midnight knife making compatition (only 8 places )

[midnight 657]

lets hope its succesful enough to be repatable !!

might have to go with a small gutting knife in future as everyone seems to want them !!

i will do some bits on the ilistraightion blank i have , im going to change the profile of it and generaly piss about with it but will take piocs they might help you guys !

[Jamie93 57]

Does anyone know where I can get some antler to use for the handle?

 

Thanks

 

Jamie93

[the big chief 3,099]

try ebay

[midnight 657]

yeah ebay is the one . you will need to split it in half and grind it flat so you can fit it either side of the tang .

jigged camel bone looks just like antler and its died on the out side with a pattern to look like stag , but they are flat scales so you can fit them easy !!

[Jamie93 57]

None on Ebay seem wide enough to cover the height of the handle. Any ideas/suggestions?

 

Thanks

[midnight 657]

i have a set here and they fit perfect , i think i paid £12 for them , if there any good to you ?

[Sjt657 191]

Brass pins 5.5mm tried eBay no joy !! Again any ideas ?

[the big chief 3,099]

Brass pins 5.5mm tried eBay no joy !! Again any ideas ?

buy brass rods and cut them down to fit i got all my stuff of ebay there is a massive range on there mate

[jamm13dodger 8]

If you are having issues finding antler you could try buffalo horn. Seems to be quite a bit of it on ebay.

 

My blade arrived today so it'll be out with the files and sandpaper later. I have a few ideas for the handle but cant quite make my mind up

[Jamie93 57]

What grade of paper you using

Jamie93

[midnight 657]

just a tip from when i used to do all mine by hand , you want a single cut file , i used drapers garden files (thats what they call them) old fashioned hard ware stores sell them .

because its sigle cut there is only one set of grooves on it , you can remover the metal much faster and more accuratly . and once the angles look right you can plain the metal with them ,

ok so you have removed the metal and got a basic beval , like this .

now you can clamp it good and tight and plain the metal , to get it flat and clean . like this

 

when its like that clean and flat , id start with sand paper 120 grit , you looking for uniform scratch pattern , dont go in all directions, pic one and stick at it until every serface it the same , this is important , use a backing for the sand paper allways hard , i wrapp the file in it on every grit !!!

when it looks good every where at 120 , change to 240 this will really show any pitting deep screatechs etc , change your direction again , the exact oposite of the last coures is best, change paper regularly and only use it dry at this stage , good tip halfords sell all the sand paper grade you will ever want very affordably , id say now is the time to think what sort of finnish you want on this knife , if you want mirror go through the grits to 600 wet and dry and polish on a buffing mop (on a drill from halfords or what ever you got) if its very shiny at heat treating the scale has not much to stick to and will come off easy , once heat treated you will not get any scractches out unless your like me a freak and will stand there until its done ha ha .

when its where you want it send it back for heat treating .

 

just to inspire you guys a few knives i did 100% by hand with fire files and sand paper .

a few options of finish to . the big bugger has 120 grit(polished) on the sides and 1200grit on cutting edge .

 

and a couple just super shiny all by hand

 

there just there to inspire you along guys , now is the time to go for that mirror finish id say !!

[Jamie93 57]

Thanks.

 

That was just what I was lkooking for.

 

Can't wait for the blank to arrive to get started!!

 

Jamie93

[midnight 657]

just another thought guys your gonna strugle to find pins that correspond exactly to drill bits , ebay sellers are pretty good at measuring the diamiter of pins and drill for you before you buy .

i find steel drill bits to be most accurate (i think because they need to be) for example i bought some "advertised 2mm brass the other week , i asked te seller and they where actualy 2.06mm thick . then i thought ok drills are usualy over sized so went for a steel 2mm drill from B&Qand it came in at 1.96mm sounds nothing but the pins would not fit . so i had to cut them 1/3 to long put them in the drill and spin them with sandpaper wrapped round them , makeshift lathe idea , long story short they fitted with light hammer taps with out splitting the handle material . warning tho pilot with wood drill bits as steal will tear there way out when they break through , unless you back them with non ferrouse metal like alluminium .

its alot of fuss i know .

i will try to do a how to fit handles as soon as i can for anyone that is new to it .

tig and gas welding rods are used by alot of knife makers as pins they come in allsorts of materials to , they im told are usualy accurate with diamiters .

i use a loacl modeling shop for alot of stuff they have sheet brass ally tin , and a huge amount of tubing and pins for making prop shafts for boats etc . worth a try !!

 

is anyone going for the mirror finish file work etc ?

im enjoying this already nice to get a comunity thing going !

all the best , matt

 

just one place left fellas

 

1 seat left

 

knife comp .

#1Sheffield Catapults

#2Sjt657

#3paulus

#4waidmann

#5jamm13dodger

#6Youngun

#7Jamie93

#8......................

[Jamie93 57]

I'll be going for a mirror finish.

 

Jamie93

[midnight 657]

good man .

there are two blanks sat her , one for waidman i dont think he has paid ?

and one unspoken for .

shall we close the books at 7 places this time ?

 

 

i have another set of 10 blanks that i can offer up for the next comp if nayone is intrested ?

little more complicated this time but the metal work is done so it will be handleing in inovative ways !!