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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: Lin Rhea on May 15, 2014, 11:49:00 AM

Title: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on May 15, 2014, 11:49:00 AM
I want to say that I saw this style knife and really like it. I just wanted to try it. There is a gentleman that makes them very well and his knives gave me the idea. I can not find it now. If you know who this is, please post his name here for me. I want to give him credit for the idea.

This is the hot blade cycling in the fire.
  (https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5505/14005684970_dc4d6a00a0_c.jpg)
  (https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2898/14189889992_ed645d7609_c.jpg)

The cutting edge will end up about 5 1/2 and the steel is 5160.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: kbaknife on May 15, 2014, 11:51:00 AM
I've seen the same knife.
I'll figure it out.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: milehi101 on May 15, 2014, 01:15:00 PM
Stickshooter makes knives with pig tails like that.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on May 15, 2014, 01:34:00 PM
Well my hat is off to him, of course. I knew I had seen it. Thank you Frank and thank you milehi101.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Brock on May 15, 2014, 01:52:00 PM
Lin...looks like a good all around camp/utility/hunting design you started there....a Pig Sticker with a pigtail?  :)
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: tomsm44 on May 15, 2014, 01:59:00 PM
I'm liking this one already.

Matt
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on May 15, 2014, 02:53:00 PM
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7340/14213623623_4c10238bcb_c.jpg)

Ready for heat treat.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on May 16, 2014, 09:20:00 AM
It don't look much different than the last picture but it has been heat treated and is tested for hardness and ready for hand sanding the blade sides.
 
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2906/14198383515_b8deed6559_c.jpg)

akaboomer suggested I use curly maple scales. I think a copper or bronze liner too, maybe antiqued along with wire inlay of the same material.

Just thinking out loud.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Roughcountry on May 16, 2014, 10:38:00 AM
Can't wait for the finished pictures.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: FerretWYO on May 16, 2014, 12:32:00 PM
Wow that is going to be amazing. I love watching you all work.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Brock on May 16, 2014, 02:27:00 PM
who is lucky owner.....nice  ;)
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Bladepeek on May 16, 2014, 05:14:00 PM
wire inlay always rings my bell. I think the copper or brass would be a nice change from the usual silver.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: 2Tim215 on May 17, 2014, 01:08:00 AM
Looking good!
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Jeremy on May 17, 2014, 09:26:00 PM
I did a few like that in '07 and '08.  Yours is nicer    :D  
Click to enlarge:
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fliksr/More%20Knives/th_2StJude07-1.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/fliksr/media/More%20Knives/2StJude07-1.jpg.html)
  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fliksr/Knives%203/th_100_0418_1.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/fliksr/media/Knives%203/100_0418_1.jpg.html)
I got the idea from ABS MS Raymond Smith.  His website is easy to find and has a bunch of pretty pics.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: gudspelr on May 17, 2014, 09:40:00 PM
I vote copper    :thumbsup: . Some nice stained curly maple, thin copper liners with some strategically placed pins and accompanying wire inlay. But then....I do really like copper....  :) .

Whichever you choose, I'm willing to bet the whole thing looks really nice.


Jeremy
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on May 18, 2014, 07:51:00 PM
Nice Jeremy! I've been away for the weekend and am just seeing this.

I'm still fussing with myself about just what I'll do.    :)
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Brock on May 19, 2014, 02:15:00 PM
some osage scales would be nice...with copper...would start out bright yellow but darken with exposure to UV light to a honey-brown color over time.  :)
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: tomsm44 on May 19, 2014, 04:55:00 PM
I kinda like darker woods myself.  I'm thinking maybe curly Koa.  I give another vote to the copper liners though.

Matt
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Kevin Evans on May 19, 2014, 09:30:00 PM
Good work Linn   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: ron w on May 20, 2014, 09:26:00 PM
Really nice lines.......
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on May 21, 2014, 08:41:00 PM
Thank you gentlemen.

I decided to forge a smaller version to play with the options. I have mulled over several variation of materials and construction and think I have made some progress even if this is a different knife. I will of course finish the main knife in this thread but wanted to show you my experimental knife.

