Brute de Forge Full Tang WIP

More on the inlay:

The work piece is secured to the bench with double-sided tape:


I start with a router base attached to my Dremmel, with a #115 cutter to hog off the bulk of the excess. I'll take this almost down to the line lowering the bit with each successive pass. You don't want to bite off too much at a time for fear of breaking out a chunk. Its important, for me at least, to be mindful of grain direction and direction of bit rotation. I always want to work "uphill" or against the grain and against the direction of rotation. This seems to reduce the chance of chip-out.... which would really suck.:


First few passes:


This is where I'll stop with the big cutter:


I change to a 1/8" straight router bit.


With the small router bit I can take it right down to the line. I can also remove the remaining meat in the narrow strip here and I can get into the small angles a little easier:


There, I'm done with the dremmel.


I'll do the fine detail stuff with a couple of very sharp chisels. This is a v-gouge to clean up the fine points:


Also one of these(whatever its called) to clean up the rounded edges:


Basically done:


Now I can thin the stitching shelf with a fresh 120 grit belt. Thin is in!!


This now needs to be laminated to another thin layer of wood to give me a solid piece into which I can drill the stitching hole without fear of it splitting or breaking. I'm looking for a final thickness of about 1/16" for the final lamination:

 

I hate it when the camera battery run out.

I'm using a thin piece of Cocobolo for the lamination. I keep a stock of thin, thickness sanded pieces around to use for spacers, liners, and such. This piece just happened to be the right dimension.

I didn't show it(battery issues), but I thoroughly cleaned off both contact surfaces with acetone to remove any surface oils.




That's all for today. I'll let the epoxy cure over night, then set about trimming up the profile and beveling the two visible pieces. I want the inlay to be proud of the leather by 1/8" or so. That's tomorrow's job, as well as prepping the leather to accept the inlay.

Thanks for watching along folks.

-Peter

 

I've done some more work on the inlay.

This is what it looked like this morning after the epoxy had cured. You can see where the epoxy forced its way up through the small pin holes of the burl eyes.


The first order of business is to clean up the sides of the two pieces visible pieces with 180 grit so the contours are even and smooth. I'm just using a piece of paint stick with a beveled end. This is slow and tedious.


Now I can begin beveling the two pieces. First I scribe a 45 degree angle with the calipers:


I used the Dremmel drum with a fine sanding sleeve to remove the bulk almost to the scribe lines:




Then I changed to a 125 cutter to get some finer detail in the tight places:


Then to a sharp gouge to get the even finer detail:


Then to fine files to flatten and fine tune the bevels, and get the even all the way around the piece and bring the bevels all the way to the scribe lines. This is a PITA as the files clog quickly and need to be carded often. Then finally 320 grit sandpaper to clean it up:


The rough shaping is done:


I took off a bit more with a 120 belt on the grinder to get the proper thickness. I also trimmed excess lamination away and cleaned up the profile a bit. I'll fine tune the profile later:


Then tested the inlay with the template. Its nice and snug. I'm pretty satisfied.


The inlay will be sanded to 800 grit, then buffed to a high polish before its ready to be stitched into the sheath.
I'm working on the leather right now. More tonight.

-Peter

 

Nick - That's quite the compliment. Thank you!!

-Peter

 

Anthony - Thank you very much. Now, if only I could hit the trifecta at the races I'd be a happy, happy man.

 

I needed to make a few minor alterations.
From the start I wanted to do a butterfly design sheath for the knife, rather than a pouch. However, I ended up at one point going with the pouch thinking it would be easier. Then, the more I looked at it and the more I worked the details, the more dissatisfied I became. So, with a bit of Paul Long's generous guidance I redesigned the sheath as butterfly. It still uses the inlay and now has the lines I wanted.

It turns out "easier" ain't necessarily better. Now I'm happy.

First rough sketch of the butterfly version:


I'll be using 6/7oz hide. This piece will be the real sheath. :


I've selected a couple of tools from my limited supply that I think will work for this project. I'm mostly using the stamp at bottom right :


I don't do a lot of tooling. So, this is just practice tooling on a piece of nasty, dirty scrap leather cut out to the same pattern. All I wanted to do was get a feel for the tool and check the stamp spacing. I've cased the leather, drawn out the basic pattern, and given it a few smacks. I have not cut out the inlay openings yet, or the inset belt loop, and I have not made the stud either.... next on the list.


