I decided to make a hunter with sort of an antique look. It's different for me and I'm not sure what to think. I like it on one hand and dont on the other.
I hammered the blade a little as well as the guard and butt cap and added some blackener to the fittings. The best part, to me, is the bone handle. I harvested this bone from a cow carcass a few years ago and had it drying on a shelf in my shop. A few months ago I saw our yellow lab chewing on something and found that it was my handle material. Must have fell off the shelf. I took it away and cleaned it up and this is the result.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/6537432449_f0ca7093cd_o.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6537432325_61bf99c65e_o.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6537432217_4ec816da1e_z.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6537432073_0f6dba0271_z.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6537431991_45101ab516_z.jpg)
I LOVE it! That's got class, a "history," and begs to be used. The copper on the butt cap and in the finger guard was a nice touch and goes well with the bone. Thanks for sharing. :)
Lin I don't know what part you don't like, that looks great to me. That bone handle is something to think about, and nice butt cap
Dana
I think it's pretty awesome myself!!!
Looks great to me, Lin.
good stuff Lin, i think thats my favorite hunter of yours.
I think it's beautiful.
Is the handle in two parts - thus, the pins?
Thanks guys.
Yes, Karl, I split the shinbone and brought the thick outside layers together. I fastened the whole thing together with the through tang pin that is peined in the flower, but also wanted to pin the scales to one another. The main pin is attached to the tang, of course, not far inside the handle. It was glued up solid prior to peining so I could hammer it closed. Some of the wild ideas I get require some "imaginative" steps to get it all together.
Lin-
As usual, your knife shows great planning-the tang coming through the center of the copper flower certainly adds something rather than just peining over the butt cap. For the blade, did you leave some of the hammer marks after forging or did you add some of the "distressing" afterwards? Also, I'm trying to figure out from the picture, but is that an edge quench line or the light playing off the grind line?
A different look than most of the knives you post, but I find myself rather liking it. I'm a fan of subtle contrast and (in my opinion) this one has it rather nicely: well finished bone and finely placed pins, very nice fit/finish of guard, nice overall shape/blade design, all contrasted with some nice antiquing effects. Makes it all rather eye catching to me. I'd be real proud of where you came out on this one :) . Just my 2 cents.... Great job
Jeremy
Thanks Jeremy. I distressed it with a ball pein hammer. You are seeing the hardening line. Distressing it was causing me some distress. That's what I meant by my not being sure if I like it. Taking a hammer to it was against my grain. My flat grind aproached the spine so I added a few marks. I intended to make a knife in the "brute" style, but it might take me a time or two to get used to it.
My absolute favorite so far.Some blessed longbow shooter is gonna be real happy with that one !!
David
What are the materials for the hinkdee-doo and the tang-thing?
Lin,
I suspect your seeing the lack of visual symmetry between the aged parts and the clean color and lines of the handle and guard. I think you would have been happier with it if you had ball peened the guard to give it texture, and then given it a light patina. I think staining or lightly burning the handle would have fit better with the theme of this knife. The disparity of those parts stand out to me. Not that I am in any position to be critical.
Beautiful work as always.
Thanks Clay. Yes, somewhere in the mix, I'm having a hard time accepting something, but not sure what it is. It's nothing to lose sleep over for me though. Again, I think after trying hard to avoid dings, I am actually making them on purpose. That may be it.
Karl, the flower and spacer are bronze and the fittings are stainless with the exception of the small pins and the tang pin. They are Nickel/Silver.
really like that one, i seem to like your older styled knives more than the flawless show case knives all are awesome but something about old looking stuff gets me going!
Nicely done Lin,This is the style of knife that really catches my attention,I just love that frontier look.I might just have to steal your idea on splitting the leg bone and pinning it back together,never would have thought of that.
I really like that but I'm real picky about blade Design/Shape and where the handle butt's up to the blade and I can't stand this area being exposed. I like to see the handle covering this area. It really turns me off on 90% of the work I see.
I know that's where knife makers like to put their logo but I hate it. Don't know what it is about it but I just don't like it on most knives I see.
That almost works for me though, very sharp & nice looking knife. All your stuff is AAA+
(http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd435/MikeWesterlund/6537431991_45101ab516_za.jpg)
Lin, I am in awe of how you switch from one theme to another, flawlessly and imaginatively. A fine looking knife, makes me want to fight lions, tigers and bears with it.
Lin, I am in awe of how you switch from one theme to another, flawlessly and imaginatively. A fine looking knife, makes me want to fight lions, tigers and bears with it.
