Beckerhead Knife Making and Modification Thread

Some progress on the Kepharts. Decided to whip up some "oh I just have some koa kicking around" scales for the Auk5, and attempted some straight scales for the Auk4s in Zebra. The straight zebra scales were a miscalculation, as you can see. But it did give me a better sense for the handle width.

The factory Ka-Bar scales are really thin, and material that thin and contoured is very difficult to work with using my tools. CNC is the way to go if making bolt-on scales this thin. Pinned or bolted-onto the balde would be way easier, but I didn't want to kiss the tangs with abrasives. This pretty much confirms that I shouldn't be making scales for this blade pattern, and I'll happily wait for TKC and/or Ka-Bar to come out with accessories. I'll likely go back and thin my homemade scales some more (and refinish *again* :p), but ran out of steam for the day.

http://thaumaturgy.net/~etgold/images/snugs/sharp/IMG_20200112_155643-small.jpg[/img]

IMG_20200112_155702-small.jpg


IMG_20200112_155759-small.jpg


And a Nessmuk Trio with my rasp hawk from @damselflyforge:

IMG_20200112_155915-small.jpg
 
Glutton for punishment: went back to the shop and got the koa scales within striking distance of the factory ones. Not quite, but satisfied. Torch-colored the stainless hardware on that one too. Rebated the goofed zebra scales to await replacement sometime in the future. Looks all late '90's now. Ok, that's enough play-by-play for this week. :rolleyes:

IMG_20200112_192237-small.jpg


IMG_20200112_192408-small.jpg
 
Kephart as Leuku?!?
Won't know unless we try! :D
This will have a full finger's space ahead of the waddle for big hands and choking up, but will still have the same scales as the "standard". Trying this in the same 0.165" stock that was a little thick for the much shorter AuK4s.

Profiled and drilled.
IMG_20200120_184409-small.jpg
 
A study in Kepharts, with the AuK3,4,5,6 and the BK-62 for reference. Big ones are all handle-compatible. The long ricasso on the AuK6 is an experiment. It reminds me of the long ricassos on Ed Fowler-style blades, which I generally don't love the look of, but am appreciating its utility here. The little guy is 3/32" A2, which should be a sweet little EDC or neck knife. The long ricasso makes that short handle usable. I haven't decided if I'll extend the scales up to the plunge or stick with the current pattern.

Comments welcome - this is a research project!

IMG_20200126_135525-small.jpg


IMG_20200126_135423-small.jpg


IMG_20200125_152937-small.jpg


IMG_20200125_152958-small.jpg


IMG_20200125_182113-small.jpg


IMG_20200125_201400-small.jpg


IMG_20200125_204756-small.jpg
 
Awesome work Daiz; looks like a fun project. Lovin’ the different sizes; especially the Kepper nekker size. Looks good!

Not sure I’m feeling the ricasso on the larger ones tbh. Just looks like a lot of unsharpened real estate. Dunno, might feel different in the hand, so take my very amateur opinion with a grain of salt.

Are you/will you be tapering the blade and the handle? Hard to tell from the pics. Looks like your well on your way to dialing these in. Great work!
 
Yeah, the ricasso does look a bit odd on the AuK6, but the balance point is right at the peak of the guard, and if feels super natural to choke up around it to get control of this fairly long blade. I suspect this will be a love-it/hate-it feature, but will have to get some in-hand feedback. It may very well be that I'm messing with something that should be left alone! :rolleyes:

SO FAR, I'm thinking that ~5/16" of ricasso between the scales and plunge is the right amount on the 4-5" blades.

Yes, the tangs on all the 4,5,6's are tapered. There's another AuK4 in AEB-L still unground in a drawer that will get the same treatment - next heat batch. The little guy above is only 3/32" thick, and I really needed parallel surfaces to plate quench that skinny thing to keep it straight. Came out great.
 
See if it makes a little more sense in context (both now marked and sharpened, each wearing the factory scales).
The AuK6 swings nicely... a little bit of poplar in the shop got the rough end of the test.

The AuK5 in AEB-L below has the best overall balance of attributes so far. It's the right thickness, right grind before the edge, and has 0.5" if ricasso, which I'm revising as my favorite from my prediction above. The AuK6 is for big mitts for sure.


IMG_20200126_213340-small.jpg


IMG_20200126_213419-small.jpg


IMG_20200126_220135-small.jpg


IMG_20200126_220146-small.jpg


IMG_20200126_220210-small.jpg
 
Last edited:
daizee said:
See if it makes a little more sense in context (both now marked and sharpened, each wearing the factory scales).
The AuK6 swings nicely... a little bit of poplar in the shop got the rough end of the test.

The AuK5 in AEB-L below has the best overall balance of attributes so far. It's the right thickness, right grind before the edge, and has 0.5" if ricasso, which I'm revising as my favorite from my prediction above. The AuK6 is for big mitts for sure.


IMG_20200126_213340-small.jpg


IMG_20200126_213419-small.jpg


IMG_20200126_220135-small.jpg


IMG_20200126_220146-small.jpg


IMG_20200126_220210-small.jpg
Click to expand...

Daizee this is some cool stuff! I have really been digging your work! Do you do custom stuff?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top