Skian Dubh-It-Y'Salf

[O'Neille]

Have you finished your knife project yet? I'm just hoping to see the final pictures? O'Neille

[Andrew Green]

This has got me pretty interested too. I know a guy who makes some nice stuff using old wagon iron, looks really neat.
Your knife is looking pretty good so far. i have also heard of heating the tang, and shoving the antler down onto it, and once it cools, it's stuck. I am guessing this works on the same principle as boiling the antler as well. There seems to always be the option of epoxy.

[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

[ozmeath]

Good advice, thanks Rab and I'll look into it.
Will keep you folks posted. For now I'm off to a folk festival in Far North Queensland. I'll try for some kilted pics while I'm at it.
Erin.