Inlay positioning. :


Anyway, As I said above, I need a stud, or frog. So I made one.

I took a chunk of ebony:


Drilled a 5/32" hole:


Checked the depth:


Took off some meat from the sides:


Marked it:


Sawed it:


Squared up the notch a bit:


Rough shaped it with a file:


Put the stud aside for a moment and made a washer(that needs to be trimmed and shaped) This bolt will be cut to length, the head modified, and used for the stud post. It fits the 5/32" hole perfectly.


Back to the stud...fine tuned it a bit:


Got this:


Chucked it into my drill press and gave a smooth contour to the inner curve with 180 strips:


Took off some meat from the top:
[img=http://s28.postimg.org/8mib7ladp/Brian_s_knife_219.jpg]

Roughed in some 45 degree bevels on the grinder:


After a bit of fine filing and some 400 grit sanding this is what I have. I still need to fine tune the bevels and clean it up a bit, but I'm happy with the basic shape:


More later...

-Peter

 

So, back to the sheath.

I have the "real" sheath cutout, cased, the inlay windows cut out and the border tooling stamped in. Now I'm using the original template as a guide for the last bit of tooling.


Drawn in. Now I can stamp the design.


All the tooling is done. I've also cut out the slots for the belt loop and lanyard.


I need to carve out depressions for the stud post/washer.


And do the same for the belt and lanyard loops.


The welt needs to be thicker towards the mouth so I add a piece to split to either side:


The edge is then taken off and smoothed out:


That'll do it:


The welt is test fitted.


The stitching groove for the inlay has been cut and dyed with a touch-up brush. Now I have marked the stitch holes:


The stitch holes have been tapped in the leather on the drill press using a sharpened old needle. Now the inlay is fitted and the holes transferred to the inlay.


I'll just give each a tap and set the mark for drilling:


Drilling the stitch holes:


I use the Dremmel with a small carving ball to cut in a stitching groove on the back side of the inlay. I don't want raised stitches on the inside of the sheath.


The inlay has been trimmed on the grinder to give me a narrow stitching shelf. That is then traced onto the inside of the sheath:


And a seat created for the inlay:


This should work:


The inner edges of the inlay window need to be touched up with dye before the inlay goes in:


Then coated with gum trag, burnished and polished:


The same is done to the belt loop slots:


The lining is cut out. I'm using brain tanned deer hide.


And dyed:


The belt loop and lanyard loop are stitched in:


The transitions are touched up to make them smooth:


A stitching groove is cut for the inlay:


The inlay is given a final sanding to 1000 grit then polished on the buffer.


Till we get this:


The contact surfaces are glued:


The inlay is stitched in place:



All stitched:


I cut out a piece of split that will smooth out the inner face:


First, the stud needs to be installed. I used JB Quick and clamped it tightly till cured:


I have glued on the half-liner. It only extends to just under the lining stitch groove. I have also trimmed/smoothed the cut edges:


I also cut out a small hole where the stud post was creating a lump. it is now smooth and ready for the lining.


A thin strip is roughed up with 180 grit so the glue will stick better:


The lining has been glued and stitched along the top edge only:


The inside:


I need to round off the inside edge of the mouth before the lining goes in:


Here I am gluing one of the sides for the lining:


All trimmed and ready for the welt:


The welt is marked on the inside then glued in place. I then drilled the stitch holes through the top half of the sheath. Once the sheath was folded over and glued it completely, I ran the stitch holes through the bottom layer.


Getting the sides and welt to stay lined up for drilling was a pain:


All stitched up.


Now, I need a couple of beads and two lanyards. Here's one bead started:


And the lanyard cut:


The lanyard is dyed, then stretched till taut. I also work in a good amount of mink oil and work the piece with my hands pulling and stretching until it is smooth and about twice the original length.I'll then let it sit, stretched taut over night.:


So, the sheath is done. The knife handle has been polished and buffed and the blade has been polished one last time. This will be posted in Customs tomorrow night after I take some photos.

Thanks for watching along folks. If you have any questions, please ask.

-Peter

Here are some sneak peeks of the finished piece: