I have had this knife laying in the box since back way before christmas. IDK what prompted me to work on it awhile but I did a little bit after work last week and came up with this.
(http://www.bigbenoutdoors.com/images/skinknife1.jpg)
(http://www.bigbenoutdoors.com/images/skinknife5.JPG)
blade is a 440c stainless hollow ground blade. cutting edge is pretty small and the knife fits nice in the hand. I used brass bolsters and used mosaic tube for the pins to hold the handle on. The handle is made out of african blackwood which kicked my rear. I ruff sanded it on a belt sander at work and the next morning I had an allergic reaction on my face. my eyes swelled shut and my skin dried out bad. Took some zyrtec and I was fine by the afternoon except the dried out skin. which kinda upsets me because I wanted to make another knife that would be a brother to this one. it would be a butchering knife. heavier/longer blade. dad wants me to make him another knife so that will probably be the next project once he decides what he wants. The second pic is to show the finish I got on the wood. man it shined up nice.
any thoughts or constructive criticism for me let r rip. no its not for sale.
Looks good, but sorry to hear that you had a reaction to the wood. I would love to see you making more in the future. It looks like I might, but you will be using different wood.
Jerry
I think I am gonna try to make one more yet the brother to this one like I mentioned in the first post but I will use a different belt sander that doesnt throw the dust everywhere along with using a dust shield/face mask. after that I prob wont work with african blackwood again. even more so if it mess's with me again bad.
I like it Ben. So what would a knife handle blank be sized at??
I think they are 2"x6"x3/8" scales is what I got to make the handle. I do not know exactly what the knife handle dim is now. I can measure it at work tommarow and report back.
I think the knife looks great Ben! You should give some Buffalo horn a try... I think that would look awesome on a knife handle. Since you're as stubborn as I am on using the wood anyway.. :laf: Get some lotion on your hands and arms before you start sanding... your skin won't be so quick to absorb the oils from the dust and react. :wink: along with that the obvious...and much more important, if your skin reacts to it you lungs need protection as well... don't spare money on the safety bud.
that tecnu stuff I mentioned in another thread is meant for poison ivy. you put it on before you go out cutting poison ivy and then take a shower right after. the tecnu creates a barrier on your skin for the oils to land on and you wash it off then in the shower using cold water. I have a whole case from a turnpike worker. I normally use it after I get poison ivy however. so I am gonna try it next time I work on a knife.
Rough dimensions are fine Ben. :eyebrow:
Quote from: bigben on January 18, 2011, 07:44:11 PM
that tecnu stuff I mentioned in another thread is meant for poison ivy. you put it on before you go out cutting poison ivy and then take a shower right after. the tecnu creates a barrier on your skin for the oils to land on and you wash it off then in the shower using cold water. I have a whole case from a turnpike worker. I normally use it after I get poison ivy however. so I am gonna try it next time I work on a knife.
Cool! I've never heard of that before Ben!... I'll have to get some myself. :yoyo: