A Boot Knife Build

[BrokenolMarine]

Back out to work on the boot knife. Before starting to fit the scales, I wanted to give the bolsters a bit of a polish. I started with 600 grit and polished using my tried and true wet with a dash of dawn.

28 600.jpg

Moved on to 1000 grit, I'm out of 800. Slow circles with light pressure, trying to avoid adding any additional scratches and removing the ones from 600.

29 1000.jpg

I made sure to work the rolled edges at both those grits, and again when I moved on to 1500. The water and the dawn are supposed to help get the best finish possible. Once I start shaping the scales, I'll cover the bolster with the blue tape, but then will have to go back and polish a tad more, and might go up to 2000 before moving to the rouge to finish off.

30 1500.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

If you look in the picture for 600, the dark line you see on the right edge ON the blade blank, is epoxy bleed out. The scalpel will remove that after the 1500 polish before we start on the scales. Gotta have that tight snuggle against the bolster.

[BrokenolMarine]

As I began to fit the scales, I noted that the first one I pushed up tight was off a bit. Not a LOT but it wasn't lining up straight down the slot...

31 A side a tad off.jpg

Tweeked the alignment and marked a tick to show how much it was off. Then we mark the distance we need to change the angle.

32 A side correction.jpg

Off to the benchtop sander and I use the disc sander on the side to carefully sand to the line. TO the line... not over.

33 making the adjustment.jpg

Testing the fit and the A Side is bang on.

34 A aligned.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

The scale is carefully clamped into position and I trace around the scale, then mark the holes.

a side layout.jpg

Satisfied, I repeat the process for the B side to get a nice layout as well. I center the blade in the blanks rather than on one edge or the other due to the arched shape of the scale blanks. The grain is deeper in the center section and we want that to run down the center of the knife blank.

AND B side.jpg

Time for a break, lunch and rest the hands and the back. Will cut out the scales this afternoon if up to it.

[BrokenolMarine]

The knife keeps pulling me to the shop. I set up the bandsaw for the cuts, but the light wouldn't pick up the markings, so I had to make them darker.

37 setting up the bandsaw.jpg

While I was back at the bench, I had to take the time to make SIX 1/8th by 2-1/4" copper pins for the knife, since I would need then to insure the scales didn't move as I drilled the holes, then for the glue up. First you sand the rough copper rod to insure it's smooth and then cut each pin to length and round the rough ends. Pins.

38 making six eighth inch pins.jpg

Carefully clamping the scale to the blade blank, I moved to the drill press after checking and rechecking to insure it was in position. Then I drilled a hole, checked the position and inserted a pin. Drilled a hole, inserted a pin. I could add a second clamp at that point and continue to drill and insert pins until all six holes are drilled. Once the once side was done, I jumped to the other. Both sides came out pretty nice and the pins were snug.

39 carefully drilled the holes.jpg

The pins were removed and we are ready to prep for glue up. The blade blank and scales have to be sanded on the glue side one last time, then roughed up to help the glue hold. Everything needed for the glue up has to be in place as it's FIVE minute epoxy.

[BrokenolMarine]

As always, I can't let well enough alone, I am trying something new. I am going to add a new aspect to the build and Tint the epoxy used in the scale glue up. I ordered this after the last build, and on this build I'll tint the epoxy to compliment the bolsters. Copper.

40 Tint for the epoxy.jpg

This stuff is very fine powder and you don't need much. I dipped some out on the scalpel blade and ... it looks like a got a bit much.

41 Oops a bit too much.jpg

One thing I can say, it makes the epoxy look metallic when it's wet, we'll see what it looks like when it's dry. The glue up went smooth as silk, but it was messy. I'll post some additional pics when I get it out of the clamps and began the shaping and final finish process. (The metallic looking epoxy.)

42 It's metallic.jpg

The other new technique will be rolling the tops of the pins in the handle, these will be part of the accents. I have to "Make" an anvil to go under the pins, out of a carriage bolt, that can be adjusted up and down to support the pin while it's being rolled, shaped, and polished. You can't order these, yet. I think I have everything I need.

It will give the scales time to set up properly....

I don't weld, so wish me luck. I think I have JB Weld in the shop.

[BrokenolMarine]

BTW, not only did I use too much metallic tint, that's WAY too much epoxy mixed up and wasted. Duh.
(Picture a Gibs Head Slap Emoji here)

[Hatchdog]

I’m liking how you textured the bolsters and the serpentine pattern on the spline is really cool. Nice work!

