Henry Rifle Forums

Snowing... time to do something other than watch it fall. So, headed out to the shop. It was a slippery trip, but with the walker and careful steps...
I made it. The snow is still coming down, that small steady flow that you know will build up thick if it keeps up. Turning to look back out the window on the shop door, it's quite a view. I love the snow, it makes the yards look so nice and the blanket of snow, muffles the sound and makes it quiet outside. Traffic on our tertiary road has ground to a halt. What little we get is crawling.... they put down the chemicals before the storm started, then they forget us until it stops. Main roads, secondary roads get all the attention. Ah... the farmers come out later with tractors and blades to play. One year VDOT told them NOT to scrape the road for fear they would damage it. Big Mistake... they actually went home like they were told. Folks stayed home til the VDOT guys could clear the roads, and called the Governor and complained. I laid out the two knives and started working at the fun part, choosing the handle blanks. This first match for the skinning knife seemed like a good match, but in the end, I went with Australian Lacewood. I wanted something that would pop, and not as common. The kitchen knife for Miss Tina was easy, I went with her favorite. Curly Cherry. Carefully laying out the blanks, to take maximum advantage of grain and flow, I cut them out on the band saw. There will be a lot of work to get them on the knife blanks. I have to glue and drill, then spend a lot of time shaping. In the end, it will all be worth it. Then I get to make another sheath. Have to stop here, cold and damp doesn't play well with Arthur.

The farmers? Not only do they clear the roads, but they will break the snow dams at the end's of their neighbor's drives. How's that for community?

Got out in the shop this morning, and got to work on the first stage of mounting the knife scales. I decided after looking again at the Lacewood scales to book match that one and have an extra set for another knife down the road. That scale was WAY too thick for that knife. I use the screws or rivets that come with the knife kit as a guide. In this case, book matching worked out well. I used a Veritas marking tool and marked a center line down one half of the Australian Lacewood Scales, then cut them carefully in half on the bandsaw. Next up... drilling the holes in one half of each pair of scales, and keeping them centered by placing a screw or rivet in each hole as I drilled. Slow and steady gets the job done. After the half was drilled, I roughed the knife's surface with 80 grit sandpaper in prepar Once I was ready to go, I mixed the epoxy and applied it to the side I was going to apply the drilled scale to. I had to be ready as this is FIVE minute epoxy. It's working time is less than five minutes. I needed to be ready to mount both scales in five minutes. I used a couple of the screws as guides to center the scale, then clamped it in place and removed the screws before they could become glued into place, dropped them in a prepared mineral oil bath to insure they weren't contaminated by the epoxy, and moved to the next scale. Once both sets were clamped, I took a break to allow the epoxy to fully set up. I came back out later and mixed a second batch of epoxy and glued on the second scales. These didn't need to be predrilled. I'll use the holes in the first side as a guide to drill thru to the off side.

Note the Curly Cherry handles on the kitchen knife will be thicker, to allow a nice grip for control. I will fade it into the transition in the front at the blade, but leave it nice and thick in the middle for a firm grip. The lacewood handle on the skinning knife will be nicely shaped but not bulky. I'll make a nice leather sheath for that one, after it's all done. These will be left to set up overnight, assuring a solid bond. Then it will be shaping and sanding, countersinking with the special bits, and then adding the screws and / or rivets. NOTE the plastic sleeves covering the blades. I'll tape these in place for safety and leave them there until the knives are done. I don't like to bleed on my work.

As an aside... I found some paint pens, and marked the drawers in the rolling boxes to make it easier to find tools. Memory issues. LOL.

Out in the shop this morning after coffee and a bagel. Prepped both knives for shaping. First step?
Safety tape on the blades to prevent bleeding. I hate bleeding. I use the blue painters tape first, to keep the gunk off the blades, and tape the plastic sleeve to the knife. Then a double or triple layer of duct tape. Funny, the brand on this duct tape, is DUCK tape.

Next step is to use the holes in the one scale, to guide the drill press while you drill thru to the other side. A backer board on the off side prevents splitting. Now, I choose to shape the skinner first, mainly because I want to see if the Lacewood was a good a choice over the Cocobolo as I hope it was.
I took away a good bit of the extra on the bench sander, and because I just don't like the finger grooves, I smoothed them away while I was at it. If the grooves don't match the hand size of the user, they are really annoying, rather than an asset. I have a feeling that the "boss" might acquire this knife when all is said and done. She has already made a few comments about the "great choice" in scales. I know she hates finger grooves.

Once the rough shaping was done, it was back to the bench and 80 grit cut into strips. Patience. Then 120 and 220.
Once that was done, I had to countersink for the screws, and then apply the Watco Oil. I chose Golden Oak, which won't overpower or hide the grain, but will highlight it.

Once it dries, I will either apply additional coats, or wax the knife and add the screws. Done. Next up will be shaping the Curly Cherry Scaled kitchen knife with the damascus blade.

You keep your biscuits in the shop? I keep mine in the kitchen. They don't last long there.

clovishound wrote:You keep your biscuits in the shop? I keep mine in the kitchen. They don't last long there.

I used to keep the dog biscuits there... Then we sent the Boxer to OK for my granddaughter when she lost her Retriever. She had him since the day SHE was born. We couldn't keep up with the energy level of the boxer. He sleeps in the bed with the kid, keeps her safe from the roaming coyotes when she wanders around the small farm... she in turn, dresses him up and paints his toenails. He loves her to death so he lets her get away with anything. It wouldn't be a good idea for anyone or anything to mess with little JO... Kelevra is 110 pounds of sheer muscle.


Now I keep the biscuit joiner in that drawer. The drawer does have a lot of biscuits in it, but they are dry, hard, and wooden. I tried one once... even with coffee... I didn't like it.

BrokenolMarine wrote: The drawer does have a lot of biscuits in it, but they are dry, hard, and wooden. I tried one once... even with coffee... I didn't like it.

My wife must have made them.

clovishound wrote:

BrokenolMarine wrote: The drawer does have a lot of biscuits in it, but they are dry, hard, and wooden. I tried one once... even with coffee... I didn't like it.

My wife must have made them.

I'm just guessin'
She doesn't read this forum, right?

I will get back at it this morning after coffee. That curly cherry is calling.

BrokenolMarine wrote:

clovishound wrote:

BrokenolMarine wrote: The drawer does have a lot of biscuits in it, but they are dry, hard, and wooden. I tried one once... even with coffee... I didn't like it.

My wife must have made them.

I'm just guessin'
She doesn't read this forum, right?

I hope not!

This brings up the following issue, If she were to follow the pattern of screen names, with mine being Clovishound, my daughter is Clovispup, then her screen name would be unfortunate.