Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => At the Forge => Topic started by: Mesophilic on October 01, 2019, 07:28:23 pm

Title: File knife
Post by: Mesophilic on October 01, 2019, 07:28:23 pm

Made this one from an old Nicolson USA file.   I chose to do an interrupted water quench on this one.


Both the sheath and handle scales came from my neighbors dead Russian olive tree I helpd cut up this past summer.  Oil finish on the wood.

I'm not happy with my leather work but this is the first time I've done something like this so it'll do.  Rhe The stitching most visible in the second pic was supposed to be hidden behind the sheath.  And there's a couple of other things I didn't like.

I had made a sister knife but she snapped while I was trying to take out some warp during a temper cycle.  Completely my fault,  put too much torque on her.  On the positive side,  the grain structure was extremely fine and creamy so I think I nailed  normalizing and the heat treat soak.  Being an unknown alloy there's a little guesswork sometimes on temperature, time, and quench  media.

(https://66.media.tumblr.com/6f13f443f61fc94b6bb942492f2660cd/26bb97c59fe36c30-d5/s1280x1920/c21021a5df766f7bb608f4318c36a14dc5fd6995.jpg)


(https://66.media.tumblr.com/5d0d9007654fc3c78c0f46feef01d051/afbf41441b4e835b-86/s1280x1920/c9a29711584624f936b6693459109f00f043c1fe.jpg)

Title: Re: File knife
Post by: JW_Halverson on October 01, 2019, 07:50:15 pm

I'd happily take her for a quiet stroll in the woods of a sunny summer afternoon!

Title: Re: File knife
Post by: Trapper Rob on October 01, 2019, 08:39:11 pm

Nice looking knife

Title: Re: File knife
Post by: Ed Brooks on October 01, 2019, 08:54:51 pm

Nothing wrong with that, very nice. Ed

Title: Re: File knife
Post by: Hawkdancer on October 01, 2019, 09:39:50 pm

Nice work!  Looks like the Russian olive has a nice grain pattern!  Is that a one piece sheath?  She can come to. The woods with me any day!
Hawkdancer

Title: Re: File knife
Post by: Mesophilic on October 02, 2019, 12:33:46 am

Quote from: Hawkdancer on October 01, 2019, 09:39:50 pm

Nice work!  Looks like the Russian olive has a nice grain pattern!  Is that a one piece sheath?  She can come to. The woods with me any day!
Hawkdancer

Thanks, guys.

No, it's a two piece sheath.   

Title: Re: File knife
Post by: Pat B on October 02, 2019, 09:12:04 am

Very nice knife and sheath. I love the combo. The leather and wood goes well together.
 With black or dark brown thread the stitching blends in better. Also you don't need that big of a stitching area. A single line across or a double line, one on either side with only a few stitches will do.

Title: Re: File knife
Post by: Mesophilic on October 02, 2019, 12:27:37 pm

Quote from: Pat B on October 02, 2019, 09:12:04 am

Very nice knife and sheath. I love the combo. The leather and wood goes well together.
 With black or dark brown thread the stitching blends in better. Also you don't need that big of a stitching area. A single line across or a double line, one on either side with only a few stitches will do.

Thanks for the tips, I'll give it a shot on the next one.

Title: Re: File knife
Post by: KHalverson on October 02, 2019, 01:53:57 pm

looks really good.

Title: Re: File knife
Post by: Woodely on October 10, 2019, 07:07:46 pm

Cool.  Nice work