Skian Dubh-It-Y'Salf

[ozmeath]

It's been long delays and inventive procrastination but here's a few more pics:
This is the end of the handle carved as a bind rune of my first name, and the bolster that I'd made in timber first and had cast in stirling silver also with a bind rune of a beneficial formula for the knife and weilder/bearer.


Drilling thru the handle and blade for rivetting:


And setting the rivet, but still to be countersunk:


I wont be rivetting the knife together just yet as I'm still not happy with the tempering of the blade. Now I just need to make a forge... but here's a good link I found for just that! http://64.176.180.203/washtubforge.htm
Erin

[Livingston]

Looking good there. Can't wait to see your final product. Keep up the good work. Oh, and change the inventive procrastination to inventive creativity.

[Panache]

Worth the wait! Very nice work. If this is the result of slow and steady, then take your time.

Cheers

[Brasilikilt]

Hey Oz

I love the cast bolster! I love antler handled knives in general. With the time and care you're taking for this one, it's certainly going to turn out to be a real beauty!
Are you going to do any jimping on the spine?

I think if you get the tempering the way you want it, and get a nice sharp edge on the blade, you will certainly have a good all around knife to use in the bush.

Just a couple weeks ago when I was at a historical encampment, I found that my sgian dubh was the knife that got the most use by not just me, but lots of folks.
I find that smaller handy knives get used a lot more!

keep us posted on your progress

[Rab Gordon]

That's coming along really nicely.
Consider differential tempering where you heat the spine of the blade more than the edge using a blowtorch.

Rab

[ozmeath]

That's coming along really nicely.
Consider differential tempering where you heat the spine of the blade more than the edge using a blowtorch.

Rab

Thanks for the positive response fellas.
BK I think I'll skip the jimping on this one, kinda like the look of it without.
Rab, what's the advantage of the differential tempering? Wouldn't that make the spine more brittle?
E.

[Rab Gordon]

The higher the tempering temperature the less hard but tougher the metal -so ideal for a more flexible spine (and tang), but keeping a hard edge if you can control the heat spread

not to be confused with differential hardening where you just harden the edge and leave the spine soft

Rab

[Mithral]

I wont be rivetting the knife together just yet as I'm still not happy with the tempering of the blade. Now I just need to make a forge... but here's a good link I found for just that! http://64.176.180.203/washtubforge.htm
Erin

I've done a good bit of work in a washtub forge, as much as I like using charcoal, I've had to admit the economy and portability of the Ammo-box forge.

A friend of mine took everything he liked about Ron Riel's freon can forge, and put it in an ammo box, along with some modifications to the burner if I recall.

Highly portable, and it'll get welding temperatures at 15-20 psi, forging temperatures at 5.

[ozmeath]

I've done a good bit of work in a washtub forge, as much as I like using charcoal, I've had to admit the economy and portability of the Ammo-box forge.

A friend of mine took everything he liked about Ron Riel's freon can forge, and put it in an ammo box, along with some modifications to the burner if I recall.

Highly portable, and it'll get welding temperatures at 15-20 psi, forging temperatures at 5.

Nice one mithral, I'll check out some army disposals asap. So do have link for the design by any chance? What's used instead of charcoal?
Cheers, Erin