[BrokenolMarine]

Thanks Hatch. We will soon know if the chances I took paid off. I'll be back out in the shop this morning after coffee... These days I'm fueled by caffine. It's my drug of choice.

[BrokenolMarine]

The coffee got cut short, I had to know if it was going to look okay. I got on out to the shop and pulled the knife out of the clamps and it was a hot mess. Wait, wait, they always look like that and in this case, I expected it. I put extra epoxy in on purpose. Why? You ask. I wanted it to fill those voids from the tooling with copper tinted epoxy as accents to see if it will look good when everything is said and done. If not I can pull it out of there and polish the steel to a bright silver shine.

A hot mess:

43 out of the clamps.jpg

Here is a closer look, a copper tinted epoxy bleed out.

44 closer look.jpg

After working the knife on the benchtop sander and the Oscillating sander for the inside curves.... it's starting to look like something. I also trimmed down those long pins.

45 rough shaped trimmed pins.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

Here is the other side of the knife after the rough shaping.

46 other side.jpg

Now it's time to get busy moving toward the goal. I clamped the knife in the BIG serious clamp and started to polish the bolster. Starting with 120 to smooth the rough transitions, I used the HIGH Dollar custom shaping tool. (Popsicle stick and erasers) to smooth things out.

47 120 grit polish.jpg

Of course, it was a wet sand and dawn, then 400 grit to remove those scratches and ease the transitions even more.

48 400 grit polish and shape.jpg

After that major work was done, I moved to the bench and used 600 grit holding the knife in my hand and using the thin strips on the finger tip and VERY small circular movements.

49 600 grip polish.jpg

When I needed to change things up due to cramping, I set that aside and took up the scalpel to clean up the tooling, removing the squeeze out where it wasn't wanted.

50 clean up the tooling.jpg

Stopped here for now, broken, so breaks are needed. Next up I'll start on the 1000 and 1500 on the bolster and began polishing the tooling around the edges. We are getting close. I want to do the pins, but I have asked about getting someone to build the JIG for the pin finishing. If I don't get a welder that can do that, I'll fake it and use JB Weld to weld it.

THIS is the way it's done, and the JIG is explained from 3:00 to 6:00 minutes. You can't buy them already built, I looked.
I don't weld, but if the JB weld would hold, I think I can find the materials locally and make it. The tapping wouldn't put too much stress on the assembly. (It's an interesting video and the guy built a beautiful knife to show the pin finishing.) Maybe someday mine will look that good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBRDYNQ8prY&t=371s

[BrokenolMarine]

If you watched the video, pay attention to the tooling on the spine of that knife. Amazing. I'll get there, or die Still trying. That is beautiful. The Damascus accents and the rest of the build is very nice. I'm working to build my skill levels to that.

Some of these guys build knives that you have to sit back and rewind to look at several times to take in all the details. I just remind myself that they have been doing it for a LOT longer.

[BrokenolMarine]

I went out into the shop to look at building the Pin JIG using an Old Lawn Mower Blade and the JB Weld, but then the 123 Block sitting on the workbench caught my eye. I had already polished the top of two carriage bolts of different lengths. I dropped the bolt in the single hole in this style 123 block. (I have two styles) It was too tall even with the shorter of the two bolts, but I have a woodworking bench with holes everywhere.


Line the block up with a hole on the edge for clearance. Use my knife blank drilling JIG, and....

Here is the 123 block:

51 123 block.jpg

Add the Bolt over the hole:

52 add the carriage bolt.jpg

AND... tah dah! You have a Pin Jig.

53 tah dah pin jig.jpg

It worked out pretty well, although I may look for a scrap piece of 2x8 to make a base for them to be mounted on to make them more stable in the next go round.

Took the knife to the big vise and mounted it for final polishing of the tooling on the edges, using the High Dollar Tool.
I took it from another pass with 600, to 1000, then finally the passes to 1500. Looked pretty good.

54 final polish tooling.jpg

Rolled the edges until I was satisfied and smoothed them as well. A final 1500 pass on the bolster, and used the pencil dremel on the pins. Anything else? I'm always asking myself that question.

[BrokenolMarine]

The knife is done, for now. This was a test to see how I did with the rolled pins and a few other techniques. They have "Promise," but I am not quite there yet. One of the pins slipped during glue up and since I had the knife covered with wax paper due to the excess epoxy I had applied, I didn't find it until the unveiling. You can see the difference in the pictures. Here is one side:

55 shes done.jpg

Flip side, there is no Right or Left on the boot knife designs.