What's not to Love!!! That is one sweet looking knife.
Thanks guys. I appreciate your comments, even yours Mike. :D Seriously, I am going to make a knife soon that has no dropped choil just to try it. I will first draw it and get satisfied that the design looks good before I start. It would be a hunting knife. I (secretly) think a knife without that area (ricasso)would work just fine and in some cases would be better for a particular use. So be watching for it.
I think who ever the fortunate hunter is that gets this knife will be VERY HAPPY. I have looked at the bone several times prior to this project coming around and wondered what it would look like finished, not surprised that it is another outstanding knife.
I for one like seeing the Ricasso and dropped Choil, it conjures images of days gone by for me. Can't wait to see what you come up with for a design with no dropped Choil.
Great job Lin.
Chris
And again, just something you threw together! I wish I could throw something like that. Great Job!
I've said it too many times before. That's the nicest knife I've seen! Mike
Lin,
You don't have to convince me about the looks of natural forging marks in a blade. I like it...but I have to agree with Clay that the guard is too clean for the rest of the knife. I got a similar critique from Burt Foster on my knives when I left my forge marks in and added some fancy filing on the spine. The two just didn't go hand & hand. I love what you did with the bone handle though...Jeff
Aweing!
Here's Chuck Ward's final photo. He was able to show the hammer marks a little better.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6540483459_4c78a703a6_z.jpg)
I thank everybody for your comments.
Mike, you have got me to thinking about something. The title of this thread is "something different". I will make some knives without the dropped choil, which is different for me. Maybe that is what my hang up is. My being reluctant to trying something different. I find myself wanting to experiment with these different styles of design and construction but face the discomfort of being out of my zone. I need reminders. Thanks.
WOW!
QuoteOriginally posted by Lin Rhea:
I thank everybody for your comments.
Mike, you have got me to thinking about something. The title of this thread is "something different". I will make some knives without the dropped choil, which is different for me. Maybe that is what my hang up is. My being reluctant to trying something different.
I've always wondered what that area was called.
Am glad you didn't take it personally because it is a really nice knife. It's just I prefer a knife with that area covered up, the only time it looks OK to me is on a big Bowie.
I go to some of the big knife sites just to drool and widow shop a lot and out of the 1000's of knifes on those places I can usually only find a very few that I really like, so that says something about how picky I am, that being said You, Ray & Tippit consistently put knifes up that I think look great and are better than 90% of the stuff I see on other sites.
One of these days I'll be able to afford a $200-$300 knife from one of you guys, I have some scales saved from my last two bows so when the time comes I can have them made to match, in the mean time I just enjoy admiring your work.
:thumbsup:
Oh Man! That knife just got even better in the last pic! Simply outstanding!!
Wow indeed! Mr Rhea this an other really nice looking knife!!
Thank you for taking the time to show us your work!
Man I like that Lin!!
I disagree.
I think it all works very nice together. A bit of Rustic Class. Rugged Elegance.
My kinda style right there.
NICE.
CTT
There are very different views on liking or not liking the whole or parts of this particular knife. I don't think anyone can take issue with the quality of the knife, it's all in the details. Some have given good reasons for their opinion which make them valid opinions to me. I suppose it's a good example of different peoples tastes.
I love making knives because it seems there is a nearly endless list of combinations to try out :) . Good or bad, some will like or love it, others won't. Knife or something else, I've made things that afterward I just took issues with in some way. I'm glad (and a bit relieved) that someone like Lin can make such a good knife and find himself wondering about it, what he might change or do different. It means something when guys who are so good are willing to post pics and be honest about their doubts. I suppose that shows your continual striving to make the best knife you can, Lin-and that's a great example for us newer guys.
Jeremy
Lin,
The knife looks completely different to me in the 'pro' photo.
I didn't even realize it was damascus until Chuck's photo was shown.
I also had an odd feeling about the finger guard in your photos- but it looks completely different in Chucks and appears to have some of the same 'distressed' look as the buttcap, nut, and blade do...and I absolutely love the handle work.
All in all, that's one of my favorite knives you've built...and it's ready to be skinnin' some carcass as the earliest opportunity!
Outstanding
Ray, I'll let you look at it close up if you get here soon enough.
Nice Lin,
Was wondering if thats twisted w's?
I recently twisted some w's that look like that .
Bet it feels funny (different) to make something thats not perfectly clean like you have done for years.
I think its cool when guys try different things.
Yes Kevin, it is twisted W's pattern. Good eye.