Kiridashi and Me

[Gary W. Graley]

Arrrgghh there be pirates about...

Don't mind me, it's late!

Ashokan Seminar is coming up soon and a challenge was made to those attending to
make a Kiridashi, well, I thought I'd give it a go, but find I really lack the most
basic of tools to do metal work!

Matthew Gregory helped out by doing the Heat Treat of this D2 blade I ground out

I was just working on the sheath for it and decided a jolly roger may go well with this knife;

Here is the knife a G2 Kiridashi with stingray skin and cord wrap, which was
a little tough being a narrow handle AND the epoxy I had was a bit on the thick side I may tear it off
and do it again with some thinner stuff, but, for now, this works and she is sharp!

I still need to finish the edging and
apply the wax coating but she's all most finished up
The fitup is pretty good, inside there is a cam like piece that locks
the blade in, it fits just where my thumb rests on the spine so it keeps
the knife from coming straight out, have to insert it at an angle, nice and snug

The jolly roger, had that a while now, figured it would go well on this rascal;
there is a thin layer of leather beneath the top section to protect the knife
from the hard ware for mounting the skull and cross bones

G2

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Blaaaarrrrrggggg!


TF

 

[Greg45]

Those look great, Gary! :thumbup:

You better be careful, though. As nice as that knife looks, you'll be expanding your business before you know it. Then you'll be making fixed-blade sheaths all the time!

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Thanks Greg, but there is NO worry of that, even for me
I didn't want to make that one, just not that into fixed blade
sheaths, but had to have something to carry this one to Ashokan
with I'll get some finish shots later on, it has a very thick welt
making a sheath for a chisel edged blade is a bit touchy, as the edge
lies on the bottom and makes it dicey to insert the knife.
beneath the blade are two layers of leather, the back and then the
folded down piece for the belt loop, it goes the full length to add a second
layer for a litle more protection
G2

 

[nikoknife48]

Cool package Gary ! Your blade making skills are as exceptional as your sheaths.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Thanks Nick, I cut off the old wrap, that quick setting epoxy certainly didn't
work well, it's crazy out there, they have 1min, 5 min, 7 min, but couldn't find
the 60 min which is a bit looser when mixed up and soaks into the lacing better.
SO, I took some super glue that is a brush on type and just applied that, seemed
to work pretty well, looks and feels a lot better!

also finished the sheath, as you can see I added a retaining strap, which works very well
as the knife will not pull out straight up, so the strap will keep it from ever falling out

also in the first image you can see how thick that rascal is! over a half inch thick!
G2

 

[Ebbtide]

Too cool!


BTW: Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgh!

 

[Dusty One]

Great looking work....I like everything about it....

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Thanks guys, usually only make folder sheaths, but since it was a knife I made
I granted an exception

Also in the make up of this sheath, I originally had cut out the welts so it cleared
the widest part of the knife, but when I did a dry fit up, there was a lot of blade
movement in the sheath, so, I added in a small thin half moon shape of the welt
cut from the section I had removed. So it's two layers cut in a half moon that
just fits along the spine of the knife, where my thumb rests against the back of the blade
NOW it fits with no blade play and makes for a very good retention
of course that was put together before it was all glued up, so that little piece is both
glued to the inside against the welt as well as the top and bottom layers of leather, so
it's not going anywhere!
G2