56 other side.jpg

The tooling came out pretty good as well, but I am still looking to improve that technique. Will come with practice I'm guessing. There are other designs, Rope, Chain, Lightning... I'll get there, I hope. But this adds something, so everyone has said.

57 tooling came out okay too.jpg

The copper tint didn't add as much bling as I had hoped. I'll test some of the other tints in the future and see how they perform. As for the sunken pin, when I take the knife back out to make the sheath, I can drill down a bit IN that pinhole, if I decide to take the RISK, and put a fake pin head over the top. PRE polished. I will probably leave it since I don't plan to get rid of this one. I may make another and I'll be ahead of the game having had the practice.

Input is welcome....

[Mags]

You make it look so quick and easy! Very well done.

[CT_Shooter]

Your "practice" knives are beautiful, Marine; as are your descriptions and photos.

And, I really enjoyed watching the video link to the pin instructional. Thanks for that. Talented people sharing knowledge and techniques about their work is one of the finer benefits of our digital lives. Browsing around in the "knife parts" store was cool, too.

Great forum threads.

[BrokenolMarine]

Sheath Practice

Had to do some work in the shop on a small project for Miss T, and the piece she wanted me to work on had a crack in it. While the glue dried, I decided to practice on the tooling techniques for the Sheath for the boot knife. Haven't decided what I'm going to do for the sheath yet, so basically it's just general tooling practice. The tooling work is all about consistency and working with the mallet and a tool in the other hand. The stamps can be used to create all kinds of patterns.

This H shaped stamp I used in the past to make the heart pattern on the Granddaughter's Phone pouch. She loved it.

heart technique.jpg

Been a good while, but for a first attempt in a good while, I turned out well.

hearts done.jpg

A lined triangle stamp can be used to make a rope border pattern.

rope work.jpg

Here is a group look at some of the work. If you look at the tooling in the background, you'll see the modified H tool with a leg ground off makes the serpentine border, while the H tool makes a slightly different Serpentine border as well.

all together.jpg

Still haven't decided on the sheath, but the practice doesn't hurt. No matter, Miss T will probably steal the dang thing anyway. Each of the patterns can be enhanced by stains or antiquing.

[BrokenolMarine]

Well, headed out to the shop, to get out of Miss Tina's way... Anyone else do that? I didn't make her mad, but I wasn't going to be in the impact area.

I took the Boot Knife and my coffee and started on the sheath. The knife was going to be for Tina anyway, great place to hide out.

I started by laying out the basic pattern, and I'd work from that. I initially used a folded over design, but that wasn't going to work as it would make the sheath awful fat to stuff in a boot. Tina had made the comment that "a knife in the top of her barn boot would be really handy." She would actually use it as a boot knife. I settled on a triangle shape, with two flat halves, front and back... pancake style.

01 initial layout.jpg

Now of course, I can't just sew that together and let it go, I have to put a design of sorts on it... so I need a defined area for that. In leather work, we call that a window.

02 window cut in.jpg

I decided to basket weave the window and then background the outside.

03 tooling.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

That line in the middle of the outside backgrounding, is the stitch line. That is where I'll put the holes for hand stitching. I have a VERY nice leather sewing machine, but on small projects I hand stitch.

[BrokenolMarine]

I took a bunch of pics along the way, but I won't bore y'all stiff with the details of all that. Eventually, I got to the point where it was sewn, and riveted, and had a coat of yellow stain on the front and back. The sheath is very tight, and the rivets should keep the knife from pulling the contact cement and stitches loose.

09 sewn riveted and beveled.jpg

With the burnishing gum applied after staining the sides light brown, I burnished the sides to seal them. This keeps out the water, and dirt and grime that can cause the leather to swell and come apart.

11 burnishing gum.jpg

13 burnished light brown.jpg

The knife fits well in the sheath, very tight. I wouldn't usually have this much above the sheath, but the boot will help hold the knife in place. Good thing about a sheath, it's something you can make more of if it doesn't work out. The knife fits well and Miss T loves the design.

14 she fits.jpg

A look at the back. The sheath is basically done other than antiquing, to bring out the tooling and emphasize the depth, and waxing to help extend the life. I heat the leather with a cheap hair dryer prior to the first waxing, and then heat the applied wax on subsequent waxings to drive the wax into the leather.

15 the back.jpg

I'll post a last pic or two after the job is completely done.