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big chopper made - no more toting a hatchet!

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Sidmand:
I wanted to make myself a good sized chopper to carry for clearing shooting lanes, general bush work, and because I like really big knives.  I was a surveyor for many years (and still am sometimes) and swung a machete for a long time, so using a big chopping knife is just something I know how to do.  Granted, this knife isn't as light or nimble as a machete, but man it can chop! 

Overall length of 22 inches, blade length is just north of 13 inches and the handle is big enough for two of my hands (I have smallish hands).  Pretty sure it's 15N20 steel from a 3/8 inch thick, 6 foot sawmill blade my dad scavenged from a strip mine of all places.  I didn't forge it, but I did heat treat it in my solid fuel forge.  It's not as hard as I'd like it to be, but hard enough to chop and split wood.  I tested it on a little hickory bat and then whacked through a deer antler.  Got a little kick in the blade when I went through the antler and into a screwhead in my workbench, but it sharpened out just fine.  Working on a sheath now.  It will be seeing a lot of woods time.

osage outlaw:
Looks like a very useful blade.  That's a huge saw blade.  Those go for big bucks.

Hawkdancer:
Looks like a real chopper!  There might be a couple more things come out of that saw blade >:D )-w(
Watch the direction of "TIMBER"! (lol). Good job!
Hawkdancer

Trapper Rob:
Good looking knife.

Sidmand:

--- Quote from: osage outlaw on July 27, 2018, 10:19:43 am ---Looks like a very useful blade.  That's a huge saw blade.  Those go for big bucks.

--- End quote ---

yeah, it is a monster saw blade.  Dad said it was in one of the sheds at a strip mine he was inspecting (he was a mine inspector) and he asked if he could have it.  They told him if he could move it and load it to take it, it had been there for more years than anyone currently working the mine.  He got it loaded with a forklift, then took it home and starting cutting on it.  He made a decorative sword out of the first piece he cut, I just followed suit.  We want to knock a few of the teeth out and see what kind of steel they are, just haven't taken the time to do so yet.

Thanks for the kind words all!

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