I am going to make a knife for a Gift...

[BrokenolMarine]

I spent my time on the break between sessions watching a youtube vid on how to pin the bolsters to the blade blank. Had never done it before and didn't have a clue. It was a pretty good instructional video, and I learned the process, but... I was distracted by the fact that the guy had his fingernails and thumbnail painted a bright, BRIGHT, blue. I decided to go with he had a young daughter and she painted daddy's nails. It just jarred the instruction for me. (I have to say, that if it had been a hot young honey doing the lesson, it would have been jarring if SHE had her nails painted a fluorescent iridescent blue.) I was taught that as an instructor, to avoid distracting jewelry, clothing, or habits. But, I digress...

Before starting on the bolsters, I measured and cut the length for the scales... and was VERY careful so I didn't have to redo that part of the process. I wanted it behind me. Once done, I set them aside for now. I can't proceed on the scales until the bolsters are done.

09 cut to length.jpg

So, I had to get them correctly oriented and marked. I didn't want to ruin the set by shaping the leading edge and discover I had rolled the back side of one or the other, or rolled a trailing edge. Bad enough if you dado an incorrect edge or side of a wood project piece and have to make another, but in this case I'd have to order another set of bolsters. (I have a spare set since I had ordered a spare blade blank as well, but... )

I got started and it was coming along nicely. I wanted a smooth transition to the blade.

10 rounding the bolsters.jpg

If you look at the pair you can easily see the difference. I have moved along a bit on the one, and the other is still square and unpolished.

11 note the difference.jpg

As you see here, the process is getting very close to ready to mount on the blank. The forward edge portion must be rolled and fitted.

12 getting close.jpg

I put on the optivisor and checked, and not quite there. Changed the belt on the sander and got down to the nitty gritty. I wanted the leading edge of the bolster to match the cut in the blade. It finally did. I went up to 400 grit in the polishing. I can polish the bolster with rouge once mounted.

13 matched the edges.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

A lot of work went into the second phase that you won't see here. I had to mix up the two part epoxy, which the video guy didn't do. I sanded the blade blank everywhere it would be covered with 220 grit paper, just enough to aid in adhesion. I sanded the underside of the bolsters with the same 220 grit, then spread epoxy onto the bolsters and slipped the pins into place. I wiped away the excess with mineral spirits.

To the anvil, where I whacked the pins with a mallet to seat them, and then again and again to insure they were flared. Dremel cut them off close, but not too close. A few more seating strikes. Then back to the belt sander to shape.

14 pinned in place and shaped.jpg

I used the belt and spindle sanders and up to 400 grit, and we are looking good. I will go up to 800 with strips when I go back at it tomorrow. Here is a hint of what she will look like, but there is a lot of shaping to do to the scales.

15 a suggestion of the look.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

Funny, we are STILL on step three. I guess we'll have to add the bolster steps in the checklist. LOL.

[BrokenolMarine]

Got the Checklist updated last night, now two pages. So, now we have completed thru step ten, but have currently dropped back to seven, and working at step seven. We will continue to polish and shape the bolsters until I feel they are ready to proceed. They don't have to be perfect as they can be more polished AFTER we have attached the scales.

17 updated check list pg 1.jpg

18 updated check list pg 2.jpg

Yup, the checklist is a fluid document, always subject to change. But, I have found that just like a preflight checklist, it can save you.
Don't get cocky. I have in the past (In the shop, not preflight... it cost me.) I have check lists for a lot of things. Packing for trips even. Miss Tina laughed at me, until it kept HER from forgetting things packing to come home. Yup, works in reverse too.

[BrokenolMarine]

Out to the shop to work on the scales. First up, square the edge that meets the bolster on each side so the scale is properly oriented.

Then tape the scales together and roll the edges. marked them to meet the bolsters, but not roll too far back to interfere with the rivets.

19 marked to roll.jpg

Using the 1" vertical belt sander I started the process, then completed the sanding on the 3" bench belt sander. It's a rough sanding at this point. Once that was done, I put both in position and marked them with a pencil and cut away most of the excess. I went OUTSIDE the pencil line. cut inside the line and you take a chance of cutting inside the blade blank, making the scale too small. I stayed well outside the lines, but even so I wasn't happy with the way ONE of the scales aligned. I cut a slice off the leftover block from the original cut and cut out a new blank for that side, rolled the front edge, and ... caught up.

Better to have what I want than to make do. Once I was caught back up, I mixed two part epoxy and glued one scale to the blank. Clamps. It will sit overnight and I'll be ready to drill the holes tomorrow.

20 right side glued and clamped.jpg

The holes for the single scale will be drilled using the holes in the exposed blade blank as a guide. When the second scale has been glued on, I'll use the holes in the first scale as the guide for drilling the holes into the second.

[BrokenolMarine]

We haven't even begun the shaping on the scales yet.

That's the fun part, where the grain and patterns begin to show. I love that part.

[BrokenolMarine]

Went out and took the knife out of the clamps... checked the scale and found it looking good.

21 out.jpg

Set up the drill press and the knife for the drilling of the holes for pins. Use the blade blank for a guide.

22 set up.jpg

This stage can ruin the scale so everything is checked and rechecked and the drilling is done carefully. Note the backing board under the blank.

23 carefully drilled.jpg

Both holes were drilled and came out fine. Later, I'll have to countersink using a special bit matched to the Brass Screw Rivets, Called Corbys. If I decide to go that route.

24 both holes.jpg

[BrokenolMarine]

Since the right panel was done for now, I got the left panel glued on and in the clamps.

25 left scale glued.jpg

I had made up a list of things I needed to replenish and Miss T and I ran to HD then to lunch, and a couple more errands. By the time we got back, it had been four hours. Plenty of time to let the epoxy set to working strength. (Modest working strength.) I set up the blank and drill press and knocked out the holes using the existing holes in the right panel as guides to drill thru to the left side.

26 left panel drilled.jpg

Too early to do any shaping on the knife yet, but straight line sanding was okay, so I did some light sanding on both panels to check the color and the grain. I wanted a peek at what we would be seeing. The right side:

27 right panel color check.jpg

The Left side:

28 left panel color check.jpg

I set the knife aside to cure for twenty four hours, and will start shaping tomorrow.... looking forward to the shaping process.

[BrokenolMarine]

While the Skinner Cures, I pulled out the Damascus Blank and decided to prep it and get started.

29 damascus blank.jpg

My first step was to tape up the blade for safety. I waited on the Skinner Blade, and discovered that it was VERY sharp before I got around to taping it. Bite me once.... Not again. I had picked up some nice Birdseye Maple panels when I picked up the dark Damascus blank. I cut those and rounded the ends, but haven't glued them yet. Enough of a start for tonight.

30 birdseye scales.jpg

[GunnyGene]

Can't wait to see the final products. That cocobolo is going to knock your eyeballs out when it's shaped and shined.