Time to Get Started: Skivving Knives

btw, how are things progressing with this project (on a sidenote, how did those aeb-l roundknives turn out)?
currently working on something and had to to some small area skivving... handling straight razor blades is just not my idea of fun... :D
 
Ok guys sorry for the delay. I had to set some of these aside for a few days. The vagaries of getting orders out. Anyhoo lets continue on here. Vilepossum those roundknives came out great. They just cut and cut and cut. I can't imagine going back to a regular one. Here's a pic from yesterday along with a BK maul and swivel knife. This is Nichole's roundknife I made her. She just finished that belt couple of days ago.

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OK lets get going with the skivvers again.

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Here is the batch I was working on. Handles are profiled and ready to start shaping. The three skivers are upper right. The way I work I'm gonna make all future skivvers with bolsters. Had problems with the handle bolts being off center on the ironwood one and slightly on the bocote. The holes through the tangs were oversized and so since the handle materials were not profiled completely to the tang prior to glue up I didn't realize this. The way I build bolstered knives eliminates this problem. Plus ya look at the roundknife in the pic above and its just more classy.

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So Cocobolo on the left, Ironwood in the center and Bocote on the right.

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Here they are ready for hand sanding. I take the handles up to 330 grit on the grinder and then finish with hand sanding. The tangs of the knives are taken up to 600 grit while on the grinder.

During handsanding I'll start back at 220 and then proceed to higher grits. Both the bocote and the cocobolo are taken to 1200 grit and the ironwood goes to 4,000. All three will then get buffed with pink scratchless and then a coupleof coats of car wax. I'll run the blades over the scothbrite belt again and then they are ready for edges. I have finished the handsanding on these and they will head to the buffer today. We'll get to see what these guys can do pretty quick.
 
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Beautiful! I can't wait to hear from you and Paul about how they work. If I can ever get healed up I might just get to handle the one Paul will be testing;). I'm really digging these and the round knives. There's something special about them. I guess they've got that old school vibe. Thanks for the update.
 
you do realize that i am drooling over each and everyone of those knives, right? :)
that roundknife looks beautiful, too.
 
Dave that round knife is a stunner. Seriously, I've not seen one that was more elegant. Somehow I've never seen your makers mark, it's really nice!

You know, I ran into a woman day before yesterday and started a conversation because she was carrying a folder in a leather sheath on her belt. I'm not sure if you are familiar with the "melon tester" slipjoint pattern but it's sort of like a long sodbuster. Anyway, it turns out she's an inspector for the dept of agriculture and uses the knife often. I asked about the sheath and she said it is awful. Apparently her and her co-workers soak the things in oil (!) because the leather is such poor quality that it would crack nearly immediately. Naturally I offered my services in making a better pair of pants, but she said that what she was really interested in are holsters. I can give her your contact information if she gets in touch with me?

The thing that reminded me of meeting her was seeing your skivers. They look like they'd make fantastic melon knives. :)
 
You bet guys and thanks. They are finished now only need to sharpen them. Pics later. Sure Strig you can pass on my contact info. That makers mark is a combo of our livestock brand and Horsewright. The brand is a reverse D N connected over a quarter circle. Goes on the left shoulder of our horses and cattle.
 
btw, what midel is the 7th from the left in the top row? looks like a nice slicer. almost went for it on your last sale, "luckily" didn't as other things got in the way. :(
also not to be rude, but more because it is an ongoing problem for me, but how do you get rid of the frizzy little bits on the edge of the belt? i guess with the belt it doesn't matter, but i seem to have this problem with a lot of edges. another thread suggested i might not have sanded it enough. :(
 
Possum, I've been looking at various power burnishers and I'm strongly leaning toward Nigel Armitages model.
http://www.justwood.com/buy/nigel-armitage-just-wood-leather-burnisher_30.htm

Two things about it stand out.

One, the channels are flat bottomed instead of round in profile. I've noticed on the burnisher that I made for my drill press that the round profile doesn't get the center unless I push hard enough to deform the edges.

Two, while it looks like the other ones available, this one attaches to a motor/bench grinder (instead of a dremel/drill press) via an inset metal sleeve and set screw. My only concern is that my grinder may run too fast. If not (gotta look into it) then this is a very affordable option compared to something like the Weaver or Cobra or a lathe. Doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but it may be just the ticket. It would certainly extend the life of my little drill press since I wouldn't be putting side load on the bearings anymore.

I don't mind burnishing by hand most of the time, but like sanding the edges by hand versus using a belt sander, the difference in quality using power equipment is noticeable, at least for me.
 
Beautiful photos Dave. That round knife is really something. Is belt hand stitched? :thumbup:
 
Dave, those skivers look great. I'm anxious to give mine a workout. You know I like to have a reason for everything I do and the reason I like the round tip is because I sharpen it all the way around the tip and when I skive up the legs of a butterfly style sheath and come to the point I just tip the knife and skive a circle around the the junction and come right on down the other side. It's hard to explain in writing but it's shown on the DVDs. Any way that round tip is just the ticket for that.

Also, for what it's worth, I grip the knife mostly by the blade, maybe the last pinky finger on the handle so don't knock yourself out on handle finish on mine.

Thanks again in advance for the kind gesture. I will treasure that knife for sure.

Paul
 
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I forgot to compliment the belt. Your gal does really lovely work. I wish my wife would get into leather work. She's very handy with a machine and makes some pretty neat stuff for the kids, her family is comprised of a lot of seamstresses, including a family drapery company, but that's not nearly as cool as leather work. ;)

Please pass on my admiration.
 
