Stainless San Mai Camp Bowie WIP (DUN)

Scott Roush · July 06, 2011, 01:03:00 PM

Here is one in the works pre-heat treat. My first full sized blade with 416 stainless and high carbon core. It will have some Doug Campbell bighorn with copper liners and some gnarly wrought iron bolsters...

gudspelr · July 06, 2011, 03:42:00 PM

Oh boy am I looking forward to seeing this WIP progress! If you don't mind me asking, what did you use for the core and how are you accomplishing your heat treat? I've been doing some research on stainless San Mai and am curious what methods you use with your blades.

Awesome knife-its going to look great.

Jeremy

Scott Roush · July 06, 2011, 03:57:00 PM

The core is 1080. And I hope it fully hardens as I'm sure there will be carbon migration into the stainless. Most use 1095. So I'm basically just going to treat it like 1080 except I plan to bring critical heat all the way to the spine.. which is something I don't normally do. I want everything to be as even as possible. It is still VERY possible to have some delam if things don't go right.

gudspelr · July 06, 2011, 04:17:00 PM

Thanks for the info, and I wish you the best of luck. I hope it all works out well.

Jeremy

Scott Roush · July 06, 2011, 05:43:00 PM

It's working out. It survived the heat treat and I'm stoked. Just some mild peeling in one little section that will grind away.

YeeHaw!

Scott Roush · July 06, 2011, 05:44:00 PM

and the core hardened up nicely too...

Kevin Evans · July 06, 2011, 08:16:00 PM

Good job Scott ,
I'm getting ready to try some version of that.

Bodork · July 06, 2011, 09:56:00 PM

That is going to be one killer knife!!

Scott Roush · July 08, 2011, 02:12:00 PM

I'm still working on this... the handle and bolsters will be glued up shortly.

Question... I'm encountering a very hard layer inside the billet. I kept the tang soft during the heat treat and was planning to do the last bit of drilling at the end of the handle. The drill bit bites into the stainless without any problem.. but then it encounters something pretty hard. I can't tell it it's the 1080 layer or the beginning or where it goes from the 1080 to the stainless on the other side. It has to be the stainless.. which air hardens a bit I guess... because there is no way the 1080 got hard down there... But if it's the stainless then why is soft on the outside?

What a pain... I'm lucky I have 1/8" carbide end mills somebody just gave me...

Scott Roush · July 09, 2011, 07:13:00 PM

well here are some pics in it's final stages... Seems like I always find things that bug me when I photograph it, so this time I just carried it around and set it in different spots....

Steve Nuckels · July 09, 2011, 07:47:00 PM

Great work on the stainless/carbon blade, it's fantastic! You have progressed so quickly and are producing quality work that is a style of your own!

I'm on the finishing stages of a knife with a blade profile very similar to yours! Maybe I will get it finished before the leaves change!

BTW Scott have you ever done any fine stippeling? I need an idea for a tool to use to get a nice texture. I have tried a small ball on my rotory tool and even a nail and hammer with out the desired effect. Any advise?

Steve
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Potomac Forge

TheBigRedArcher · July 10, 2011, 02:31:00 PM

Absolutely gorgeous. Scott I really enjoy seeing the stuff you come up with, this is a close second in my book, this first being the dirk style hunter. But in all seriousness, your work is great.

Thank you for posting.

Chris

amar911 · July 10, 2011, 02:44:00 PM

Scott,

I think this is your best knife so far. It really is beautiful and unique. And your photography is good too. I'm glad you are finding your own style rather than simply copying someone else's knives. It is interesting how the knifes of some of the best knife makers here are all easily identified with their maker, just by looking at them.

Allan

skullworks · July 10, 2011, 07:22:00 PM

Wowzer! Awesome is an understatement!

Doug Campbell · July 10, 2011, 07:40:00 PM

You done that sheephorn proud buddy and I really like the whole package, thanks for sharing.

Scott Roush · July 10, 2011, 09:20:00 PM

Thanks a lot folks and Thanks Doug for the nice horn. I think the dark stain in the horn really goes with etching in the blade and heat blackened wrought bolsters.

The main thing I would do differently is use thinner stainless in order to get more carbon migration showing higher on the blade.

Toecutter · July 10, 2011, 11:59:00 PM

Excellent as always!!

Nathan

tippit · July 11, 2011, 07:20:00 AM

Scott,
Now that is amazing! Great job

OconeeDan · July 11, 2011, 08:08:00 AM

I really like that knife, great job!