Fun find from the past

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Mar 4, 2014
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So I recently unearthed a box with old childhood stuff stored away. I guess officially, this would be the first sheath I've ever made. With maybe 35ish years between that, and my next "first sheath". So, the backstory....

In Jr. High, way back in a slightly less paranoid society, we had both metal and wood shops in school. If I remember correctly, this is from metal shop in my 8th grade year. The knife was ordered as a rough cut blank, from a school project catalog. Most (if not all) of the machine grinding was actually done by my shop teacher. I spent more hours and days than I even remember sanding and and polishing. But sadly, like many of my projects, didn't quite make it to completion. And my shop teacher was great. He didn't care if we were making throwing stars, or a battle axe. Just so long as we showed some interest in learning some of the equipment and/or processes. After my first class with him, I signed right up to be a teacher's aide the entire following year.

The sheath was originally stitched from some pretty thin leather. Then glued to a much thicker piece. Not exactly something to show off. But was a fun find. Giving a segway to torchure my highschool boy with stories from the good ole days.

Wish I knew a bit more about the blade. I was surprised to see that it was made in Germany, and not Japan (where the inexpensive stuff came from at that time). No idea on what the steel is either. Obviously stainless in some form. No noticable rust after decades of storage. The only thing I've done to it since Jr High, was to sand off the black adhesive that was on the Tang, from gluing the scales on to shape and sand. Under the old adhesive, it looked like there was some point of origin stamp, but couldn't read it until sanded down. Not sure what wood I used for the handle either, but looks kind of oaky.

If anyone actually recognizes the blank, or companies in Germany that sold blanks 30-40 years ago, please throw it out there. My son thinks I should take it to completion finally. But to be honest, I would really love for him to take over and finish, but not seeing that as likely. He has indulged me with some amazing father/son time in my hobbies. But he prefers less of the real hands-on, even though he is really good at the stuff. Sorry about the wall-o-text.

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How cool is that! I wish I had been more appreciative of (and paid more attention to) my own shop class teacher back in the day.
 
Your "wall of text" not only is OK, but it is greatly appreciated. Thanks for sharing your back story

Paul
 
How cool is that! I wish I had been more appreciative of (and paid more attention to) my own shop class teacher back in the day.

Yes, happened to be one class I actually paid attention to for two years in a row. I can probably attribute most of my metal working knowledge to this point all the way back (38 years ago), to an 8th grade teacher that cared that we learn hands-on skills. I learned the basics of bending/cutting sheet, tubing. Welding both Arc and acetylene. And just a bit of solder and sweat.

I made a weight bench that I designed with the teachers help. Was made from 1.5" square tube, 2" angle, with 1" (or was it 1.25"?) adjustable risers. The crazy thing was arc welded so solid, pretty sure it would last an apocalypse. I used it well into my 30's. Passed it on to a nephew when we installed a full universal.


Your "wall of text" not only is OK, but it is greatly appreciated. Thanks for sharing your back story

Paul

Funny thing, I actually stumbled onto another one of the assignments a few years ago. Like many of my projects (and the knife above), it was only partially completed. Was a little tack hammer. Meant to teach us cutting into bar stock, threading, lathe turn, and lathe checkering. Well, I got the head cut and threaded. But a classmates father worked at a nearby AF Base, and brought some metal polishing cloths that he used at work. The two of us spent so much time hand polishing the hammer head, that we didn't get around to working with the lathe. I was a little bummed. And still never worked with a lathe to this day. So a few years ago I open a storage box, and this thing drops out. Still wrapped up with those canvas backed, high grit sanding/polishing cloths. So I found a bolt with the same threading, and "PlastiDiped" it. Not as nice as I remember classmates knurled/checkered metal handles. But at least it's useable. Still has my student number stamped I to it. 3-2.....third period, bench #2.

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