Author Topic: Cholla Knife - Finished  (Read 8407 times)

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Offline gstoneberg

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Cholla Knife - Finished
« on: November 06, 2012, 12:32:28 am »
My wife is out of town so I spent quite a bit of time in the shop tonight.  Prepared a cholla handle and got the blade glued in.  Also cut a thin mesquite cap for the other end and sanded it flat.  Here are the components:



I'd have had it all glued up tonight, but my smooth-on hardener lid was welded on and I couldn't get it off.  I'll have to locate my other strap clamp to get it open.  I did get the sinew wrap done before I called it a night.



Then I got side tracked with a big spall, thought I'd do another knife blade.



I should-a quit while I was ahead.  I had it mostly thinned when I hit the base with the bopper to do a little thinning down there.  The preform snapped about an inch down from the point end.  I was so disgusted I didn't even take a picture.  Then, I switched to making a big point.  I had it mostly done but the tip was a little thick so I whacked it there and...



Took off the last 3/4". ::)  I have got to learn to do my tip thinning with the ishi... :'(  Finally ended up with a little 113 grain point.



What a waste of good flint.  It was some primo stuff too. >:(  O well, most of it's gravel now.

George
« Last Edit: December 01, 2012, 11:39:12 pm by gstoneberg »
St Paul, TX

Offline Tower

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2012, 12:47:02 am »
That's a great looking knife George. Bummer about the other blade, but you made a great save. I have several pieces of Cholla, maybe I should make a knife. Yours is great.
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2012, 02:47:56 am »
Cool, George. 8)
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

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Offline bubby

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2012, 04:02:01 am »
nice knife and a great lookin' blade george, the smaller point looks like it'll hunt, Bub
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline Tortoise

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2012, 04:32:01 am »
Hey is that one of the pieces I sent you? Looks great!
-Peter
Arizona

Offline gstoneberg

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2012, 06:40:34 am »
Thanks guys, and yes Peter, that's one of your cholla pieces.  I think every piece you sent will make a nice knife.  Thanks. :)  I'll have to fiill the smallest one with something to strengthen it.  I remember somebody filling a cholla up with colored acrylic that was really pretty.  This piece was stout enough it shouldn't need it. 

Don, if I didn't want to keep that blade I got from you to display, it would sure make a pretty knife.  I think you should do a knife.  Did you find the cactus down there?

As for the point, it'd go on a dogwood shaft but I think it might be a little thick at the base to go into a cane shaft.  I would have preferred a flat base but I had to knock off a big hump on one side with a flute and didn't want to lose any more length.  Interestingly, after I broke the preform I knocked a 2" flute off the point end thinning up there.  (I was frustrated and swinging pretty hard.)  Boy, if I could just do that every time I need to...

George
St Paul, TX

Offline bubby

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2012, 03:24:34 pm »
george fill that cholla with two part epoxy, you can add some color to it with food coloring, Bub
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline TRACY

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2012, 08:00:54 pm »
Man George, you can push them out when the boss is away! :D . Really nice blade!

Tracy
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Offline Trapper Rob

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2012, 08:05:14 pm »
Nice knife & good save on the point.
Rob

Offline gstoneberg

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2012, 08:20:47 pm »
george fill that cholla with two part epoxy, you can add some color to it with food coloring, Bub

Bub, that thing is almost totally hollow.  That'd be a lot of epoxy, it sure would be pretty though.  Could never use 5min though, take longer than that just to mix.  I have enough smooth-on but that's for laminates.  Guess I need to go shopping...

The boss is back home, no knife work tonight. ;)  Glad to have her home!

Thanks all,

George
St Paul, TX

Offline Tortoise

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2012, 08:59:13 pm »
You could also try a dowel if it can fit.
-Peter
Arizona

Offline bubby

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2012, 12:03:31 am »
the couple i did were hollow as all get out, took two of the tubes to fill'em, wrap it in stretch wrap and fill her up, dont have to use 5 min, set the blade in the epoxy two, Bub
« Last Edit: November 07, 2012, 02:45:06 am by bubby »
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline bubby

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #12 on: November 07, 2012, 02:44:11 am »
here's a pic of the one my son made, epoxy with color, it did take a while to completlly cure out, Bub
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline JEB

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #13 on: November 07, 2012, 09:03:53 am »
Bubby, great looking knife and handle. Did you fill the cholla from the end or each opening from the outside and then sand.

Offline bowtarist

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Re: Cholla Knife
« Reply #14 on: November 07, 2012, 12:24:09 pm »
OOOH G, that is one nice looking knife!! dpg
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