- Joined
- Oct 16, 2010
- Messages
- 5,585
Hi Fellas:
Well, I see that I just broke 1000 posts and I want to thank you for your patronage, kind words, sharing of your knowledge, and friendship. I've received much more than I expected from you - it's been very rewarding and fulfilling. I've decided I'm going to give away a Man Knife because it was my first really popular design which makes it very special to me. All you have to do is post to this thread -eligibility is limited to BF members and knifemakers who have 100 or more posts.....sorry newbies - you have to earn your stripes just like we did!!
When I have the knife done, I'll use a random number generator and load the numbers corresponding to the post numbers - the number it selects - that person will get the knife. This is going to be on the up and up - no favorites. For those of you unfamiliar with this design, check out my website. It will come with black micarta scales, red liners and black leather sheath. So here's the work in progress:
We're going to make this beauty out of D-2 = here's the bar from Jantz Supply:
Next step was to profile the blade and drill the holes for the rivets and thong tube:
Now it's the hollow ground bevels and the flats:
With the tang hollow ground and tapered, the thumbs serrations are filed in next.
The hollow ground bevels and flats are ground to 220 grit, the holes are chamfered, and it's ready for heat treat in my digitally controlled oven. I'll be checking back in a few days.
Best regards,
TK
8/31
Hi Fellas: I see a lot of you have thrown in your hat so, here's the final work in progress and the lucky winner announcement at the end. I appreciate all the kind words and I appreciate the privilege of being able to post my work here. Here goes the rest - I didn't put all the steps in so you can PM me if you have any questions.
I completed the heat treat: Preheat and soak for 5 minutes at 1450, ramp up to 1850 and soak for 45 minutes, plate quench then immediately temper twice at 450 for two hours, twice. This yields a Rc of 59-60.
The next step is to work the flats which I take to 220 grit using a ceramic platen on my Burr King.
Now it's time to work the hollow grinds to 220. I rough ground the bevels to .040" prior to heat treat. Now, I'm grinding them to .030" after working the flats, making sure the grinds are centered on the knife edge. This picture shows the before on the left, then the after.
The finished blade with the micarta being glued to the red liners.
Now it's time to drill the micarta scales. Since the tang is tapered, I use a piece of kydex to angle the drilled holes or else the lanyard tube and rivets won't go through. I use the blade as the guide, drill one hole, insert a pin, drill another hole, insert a pin, then drill the final hole. I then outline the blade on the liners to cutout on the bandsaw except for the front of scales that go towards the ricasso.
Next I pin the two scales back together with a piece of kydex at the butt between them (tapered tang - remember?!), cut the front curve on the bandsaw then grind the curve on my disc grinder. Finally I buff the front curves together. This can't be done when the scales are on the knife......the scales are then epoxied to the blade handle using the pins to assure the front is in alignment - after the clamps are applied, I drive out the pins or they're in there forever. Then I knurl the lanyard tube with a file, rolling it on a flat surface, coat the surface with epoxy and drive in the tube. Here's the finished curves and the tube:
Next both sides are countersunk for the rivets using the same drilling method I showed you before with kydex under the butt of the knife handle. I then install the rivets using red loctite to keep them snug, grind and rough shape the scales with a 60 grit belt, then hit it with a crossing file to get all the edges true to the spine of the handle.
Then it's time to hit the handle with 220 grit on a semi slack belt to take out all the file marks.
The handle is hand worked to 400 grit in a knife vise, the lanyard tube ID is chamfered then the knife handle is buffed. Since it's a satin finish - I use black heavy cut compound.
Now it's time for the maker's mark to be etched to the presentation side - the steel is etched on the bottom of the spine then finally, the knife is sharpened.
The finished knife - I'm going to hold off on the sheath until I find out from the lucky winner if he's a lefty or righty.
Now for the drawing - I'm going to use a random number generator. Lucky number 13 was selected - tlovesknives is the winner! What'll it be - right or left hand sheath? Congratulations! See you all at 2000 posts.
Well, I see that I just broke 1000 posts and I want to thank you for your patronage, kind words, sharing of your knowledge, and friendship. I've received much more than I expected from you - it's been very rewarding and fulfilling. I've decided I'm going to give away a Man Knife because it was my first really popular design which makes it very special to me. All you have to do is post to this thread -eligibility is limited to BF members and knifemakers who have 100 or more posts.....sorry newbies - you have to earn your stripes just like we did!!
When I have the knife done, I'll use a random number generator and load the numbers corresponding to the post numbers - the number it selects - that person will get the knife. This is going to be on the up and up - no favorites. For those of you unfamiliar with this design, check out my website. It will come with black micarta scales, red liners and black leather sheath. So here's the work in progress:We're going to make this beauty out of D-2 = here's the bar from Jantz Supply:
Next step was to profile the blade and drill the holes for the rivets and thong tube:
Now it's the hollow ground bevels and the flats:
With the tang hollow ground and tapered, the thumbs serrations are filed in next.
The hollow ground bevels and flats are ground to 220 grit, the holes are chamfered, and it's ready for heat treat in my digitally controlled oven. I'll be checking back in a few days.
Best regards,
TK
8/31
Hi Fellas: I see a lot of you have thrown in your hat so, here's the final work in progress and the lucky winner announcement at the end. I appreciate all the kind words and I appreciate the privilege of being able to post my work here. Here goes the rest - I didn't put all the steps in so you can PM me if you have any questions.
I completed the heat treat: Preheat and soak for 5 minutes at 1450, ramp up to 1850 and soak for 45 minutes, plate quench then immediately temper twice at 450 for two hours, twice. This yields a Rc of 59-60.
The next step is to work the flats which I take to 220 grit using a ceramic platen on my Burr King.
Now it's time to work the hollow grinds to 220. I rough ground the bevels to .040" prior to heat treat. Now, I'm grinding them to .030" after working the flats, making sure the grinds are centered on the knife edge. This picture shows the before on the left, then the after.
The finished blade with the micarta being glued to the red liners.
Now it's time to drill the micarta scales. Since the tang is tapered, I use a piece of kydex to angle the drilled holes or else the lanyard tube and rivets won't go through. I use the blade as the guide, drill one hole, insert a pin, drill another hole, insert a pin, then drill the final hole. I then outline the blade on the liners to cutout on the bandsaw except for the front of scales that go towards the ricasso.
Next I pin the two scales back together with a piece of kydex at the butt between them (tapered tang - remember?!), cut the front curve on the bandsaw then grind the curve on my disc grinder. Finally I buff the front curves together. This can't be done when the scales are on the knife......the scales are then epoxied to the blade handle using the pins to assure the front is in alignment - after the clamps are applied, I drive out the pins or they're in there forever. Then I knurl the lanyard tube with a file, rolling it on a flat surface, coat the surface with epoxy and drive in the tube. Here's the finished curves and the tube:
Next both sides are countersunk for the rivets using the same drilling method I showed you before with kydex under the butt of the knife handle. I then install the rivets using red loctite to keep them snug, grind and rough shape the scales with a 60 grit belt, then hit it with a crossing file to get all the edges true to the spine of the handle.
Then it's time to hit the handle with 220 grit on a semi slack belt to take out all the file marks.
The handle is hand worked to 400 grit in a knife vise, the lanyard tube ID is chamfered then the knife handle is buffed. Since it's a satin finish - I use black heavy cut compound.
Now it's time for the maker's mark to be etched to the presentation side - the steel is etched on the bottom of the spine then finally, the knife is sharpened.
The finished knife - I'm going to hold off on the sheath until I find out from the lucky winner if he's a lefty or righty.
Now for the drawing - I'm going to use a random number generator. Lucky number 13 was selected - tlovesknives is the winner! What'll it be - right or left hand sheath? Congratulations! See you all at 2000 posts.
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