Awesome post! Just yesterday I got the itch to make a neck knife from a helle blade.

Made a couple of belt knifes for friends out of the "odel" blade from helle, but they seem too long for a neck knife.
I drilled two holes (tang width) next to each other.
The idea was to not give the tang any room to move. Turned out real difficult though, the drill kept sliding into the first hole and finnaly broke off.   :rolleyes:  

I'll post some pics as soon as I get my hands on a digi-cam.

P.s. Great hint 4nolz...will have to remember that the next time.

QuoteOriginally posted by tippit:
Mickey,  Those Helle blades are hard to beat...but as you say:

Yea I build my gear with my own hands, keep it simple that's the plan, some of you will understand.....

That's just plain cruel Doc, throwing a man's word back at him like that!      

I've taken a liking to neck knives too.  Didn't think I would, but after wearing one around for a few months it's hard to deny they're handy!
Here are a few of mine:
 Mike\\'s
 Keith\\'s  
 Phil\\'s

First off....I'll order one of those blades on monday Mike....   Second... Doc the shape and style of that Dall Sheep knife just does it for me,   Sweet!!!

Mark

What is toooo small for a neck knife? I like them new Helle blade.<><<><

Ferret,
A friend of mine, Bill Nash, used to make knives from steel blanks and he did an AWESOME job at it.  He was so impressed with the Helle knives that he now makes them out of their blanks, mostly.  After he started using them, a bunch of guys in our Trad club started using them.  A 14 year old young man in our club used two longer blanks to make two beautiful knives for friends of ours from England.

I took a Helle polar and had a neck sheath made for it and won't use anything else.  Now, if I can just find some time to start building one or two for myself...

Jeremy,
Yea but I don't do a fraction of the stuff Mickey does.  Just thought they might like to see some other types of neck knives    Doc

Mikey, Mike,

Not being too picky, but just where are these blades manufactured?  I've become a bit sensitive about buying and finding that my money is going to countries that are not exactly our friends.

Lobo in West Virginia

Lobo, Helle is a Norwegian company.  I'm not sure where their factory is though.

Doc, I'm just messing with ya!  

Helle makes a real nice blade.  That Scandanavian grind had me confused when I first saw it, but I think that was more because the guy had sharpened it like you would any other knife!  He just couldn't figure out why he couldn't get that thing sharp!!    

Jeremy,

Norway would be just fine!

Lobo in West Virginia

here are my latest three, two of which are the small blade you have there ferret....wish i would have had the sense to take a picture with the blades cleaned up before i gave them away.  
 
 

Tippitt
Pleae get in touch with me. I would like to talk to you about making me a sheath.
Steve

longbws2@comcast.net

Ferrett -- I hope you can help out here with the blade names (durn fureigners!). I believe it's the same blade you picture that I used for my first Helle knife, with deer antler handle on shortened tang. But unless you grind the antler flat, it's too round and bulky for a neck knife. I gave mine to my wife. Also, that blade is high carbon steel, which is fine if that's what you like. But one of the best things about Helle is the remarkable 3-layer stainless composite blades that sharpen easy and dull hard. So second time around, I ordered a blade about the same size, but stainless and a short tang with notches to give it more adhesion in handle. This time I used osage orange and it's now my favorite blade (of too many!), though too small for elk. For that, I have two Helle "Fire" knives, with handles I could never improve on. Odd thing about Helle is that it has so quickly almost become the "official" knife for trad bowhunters (we can't all make our own from scratch, though I wish I could). It's also the official knife of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, which uses them for various membership promos. Dave

Mickey, Thats going to be a nice neck knife. I think that blades going to be my next project.

Dave2old..this is an Ola-kniven Knivblad #56  which I think translated meany "little knife"? LOL

I couldn't tell you what the material is. I'm not a metal expert, but I am a small knife afficianado ha ha. I can see where flattened sides on the antler tine would be helpful.

I have a couple of Helle knives I have made.  All I can say is be very careful so you don't loose an appendage.  They come scary sharp.  I wrapped mine in a piece of thin leather and wrapped em with packing tape so I could work on them.  Serves to protect the nice shiny finish and covers up that sharp edge.

QuoteOriginally posted by 4nolz:
and save some antler dust from sanding to add to the epoxy to blend it in at the surface.

Excellent idea!!

Teh Ola-kniven Knivblad #56 is a triple laminated stainless blade and is new for this year.  The smallest before this was the Polar.

Mike

BTW Mickey you ran me outta stock on this blade.  LOL  Next shipment is due on the 18th or so.

Ferret,
Wingnut owes you a thanks.  Loved your idea and bought three blades for making a neckknife for friends. (I have been trying to figure out what to make for them as they are all better bowyers than I.) This neckknife may become a good way for me to make somehting special for fellow Traditional friends.
John

OK here we go..first off I couldn't finsd a piece of antler that suited me. I needed straight for 3 1/2" and the most straight antler i had without cutting up some elk sheds in the garden were only straight for about 2" so I went to my overlay box and found a cool piece of wood. It was big enough for me to cut (2) handle blanks from 3/4" square by 3 1/2" long.

Next I drilled a 1/4" hole..3 1/4" deep into the handle. The 1/4" hole was a perfect fit for this tang and it snuggly slips right in.