Yeah, the bone was challenging, to say the least. I have some Micarta here and thought about putting it on, but in the end, I stuck with my plan of making a more rustic looking blade. I like that look. If I make any more, I'm going to combine Micarta and bone on the scales. The problem with the bone is that it's heavy. I'm going to have to get a lot better and learn how to taper the tang to get the balance right.
I think anyone who has an appreciation of knives should make one in their lifetime. I went into this cocky as hell that I could have a completed knife that met my expectations. What I ended up with was a big dose of humility and humbleness, and a knife that doesn't have the fit and finish I would have liked.
I have a design I'm trying to work out. I want a skinner with a big bellied blade, no longer than 3" in length, with a full length handle that's a bit narrower at the forefinger. I keep playing around with designs, then I copy them, glue them on cardboard and cut them out. Everything looks good on paper, but it's nice to feel it in your hand. I think my next knife might end up somewhere in the middle between these two.
The reason I put this here is because of the Izula. There is a reason the Izula is the baddest damn knife ever. If you're ever unsure of that, try and design a 6" long knife. I was coming out of my skin frustrated before I finally just copied my Izula.
I am going to try and do this again, but not until I get a few pieces of equipment. I'm trying to find a used 2"X72" Grizzly belt grinder, a descent drill press and a wood bandsaw for my scales. In the meantime, there is an older guy around me who is going to teach me how to forge. He doesn't make knives, but it will be fun to learn. I'm also going to try and find a knife maker close by who will trade my labor for some of his knowledge.