Omega Leather Works said:
I forgot to compliment the belt. Your gal does really lovely work. I wish my wife would get into leather work. She's very handy with a machine and makes some pretty neat stuff for the kids, her family is comprised of a lot of seamstresses, including a family drapery company, but that's not nearly as cool as leather work. ;)

Please pass on my admiration.
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I got one of Dave's belts a while ago .
I was actually a bit annoyed when I first pulled it out of the box .
The problem was with the finish and overall craftsmanship .:(

It was to good :)
The idea was that it would be my new work belt , but there is no way I could use and abuse it at work .
So it is my Special Occasions , BBQ , Steppin Out belt .
I love it , and the double sided lining just puts it above and beyond any other belt I've owned .
Maybe in 10 or 20 years when its worn in a bit I'll wear it at work , but until then it is one of a handful of my unique special possessions .
I'll post up a pic on the weekend .
The problem now is I'm still looking for my ultimate work belt , and between you and me I cant see myself making my own because this belt has shown me that double siding is the way to go and I cant bring myself to spend the time and aggravation hand stitching one .
I curse you Dave :)

Ken
 
Haha that's really cool. Please do share those pics.

Just to rub it in, I plan to make up a belt and have Dave help me stitch it using his machine. I think that'll end up being the catalyst that pushes one over the edge in placing a stitcher at the top of the must have list. :eek:
 
hmmm, what is a double sided lining?
btw, i also think that the belt is absolutely stunning, i just wanted to use the opportunity to ask.
also omega, those are nice burnishers... also mr. armitage does some nice youtube tutorials. do you think you will have to worry about the speed though? how big is the difference between your grinder and horsewright's "warpspeed" lathe? (did you watch the youtube video on the link you posted? very nice as well)

@ harronek, yes, please share the pictures.
 
Thanks for all the kind words guys. They are appreciated! Vilepossum 7th from the left on the top row is a Compadre. Quite a few in this batch. The camel bone to the left of the 7th is one too as are the two to the right. Also the elk handled one with the brass bolster second from the left and the one next to the skivvers. All these in the top row.To answer the qquestion on the edges yeah more sanding. This belt was machine sanded to 400 grit and then hand rubbed and then hand sanded at 600 grit and then rubbed again. It was like glass. However, the buckle is not a true size and it has rasped those edges up some. The belt was actually cut for this buckle and its a smidgen under 1.5" which is what the attachment loop is on this buckle. So built the belt and lo and behold doesn't fit. And you are going !@#$%%%. Why it doesn't work is the silversmith made the buckle backwards when he attached the belt loop. The loop is attached by two flat headed pins. I've got a shelf of these types of buckles that I've won. Every single one of them has the flat head of the pin on the inside (where the belt will pass through) and then peened or spread on the outside where the pin sticks out some. Not this one. This one the pins are to the inside where they rub against the belt. So really went to looking at it and even a 1.25" belt will get rubbed by those pins. So my buddy is gonna use another buckle for this belt and we're building another belt for this buckle. However it won't be carved as it is just too narrow. We'l basket stamp it or something. 1.5" is the narrowest we'll carve. Vet is coming, horses are fine we're just going for a ride, gotta go, more on the skivvers as I do have an interesting update. Ken I stand suitably rebuked. Thank-you sir! Vile I line all my belts. Two layers of veggie tan. This carved one is 8 to 10 oz Wicket and Craig and lined with 4-5 oz Herman Oak. They are substantial but my buddy that we built this belt for carries a 1911 and likes the stiffness due to the weight of the pistol.
 
wow... i am constantly amazed by your and your wife's craftsmanship... (i just took a closer look again at the round knife and the belt, as well as the other knives...)
sucks with the buckle, still, the belt is awesome in detail.
also thanks for the advice on the sanding. currently looking into a way to improve on that front.
btw, i think your knives have made me reconsider brass bolsters... never liked them, but starting to prefer them over silver ones more and more every time i look at your site.
have a nice ride!
 
vilePossum said:
also omega, those are nice burnishers... also mr. armitage does some nice youtube tutorials. do you think you will have to worry about the speed though? how big is the difference between your grinder and horsewright's "warpspeed" lathe? (did you watch the youtube video on the link you posted? very nice as well)

@ harronek, yes, please share the pictures.
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Um yeah... After your comment I went back and did a search on Daves lathe and he's not the only one going warp speed. This is looking good for my bench grinder. :) I'll post up a review on the Armitage burnisher once I get one.
 
Macan I forgot to mention everything we do is machine stitched. I just checked my lathe. Its adjustable from 575 rpm to 3580 rpm. I keep it on 3580. Bout the same as a bench grinder
 
vilePossum said:
I'm still trying to convince my wife that we need a grinder setup in the basement.
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Handy tools, although few power tools freak me out quite like a BG (used as a buffer). Working with leather, no big deal, working with steel is a different animal though. Can't remember exactly who it was, but a custom knife maker was killed using one fairly recently.

(Edit- Alaskan knifemaker Gordon Dempsey)

Horsewright said:
Macan I forgot to mention everything we do is machine stitched. I just checked my lathe. Its adjustable from 575 rpm to 3580 rpm. I keep it on 3580. Bout the same as a bench grinder
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Yeah, that's gotta be very close to the speed of my cheapo grinder. Any thoughts on the Armitage burnisher? Did you make yours with rounded grooves, or is there a flat section in the center of the groove?

Oh, I just thought of something. I gotta make sure the thing will fit properly too...
 
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