle hits butt first and the head slides down. Keeps the handles from breaking. You got a tomahawk made for maiming & killing and now another that someone dreamed up for Rambo. You need a real throwing hawk. Like what buckskinners use. You can get forged heads, cast heads, pattern welded heads, and pipe heads. The French style are not so good for throwing and don't even start to think Ed Ames throwin' that hawk at the start of the old Daniel Boone TV series was real. Waugh! Flatlander 'er porkeater if ever I seed one, pard!
 
Instructions received. Your the smartest man alive. I'll give it some more practice tomorrow. I will NOT install no wedges and I'll never eat pork again.
I believe you told me pattern welded heads ain't good for throwing niether. Don't apply here on account of I don't got one but if I ever do I'll just hack and chop and not throw.
You fixing to post any more pics of the little blades you was gonna go play with or are they on the to do list? Folks are just anxious to see more of your handiwork, I know I am.
 
Daughter sent me a couple action shots. As you can see I was multi tasking for the last few throws.



Discussing my strategy with my new hawk coach Shaylin. She don't talk much but she's wicked cute for 3 weeks old.

 
Shes a cutie Gramps! Thats enuff to inspire many bullseyes! You might need them skills when shes 16 or so! We celebrated our grandsons first birthday today so I can definitely identify with your joy! They are so much fun!
 
Good pictures, Joe. You're a lucky one. No, I ain't the smartest man alive. Far from it, lad, but thanks for the compliment. I just have experience. Pattern welded heads will throw well. It's just that most people pay big bucks for such an item and buggering it up by throwing is not everone's cuppa tea. Particularly when several people are throwing and the hawks must remain in the stump until the last one has thrown. Did a little more on the blades such as refining the profiles. Been working on my front steps, the adjacent flower beds,and my gold dredge pump & motor. Priorities before freeze up require attention while it's still warm. To the VA tomorrow and then I get to go shopping for shampoo, body gel, lotion, new shoes, perhaps a new top or dress, and then go eat at red Lobster or Cracker Barrel. Ain't I the lucky one, now? To the VA Tuesday and then cut grass, then maybe some more knife work. Perhaps gold prospecting on Wednesday.......
 
What's body gel? And you just took a bath last wednesday or so, you already needing shampoo.

And shoe in Corn Patch? That has to be a novelty. My old fence boss was married to an indian, nice lady, everyone called her ma squaw.

He always said he had to put dirt in her shoes to get her to wear em. Some logic in that I reckon.

And now your a bad influence like a few others around here. I gotta get me two new hawks. One of em pattern welded. I do dig pattern welded but I still goof and call it damascus like the neophite that I am and always will be.
 
Man Bookie, those skworsh are going to be tasty. One of my favorite things about fall is butternut squash and green apple soup. YUMM! and really, that barrel just before it, every time I see the end product of your talent I am just blown away with how precise the angles and work is. Bawanna, that is the cutest accessory you could have. But I am glad in the second pic you quit trying to split your attention and started paying attention to Shaylin instead of the target LOL she is just too cute to be ignored. Now off to help hubby, He is trying to get a cover built for the back of the pickup, something to keep the bed from filling up like a swimming pool when the weather turns on us. HOT out there today, but summer starting to come up against the end. starting to get time to winterize my life LOL.
 
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