  (https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5500/14261287153_ae87c5fccd_c.jpg)

I really want to try something different on the larger knife but I know it will look ok if I don't go over board. The small knife has copper liners and pins and some salvaged rosewood from a crate. It's good stuff once you get past the idea of it being scrap. I did no grinding to the full tang. It was an exercise in forging and the means of assembly studying how the various points blend and converge at the ricasso.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: tomsm44 on May 21, 2014, 10:20:00 PM
Well, your "rough draft" is quite nice.  I wouldn't mind having it.  I'm thinking a small pouch sheath with a metal clip where it could be "worn" inside a pocket would be perfect for that little guy.

Matt
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: D.Ellis on May 21, 2014, 10:41:00 PM
That little one is cute as a button. I like this style of brute with the forged rat tails.
Darcy   :campfire:
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: tomsm44 on May 22, 2014, 08:16:00 AM
By the way, scrap wood can be really nice.  Two of the nicest pieces of wood I've used were from scrap.  One was from a broken 03 Springfield stock.  The other was a killer piece of curly maple that came from a scrap piece of flooring I pulled from a burn pile.  The builder culled it because there was a knot in it and the home owner thought the knot would look bad in his fancy house.

Matt
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on June 07, 2014, 08:30:00 PM
I got it done today. I made liners of bronze and extended them at the front a bit for some detail. It's hard to tell but it turned out pretty nice even though it's a brute type knife.

 (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3880/14390093763_128e3f0c3b_c.jpg)
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: South MS Bowhunter on June 07, 2014, 09:55:00 PM
Looks great Lin!
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: tomsm44 on June 07, 2014, 11:22:00 PM
:thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: just_a_hunter on June 08, 2014, 08:13:00 AM
QuoteIt's hard to tell but it turned out pretty nice even though it's a brute type knife.
Not for me....... Pretty easy for me to tell that it turned out beautiful...

Todd
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Roughcountry on June 08, 2014, 10:37:00 AM
I'm thinking it turned out real nice. I like the contrast of sheep scales with the dark forging marks.
Very distinct knife Lin. Your skill at the forge shines in this blade.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: bjansen on June 09, 2014, 08:57:00 AM
Great work Lin.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: D.Ellis on June 09, 2014, 02:00:00 PM
I don't think I am really qualified to be critiquing a Master Smith's work, but I'll put my foot in it anyway. It looks, to my eye, like the handle scales should end up closer to the plunges than they do. I see this on a lot on brutes, and I'm sure it is done because of the integral "squashed" finger guard, but I think the scales could still be extended forward, perhaps a bit more difficult to accomplish, but shouldn't be impossible. Just my opinion. Everything else looks great.......just that section of uncovered steel between the scales and the plunges looks proportionally too long.
Feel free to tell me to shut up if I am way off base.   :knothead:  
Darcy    :campfire:
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on June 09, 2014, 02:06:00 PM
That is exactly what I think Darcy. I'm glad you spoke up. AND it is the reason I am making them. To work out the issues. I still like this knife but want to move everything forward as I figure out how to get it done within a reasonable amount of time and effort. If I have to resort to milling machines I will make one of my finished knives.

I presume that one idea behind a brute de forge is that it can be made sort of fast while allowing some room for embellishment.
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: D.Ellis on June 10, 2014, 12:28:00 AM
I am sure you'll get it nailed down with your forging ability. Have you seen how they used to forge triggers in the old days? Similar effect, thin and flat (to fit thru a slot in the lower tang of the firearm) and then wide to fit the finger comfortably. The method I saw for that was to clamp the thin stock in a vice and forge the trigger shoe to shape by mushrooming it over.........just a thought.
I look forward to seeing the next installment.
Darcy   :campfire:
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on June 10, 2014, 08:29:00 AM
Darcy, do you have any source for more information on the trigger forging? I'd love to look at it. Things like that is how I learn. Thanks
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: D.Ellis on June 11, 2014, 01:35:00 AM
I'll see what I can dig up.
Darcy   :campfire:
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: D.Ellis on June 11, 2014, 02:30:00 PM
I tried to PM you this link, Lin, but your inbox is full. Lots of information on old time methods of metal working(and wood working) if you dig around a bit on this site.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=t2ksf67fhep8i0aavs0ni4nbt4&topic=24661.0
Darcy   :campfire:
Title: Re: Rat Tail Brute
Post by: Lin Rhea on June 11, 2014, 04:32:00 PM
Thanks Darcy.  :campfire: