Birthday Build

[BrokenolMarine]

I marked and rough cut the scales this morning, they are looking good so far. I cut off a bit here and there so I could center the best of the (fake) grain on the blanks.

13 rough cut scales.jpg

I have the left side scale glued up and clamped. Once it sets (cures) I can use the blade blank as a template and drill the holes for the pins. In this build I'll use corby rivets (bolts?) They screw down tight and you file or grind away the screwdriver slot and polish the exposed portion. They come in Brass, stainless, and nickel silver. I'll use brass here to match the bolster.

14 corby bolts.jpg

You set these using a special countersink bit that matches the smaller blade blank hole and the head size on the corby rivet.

[rickhem]

Those pins sure disappeared, great job on that.
Do you add a slight chamber or bevel or countersink (not sure proper word) on each side so the peened pins lock in place?

As I mentioned earlier, and you can see in one of the pics, I used a long reamer to cut a bevel in each hole for exactly that purpose. If I remember, I'll take a picture of the reamer kit and the jeweler's saw when I head out to the shop this morning. Some of these tools are rather interesting themselves.

That makes sense and would add a lot of mechanical strength to the bond.

[rickhem]

In this build I'll use corby rivets (bolts?) They screw down tight and you file or grind away the screwdriver slot and polish the exposed portion. They come in Brass, stainless, and nickel silver. I'll use brass here to match the bolster.
You set these using a special countersink bit that matches the smaller blade blank hole and the head size on the corby rivet.

Never heard of those, but the idea is really neat.
Would you just rely on the tightening to hold them, or do you add loctite or epoxy to the threads?

[BrokenolMarine]

In this build I'll use corby rivets (bolts?) They screw down tight and you file or grind away the screwdriver slot and polish the exposed portion. They come in Brass, stainless, and nickel silver. I'll use brass here to match the bolster.
You set these using a special countersink bit that matches the smaller blade blank hole and the head size on the corby rivet.

Never heard of those, but the idea is really neat.
Would you just rely on the tightening to hold them, or do you add loctite or epoxy to the threads?

I put two part epoxy in the hole and then they are bound not only to the blade blank by the smaller shaft, but to the scales by the bottom of the head, and the sides of the head as well where the touch the sides of the countersink. They are VERY secure and look great.

Examples from an earlier knife build. First, the countersink:

08 set up to countersink.jpg

Note that the depth of the countersink left enough of the corby exposed that the slot would be ground away.

09 corby nuts and bone accents.jpg

After shaping and final sanding, they look awesome

12 stained and varnished.jpg

You'd never know there was ever a slot in the brass.

[rickhem]

Very cool!
Whoever Corby was, he had a great idea with that.
Thanks for the follow-up on it.

[BrokenolMarine]

I had glued up the one side, and clamped it to cure. I left it for several hours while Miss T and I had lunch, and watched a couple episodes of a Netflix series. When I went back out to take it out of the clamps to drill the pin holes, using the blank as a template, I found that the scale had shifted "just enough" to have an edge of the blank exposed on the belly. The bleed out of epoxy had hidden the shift, although I had checked several times before walking away. Stuff happens.

Normally I might cut another piece of walnut or maple, but ... these were matched blanks and ... no just cutting another blank. Miss T picked them. Wait, remember how I mentioned in previous posts that you have to be careful about overheating the blank or the epoxy might let go? I got a lighter used to burn thread ends off when making sheaths, and heated the blade blank. NOT red hot, just hot. Several cycles. Then one last time and PUSHED hard on the scale and POP... off it came.

I spent a half hour cleaning up the blade blank, then the underside of the scale, sanding both clear of epoxy residue. I decided to go with the B-plan. I positioned the blank, clamped it in place, and insuring it was PERFECTLY positioned and didn't move, backed the face with wood to prevent tearout, drilled both holes. I took off that scale, applied the other scale and clamped it, then repeated the process. Adapt and overcome.

16 both sides.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

Okay, we have holes, now to countersink them. Using the actual corby bolts, and the drill index sizing card, I determined which countersink I would need. It was this one.

17 countersink bit closeup.jpg

After some careful measurements and testing, I determined the depth I wanted to go with the countersink. I set up the drill press to STOP at that depth, and had a scrap piece of wood to protect the bit. We were ready to drill. The pucker factor was high...

18 preparing to countersink.jpg

After drilling four holes, I tested the depth with the corby bolts.

19 corby bolts in place.jpg

The true test is to assemble the scales with the bolts sans glue. I did and it went together like a champ. My shop time was up, and I was feeling it. I'll do the glue up in the morning, let it cure, and start shaping.

20 test fit.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

This test fit of course is all rough shaped, the lines on the scale show the rough outline and I cut outside the lines ON Purpose. You can sand or file away excess, it's hard to add back. Tomorrow is the fun part after the glue up. The payoff is when you start to see the "Plan come together."

[BrokenolMarine]

Out this morning after breakfast. Loaded the soundtrack for American Graffiti for good working music. Needed some good background and I know most of the words to all the songs. Back when that came out, you could go to the first showing and stay in the theatre thru as many shows as you liked. I spent my summer watching that movie over and over. I knew everyone who worked at the place and eventually started watching the darn thing from the projection booth. But that's the subject for another thread...

My first step to begin the glue up, was to prep the clamps. I already mentioned in another thread that I save scrap leather, and some are cut in strips. I cut small squares off the strips and use painter's tape to secure those to the clamps so they don't damage/scar the scales when putting pressure on them during glue up. Getting them ready first is important since it's five minute epoxy. It sets up quick and you don't have much time. It needs to cure for several hours before you start working with it, but you have to have the pieces in contact and no further movement within five minutes.

21 prep clamps.jpg

Next up, prepping the contact surfaces. I roughed the back of the scales and the metal of the blade blank with 80 grit sandpaper. Doesn't have to be pretty, just insure that ALL the contact surface has been roughed slightly to insure a proper bond. A glass smooth finish would appear to be a better surface, but NO... you need the slightly roughened surface for grip strength.

22 prep surfaces.jpg

I mixed the epoxy and spread it on the left panel and put it in place, then put the female halves of the corby bolts in place, as guides to insure alignment. Before inserting the bolts, I used a q-tip to apply epoxy to the lower portion and underside of the head, and along the outer portion of the shaft. I then carefully seated the bolts in both holes.

23 glue up left side.jpg

Next, I coated the right side and seated in on that slightly protruding portion of the corby bolt. and insured it was properly fitted and flush on the blade blank. Then, coated the male corby bolts one at a time, coating the lower portion and underside of the head, and the threads, then hand tightened them, for now. I put the blade in the small desk vise and using two screwdrivers, snugged the bolts.

Now, I placed Kant Twist clamps on both ends of the scales outside the corby bolts and screwed them down snug to insure the scales were tight against the blank, and placed the last clamp in the middle. Tightened it down snug as well. I'll allow this to sit for at least six hours.

24 right side and clamped.jpg

I may start shaping late this afternoon, or may wait until tomorrow. WE are close.

[BrokenolMarine]

Took the knife out of the clamps and started to shape it. First, I did the rough shaping on the benchtop belt sander and took away the excess scale and brass and then started the rounding of the edges. I moved to the oscillating sander and shaped the small inside curves that couldn't be shaped on the top of the benchtop sander's round edge in it's vertical position. Rolled the edges of the bolster on the 1x30 belt sander as well. This left scratches on the brass and the scales.

I moved to my bench and started on the bolster, working up from 400 to 1,000 grit with dawn and spritzes of water and got the brass gleeming again. It was looking good.

25 bolster to 1000.jpg

I put some painter's tape across the bolster, and moved to the scales. I started with 400 on the 1x30 and started to refine the polish, moved to 600 and worked it. This works WELL on the spine and sides but you have to be careful on the inner curves. I moved back to the bench. Using 600 I worked around the scales and the dust highlighted the scratches and dings I'd missed. Back to 400 to work out the scratches and then back to 600, then 400 again for the last of the missed scratches. 600 to 800 and on up to 1000. Looks good so far.

27 scales to 1000.jpg

The corbys have the scratches from being ground flush, so they need some serious attention, time to break out the pin kit and the pencil dremel. I'll work up from medium, thru fine and extra fine. That will make the pins gleem like the bolster. Look close at the picture below and you can see the scratches I'm referring to. I'll post the after pics tomorrow after the polishing has been completed.

28 pin polishing.jpg

I'll get back at it in the morning, possibly working thru 1500 and 2000 on the scales and buffing the pins and bolster with rouge before being ready for final finish. I plan to try a new technique, finishing the scales with CA glue. Yup, using CA glue as an actual finish. Six or Eight coats of CA glue to build up a base, buffed out and waxed. Stay tuned.

[BrokenolMarine]

I've still got time, Miss T's Birthday is still a few days away.

