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Deer Knives


Miroku_Dave
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Good morning all, I have been absent from PW for a while but I have still been beavering away in the shed!

I've been working with a chap to develop my own custom deer knives and thought I would show you what I've come up with:

They are 4mm 8670 Carbon steel (I can't do stainless yet as I cant afford a kiln!), they have black G10 liners and Hunter Orange G10 scales with ether carbon fibre or stainless pins.

I went with the hunter orange so they're nice and bright and difficult to lose, they don't look quite as fancy as my other handles but they're definitely practical. 

I would love to hear your thoughts, criticisms etc as i would like to make this a permanent feature in my production line and compete with the big boys one day!

(the steel isn't  Damascus, it just came from the supplier with a really nice pattern so I just polished it up)

Hope you like them, 

Dave

 

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3 minutes ago, old'un said:

Very nice, do you make any folding lock knives with a 100mm-110mm blade? Been looking at these knives...https://www.huntingandknives.co.uk/cudeman-mt6-328-m-survival-pocket-knife.html

I don't really do any folding blades mate, I've mad a few friction folders but mainly fixed blades for me until i get some better tools!

1 minute ago, ninjaferret said:

What length is the blade ?

The cutting edge is 105 mm and the overall length of the knife is 220 mm mate

12 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

Very nice and functional 😊👍

Look good To me but I’m no expert on deer knives 😊

thanks for posting 👍

cheers mate 

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Very nice Dave, Like the finish on the steel, Have you tried stone wash finish? That comes out pretty cool, if you get it right after the 50th attempt. Looks so easy on you tube.

Just got me self a new forge, dedicated knife makers forge from Devil Forge, still got to paint the lining with that rigidizer stuff but at least this one won't be making several attempts on my life like my old forge used to. The amount of times I've had to shave my hair because I'd lost the front part and me eyebrows.

When you say you can't heat treat Stainless, can I ask why? I have no problems heat treating stainless just make sure you drill you pin and weight reduction holes first. Might sound obvious but stainless steel work hardens which makes for a very interesting drilling experience.

As long as you don't try and use Austenitic stainless steels you can heat treat as normal, just make sure your quenching oil is clean and warm.

Edited by fatchap
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21 minutes ago, fatchap said:

Very nice Dave, Like the finish on the steel, Have you tried stone wash finish? That comes out pretty cool, if you get it right after the 50th attempt. Looks so easy on you tube.

Just got me self a new forge, dedicated knife makers forge from Devil Forge, still got to paint the lining with that rigidizer stuff but at least this one won't be making several attempts on my life like my old forge used to. The amount of times I've had to shave my hair because I'd lost the front part and me eyebrows.

When you say you can't heat treat Stainless, can I ask why? I have no problems heat treating stainless just make sure you drill you pin and weight reduction holes first. Might sound obvious but stainless steel work hardens which makes for a very interesting drilling experience.

As long as you don't try and use Austenitic stainless steels you can heat treat as normal, just make sure your quenching oil is clean and warm.

Cheers mate, I've done a few stone washed blades, the whole process seems a bit hit and miss though!

Mines a devils forge as well, its an awesome bit of kit! 

I get all my HT info from the GFS website, it mentions soaking at certain temps for a certain time and plate quenching so i assumed it would be nigh on impossible in a forge. I need to do some more research! I usually have my blades almost finished prior to the HT as i've had the hole drilling issue before. 

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An observation as a deer stalker - omit the lanyard hole as it's a magnet for crud ( especially if selling on to a game dealer) and I do not know any deer stalker who has the lanyard wrapped around his wrist when gralloching a beast ( I think the primary reason of a lanyard is to avoid loss  ?)

 

I have a Geoff Hague, a Peter Eaton and an Emberleaf  Cael knives.

 

I like the look of these and would be interested if you did the top one (which looks narrower to me) in a 5.5 inch blade length - similar to the Emberleaf Garron blade shape.

 

And also I am a sucker for a tapered tang - I think that is the hallmark of a true custom knife😁

 

HTH

Edited by Gameking
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1 hour ago, Gameking said:

An observation as a deer stalker - omit the lanyard hole as it's a magnet for crud ( especially if selling on to a game dealer) and I do not know any deer stalker who has the lanyard wrapped around his wrist when gralloching a beast ( I think the primary reason of a lanyard is to avoid loss  ?)

