Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: bobnewboy on March 21, 2010, 09:40:48 am

Title: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: bobnewboy on March 21, 2010, 09:40:48 am
Hi All,

Just finished off this knife.  The handle is english yew with bone caps, finished in danish oil and beeswax.  The simple shape seems to feel good in my hand.  I'm afraid I'm not the maker of the blade, but it seems to be very good steel, and holds a keen edge.  I've had the blade for some years now, after I bought it thinking about it as a future project.  Overall length is just under 8 inches.

Now I have to make a sheath.  What style do you think would suit it best?  I've made scandinavian style in the past but might make something different for this knife.


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Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: DanaM on March 21, 2010, 10:12:32 am
Very nice :)
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: lowell on March 21, 2010, 10:36:02 am
I've got some feathers....oopps this isn't trading post!! LOL :D

 Very nice knife... the yew and damascus make an interesting combination!! :)
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: Pennhawk on March 22, 2010, 01:18:29 am
Nice knife, how about a sheath from the english yew to match the handle?
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: Pappy on March 22, 2010, 01:34:31 pm
Beautiful work.I like that one a lot. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: Blacktail on March 23, 2010, 12:10:05 am
WOW,if i had money i would really buy that from you...great work..john
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: Tsalagi on March 23, 2010, 12:39:07 am
WOW! That's a fine looking knife! Excellent craftsmanship!
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: bobnewboy on March 23, 2010, 09:19:29 am
Thanks for the comments guys, I appreciate them.  I have another small piece of yew from the same tree, and have started a wooden sheath (scabbard??), but I'm none too sure about how to make the belt loop attachment.  Any suggestions?  I also have a small shoulder of 'Mulberry' bag leather, bought as 'seconds' which is a good colour match and a nice thickness to make a scandinavian style sheath.  The only problem with that is leather is a little oily and may not form as well as veg tanned would.  But what the heck, I'll have a go, and will report back with pictures when I get a bit further.
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: Mark Anderson on March 29, 2010, 02:08:37 pm
great looking knife. The Yew sheath would do it justice since the blade is a scottish scian dubh (skeen doo). I have made several of these and it is actually a sock knife.
Beautiful work!
Mark
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: Hillbilly on March 29, 2010, 04:15:21 pm
Fine looking knife.
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: Swamp Bow on March 29, 2010, 06:14:02 pm
Good looking knife.  I think it's just begging for a slide on sheath that looks just like the handle.

Swamp
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: cowboy on March 29, 2010, 07:31:42 pm
Beautiful knife! I'm going to have to learn how to do this damascus thing..
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: HoBow on March 30, 2010, 05:42:11 am
Looks nice!
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: kylerprochaska on March 30, 2010, 06:19:24 am
I love this knife...Ive always been a fan of damascus blades and the yew and bone set it off!  I wish I had the skill to do that
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: bobnewboy on April 12, 2010, 06:53:22 pm
Hi All,

I've been really busy at work, and then had problems with finishes, then......but anyway I've done a sheath for the knife now  :D

I agreed with a lot of you that a yew and bone sheath would be good, so that's what I made.  The yew block was split and then routed round an outline of the blade using a dremel with an end-cutter, and then glued back together with the knife blade in situ.  The blade was wrapped in plastic sandwich wrap to stop the glue hanging onto it.  It didnt work the first time, and I broke the slotted bone piece pulling the *!*!*!! blade out.  Grrrr.  Second time around I made sure with extra wraps of plastic, and then pierced a new piece of bone, and glued that plus a capping piece onto the wood block.  This time it all came out well, and the sheath even retains the blade positively but gently somehow - nice but unexpected!

The oiled finish on the knife handle was giving me some problems.  For some reason it remained slightly tacky regardless of how long I left it, or heated it, or wiped it down with various treatments.  In the end I used 1200 grade sandpaper and took it all off again.  I then refinished the knife and sheath in a satin matt varnish, which set properly this time.  It feels much nicer in the hand, and doesnt pick up dirty marks. 

So, here are the pictures....note that the 3rd one shows the sheath up the 'wrong way'.



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Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: bobnewboy on April 12, 2010, 07:00:35 pm
Kylerprochaska - note I'm no expert, but it is one of those things I always wanted to try.  This is the second knife I have made - the first one is much bigger and I made all of it when a friend of mine (a blacksmith) did a one-day blade-making course for just me.  A great guy!

It is pretty much like everything else on this site - if you can get the raw ingredients, it is really just a matter of a little time, a lot of sweat, and a bit of trying, and there is so much inspiration on this site that I find it hard not to make things like I see here.

Keep up the inspiration everyone !!!  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: backgardenbowyer on April 21, 2010, 08:41:03 pm
That's quite lovely Bob - you've inspired me to have a go, as I 've never made a knife.  Doubt if I could achieve anything like this though!

Stan
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: kerryb on April 21, 2010, 11:30:46 pm
great looking, beautiful craftsmanship.
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: recurve shooter on April 22, 2010, 10:32:36 am
good lord. me, my friend, and his dad all make knives occasionally, and his dad is really, really good, and what we make aint near as sweet as that thing. love the wood sheath. man amazing work, great job.  ;D
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: Sparrow on April 22, 2010, 06:55:10 pm
That is fine looking work.  '  Frank
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: WOODSLORE on April 26, 2010, 10:27:54 pm
Sweet man! did you make it cable twist or "sandwich" fold? Its real nice congrats! Oh and by the way SUPER "RAIN" PATTERN ON THAT BLADE!!!!
Title: Re: Yew/Bone/Damascus knife
Post by: bobnewboy on April 27, 2010, 04:06:50 pm
Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the kind comments.  Woodslore, I'm afraid that I did not make the blade myself.  It was bought years ago from a UK archery supplier, and is a scian dubh blade as correctly identified by Commadore earlier on in this thread.  I wish I could say that I had made it, because I would then be justly proud of those skills ;D