[rickhem]

The CA glue finish sounds interesting.
I built some saltwater fishing plugs some years ago, and those finished up with a two part epoxy called EnviroTex. It's supposedly not rock-hard like some other epoxies, and helps keep the plugs sealed even after a few fish chew on them. The people that helped me do these said that the EnviroTex stayed flexible, and was a better finish than other epoxies.
The CA finish sounds neat, your work time is short and the coating is thinner, but it's rock hard when cured. I've used the CA and baking soda trick to fill gaps and voids, and that works amazingly well, just never thought of the CA itself as a finish.
Your threads just keep on giving!

[BrokenolMarine]

I have used all three CA glues in my woodworking to fill gaps and cracks, then sanded them smooth. I use fine sawdust from the same area on the wood, pre-stain it with the stain I plan to use there, or stain it very dark, then fill the hole and add the CA. The glue soaks in. I let it cure, repeat until the fill is proud, then sand off flush. I can usually find the repair, but others rarely comment on them. If you like, I'll post a pic when I get back to my desktop.

[Hatchdog]

The contrast between the pins and the scales is outstanding!

[BrokenolMarine]

The contrast between the pins and the scales is outstanding!

I like the fact that the scales appear to have gold swirls in them.

[BigAl52]

Looks really good BOM. Im sure Miss T will love it

[BrokenolMarine]

I had gone out this morning and applied the first coat of CA finish to this project. As I said earlier, I had never done it before, and like all the rest of the knifemaking, I "Watched YouTube videos" and was ready to give 'er a go. Ah... it wasn't nearly as smooth as I had hoped. I laid out all the supplies, made a last pass at the sanding with 1500 grit, and wiped 'er down with a moist cloth to insure there was no dust or grit.

I donned my gloves, got my lint free cloth and made the first swipe across the scales with the thin CA glue. The grain and scale lit up beautifully. This was going to work grea... what? The little bleed thru from the rag ate thru the rubber glove like the creatures blood thru the floors and everything else in the movie "Alien!" It also burned the tip of my finger INSIDE The glove.

Not a good start.

Doubled, then tripled the rag, and stripped off the gloves. Sheesh. I added more CA glue and made another swipe. LOOKS great. Turned the knife and made another pass, turned and pass, turned and pass, turned and pass, and an overlap. Ugggh. A bit of a lump. Well, they said you might get some bumps, but you do sand between coats to get that sheen.

Put the knife in the clamp to hold it vertical to cure. Went in for breakfast and coffee. I came back out and it looked pretty good as I walked up to the bench, but... up close there were a lot of rough areas. Began wet sanding for the between coat work.

29 wet sanding CA finish.jpg

I started at 600 grit and worked my way all the way around the scales. Rinsed and was disappointed to learn that there was still sanding to do. Got a new piece, spritzed the sandpaper and got to work. With the paper wrapped around the pink eraser and music in the background, I got to it. Rinsed and ... still had areas that looked like... um... didn't look good. Got new paper and settled in. Put 'er in the vise and went to work.

30 up to 1500 grit.jpg

An hour later, working up thru 1000 and 1500 grit, we were looking good. ALL the CA was gone and she was looking good again.

31 thats nice.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

What to do now? I fell back on a tried and true remedy. All that sanding had proven one thing. The synthetic scale was HARD as a rock. So, I'd use my old faithful....

32 old faithful.jpg

I applied the first coat, and as it dried I started to clean up. I came back and buffed out coat one, and applied a second. They get easier as you go along. More cleaning and quicker drying time. Buff and apply, then come back. She looks good.

33 three coats.jpg

Started on the design and layout of the sheath, should be finished in time for the boss's birthday.

34 started on the sheath.jpg

I'm not ruling out the CA finish, I'll give it a try on some scrap wood when I'm in the shop and bored and see if I can figure it out. Or not. It may not make it to my quiver... I can't master every technique. Some folks are masters, some are satisfied to hack at it.

[BigAl52]

Never seen any hacking in the BOM shop. Looks great

[BrokenolMarine]

Got back to work in the shop on the sheath, and after fiddling with the actual leather, test folding and checking to see if the knife would actually fit, I transferred the pattern to the leather.

35 transferred the sheath.jpg

Playing around with the knife on the leather, I figured out where the welt needed to go, and how it needed to be laid out, and sketched it into the leather of the sheath. I needed to transfer that to a pattern that I could put on the raw leather so I could cut out a welt. I had come up with a trick to use that has worked well in the past. Take clear tape, and join the sticky faces together to form a clear stiff (ish) piece to lay over the area to be traced.

36 A neat trick.jpg

Get the piece lined up and ready, and use a fine tip marker and trace your pattern.

37 overlay the welt.jpg

Go over the lines several times after the initial trace once you are done so they are bold.

38 welt traced.jpg

Now you can cut out the pattern and transfer it to the raw leather, and cut out the welt to be used on your sheath.