 

I have a Geoff Hague, a Peter Eaton and an Emberleaf  Cael knives.

 

I like the look of these and would be interested if you did the top one (which looks narrower to me) in a 5.5 inch blade length - similar to the Emberleaf Garron blade shape.

 

And also I am a sucker for a tapered tang - I think that is the hallmark of a true custom knife😁

 

HTH

Thanks for the input mate, the lanyard hole will be gone on the next run :good:

I love the Emberleaf knives! I'm quite careful not to try and replicate any though as they don't take kindly to that! There are a few people who have fallen foul of their solicitors i believe. 

I haven't tried a tapered tang yet, my grinder only has a flat platen which i think will make it quite difficult but i'll definitely try. I'm always looking to improve. 

Cheers

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2x72 with an adjustable and movable platen, seems to go behind the 10" face wheel on the "slack" and a very strong magnet, and if you have finished your blade already balls of british steel, as that blade is seriously close to the belt.

Just watched a few how to's and I think if I was to have a go, plenty of practice on scrap and even when I had it sussed I would still finish the blade after.

1 hour ago, Miroku_Dave said:

 

 

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They look great a few thing I look for on a stalking knife.  
 The thinner blade of the top knife I’d like a little more up turn to the point.  
Id prefer not to have a lanyard hole and for my taste a darker handle.  
 

I use an emberleaf Cael and Victonx bonning knife I’d fancy one of those to replace the latter.
 

The Cael shape is a mini skinner and been around for a hundred years or more before Emberleaf. 

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1 hour ago, ninjaferret said:

I'm with welshwarrior a darker handle, or dare I say a prettier handle, some of fatchaps are indeed a work of art. But hey that's just me.....................

A wise man once told me a blade makes a knife but a handle sells it! These are the most boring yet practical one I’ve ever done but they are supposed to serve a purpose and be seen. 
 

Points taken, the next batch will be prettier and minus the lanyard hole 👍👍

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On 07/09/2020 at 13:12, fatchap said:

Very nice Dave, Like the finish on the steel, Have you tried stone wash finish? That comes out pretty cool, if you get it right after the 50th attempt. Looks so easy on you tube.

Just got me self a new forge, dedicated knife makers forge from Devil Forge, still got to paint the lining with that rigidizer stuff but at least this one won't be making several attempts on my life like my old forge used to. The amount of times I've had to shave my hair because I'd lost the front part and me eyebrows.

When you say you can't heat treat Stainless, can I ask why? I have no problems heat treating stainless just make sure you drill you pin and weight reduction holes first. Might sound obvious but stainless steel work hardens which makes for a very interesting drilling experience.

As long as you don't try and use Austenitic stainless steels you can heat treat as normal, just make sure your quenching oil is clean and warm.

440 is one of a few stainless cutlery steels that is relatively easy to heat treat to a degree . In a forge with proper control and soak . It benefits from crio but as you say oil will work . 

Austenitic cannot be hardened at all as regards a knife  

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On 07/09/2020 at 14:00, Gameking said:

An observation as a deer stalker - omit the lanyard hole as it's a magnet for crud ( especially if selling on to a game dealer) and I do not know any deer stalker who has the lanyard wrapped around his wrist when gralloching a beast ( I think the primary reason of a lanyard is to avoid loss  ?)

 

I have a Geoff Hague, a Peter Eaton and an Emberleaf  Cael knives.

 

I like the look of these and would be interested if you did the top one (which looks narrower to me) in a 5.5 inch blade length - similar to the Emberleaf Garron blade shape.

 

And also I am a sucker for a tapered tang - I think that is the hallmark of a true custom knife😁

 

HTH

So, I tried a tapered tang mate, and.....It failed miserably! Definitely more learning required :good:

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11 minutes ago, Miroku_Dave said:

So, I tried a tapered tang mate, and.....It failed miserably! Definitely more learning required :good:

Read it and weep 😉

My Geoff Hague. ( he has been doing for it many years ) so first attempts are rarely successful.

From what I have seen you are not doing too bad 👍

 

IMG_20190611_091707.jpg

Edited by Gameking
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