09-16-2014, 16:16
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#1
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 162
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Thought I'd try my hand at it...
My best friend got married on Friday and I got the crazy idea that I should make him a knife as my gift to him. Put some ideas down on paper, drawing extensively from my Yarborough, John Horrigan's Fighter ( www.eliteknives.com), and the sheath that Aaron Gough makes for his knives ( www.goughcustom.com).
After some consideration, I decided to go with O-1 tool steel. I sketched my idea out on paper, then traced it to 1/8" plexiglass and cut it out to get a feel for form and fit. I made some changes to the handle then transferred the pattern to the steel. I started with 3/16"x2"x36" bar stock.
Using a hacksaw, I rough cut the profile from the bar, then cleaned it up with a bench grinder.
I then built a little jig to bevel the blade, by hand, with a file 
After getting the bevels cut, I took the blade down to 220grit.
I then cut the thumb grip with a dremel.
Using West Systems 105 epoxy, I coated alternating black and green strips of canvas, then compressed them and let them dry.
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"You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas" -Davy Crockett
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letinsh is offline
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09-16-2014, 16:23
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#2
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 162
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I took the blade over to John Horrigan's to get some wisdom from the master, and he differentially heat treated the knife for me 
After tempering the blade, I sanded it down to 600grit.
I then rough cut my handle scales from the "micarta" I had made, drilled the pin holes, and finished the front of each scale, since you can't get at it once it's glued on the blade.
I then acid etched the blade for corrosion resistance (plus, it looks pretty tight).
I cut the pins and lanyard tube from stainless steel and glued everything together.
Next, it was time to contour the handle.
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"You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas" -Davy Crockett
Last edited by letinsh; 09-17-2014 at 09:02.
Reason: grammar.
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letinsh is offline
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09-16-2014, 16:28
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#3
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 162
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I took the handle down to 400grit, shined up the pins, and touched up the acid etch.
For size, next to the Yarborough.
On to the sheath.
Scored some Kydex. Took inspiration from Aaron's sheathes and off to the races.
Using a Lansky sharpening system, I gave it the best edge I've ever given a knife.
And there you go.
It was a lot more fun than I anticipated...might turn into a little side gig! 
By hand, this thing took about 20hrs, start to finish.
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"You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas" -Davy Crockett
Last edited by letinsh; 09-16-2014 at 16:37.
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letinsh is offline
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09-16-2014, 16:33
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#4
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Area Commander
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,690
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Are you sure that was your first time to make a knife?  If so, I can only imagine what your follow-on knives would look like.
That is an awesome present that will last a lifetime and will always be appreciated for the time, thought, and effort that was put into possibly even more than its usefulness.
Outstanding job!
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Sohei is offline
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09-16-2014, 16:39
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#5
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 293
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Outstanding job, and a great present.
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Javadrinker is offline
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09-16-2014, 19:15
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#6
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Area Commander
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,403
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Nice job.
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mugwump
“Klaatu barada nikto”
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mugwump is offline
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09-16-2014, 19:55
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#7
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Posts: 31
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Bravo Letinish!
Outstanding job for your first knife. Heck, even if that was your 20th. I know for a fact you spent days on that and you should be proud. Having John nearby to help would make any new knife maker jealous. Keep up the good work and absorb as much as you can from him, he's one of a few Master Smiths that's at a level beyond comprehension.
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TCT_Knives is offline
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09-16-2014, 20:18
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#8
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Eau Claire, WI
Posts: 136
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Nice work building the jig to file the bevel. The end result is very nice.
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Rob_Frey is offline
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09-16-2014, 21:00
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#9
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Occupied Pineland
Posts: 4,701
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Very nice! And a lot of work. Looks like the only "cheat" you used was John Horrigan. (Stacks right up there with living next to Harsey!  ) I'm sure your friend will treasure it in the spirit you intended.
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A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero (42B.C)
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Peregrino is offline
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09-16-2014, 21:00
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#10
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Area Commander
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: The Black Hills of SD
Posts: 5,917
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Note to self:
When getting married, invite Letinsh to the wedding.
Maybe I too can score a thing of beauty ....
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Non Sibi Sed Suis
_____________________________________________
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Sdiver is offline
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09-17-2014, 05:25
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#11
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: VA
Posts: 859
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Fantastic work!
I'm just a little curious, how long did it take to manually hacksaw that sucker?
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"1000 days of evasion are better than one day in captivity"
"Too many men work on parts of things. Doing a job to completion, satisfies me."- Richard Proenneke
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BryanK is offline
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09-17-2014, 08:18
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#12
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 680
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Bravo! I hope you keep making knives, you've got a knack for it. Good job!
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Barbarian is offline
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09-17-2014, 08:29
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#13
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 162
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BryanK
Fantastic work!
I'm just a little curious, how long did it take to manually hacksaw that sucker? |
Actually, it wasn't that bad. With the steel in an annealed state, I want to say that it was under an hour. Like I said, I just roughed in the shape - the grinding wheel did the hard work.
I've gotta give much credit to Aaron Gough - dude has some killer videos on his website that basically walk you through the whole process. He made it "letinsh-proof." And he returns emails with solid answers
In the last few weeks, I've picked up a 2"x42" belt grinder and a band saw, which will cut down the time needed, substantially. Only things left to pick up are a shop vac and a drill press (but I've got one I can borrow).
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"You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas" -Davy Crockett
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letinsh is offline
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09-17-2014, 08:40
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#14
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Bladesmith to the Quiet Professionals
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oregon, Land of the Silver Grey Sunsets
Posts: 3,879
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Good start.
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Bill Harsey is offline
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09-17-2014, 09:03
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#15
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 162
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Harsey
Good start.
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Thank you, sir!
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"You may all go to Hell and I will go to Texas" -Davy Crockett
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letinsh is offline
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