A man complains about his stain then posts a picture of a brand of coffee that's only fit purpose is a coloring agent.
What is he up to?
Rat Rod Blades Challenge 2021 - Build thread
- Thread starter Verrt
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
What is he up to?
***I'm reposting this here, originally put it in the 'discussion' thread. Yes, I'm old.**
Goodwill Hunting Knife
Opened up the Tandy Leather Co. sheath kit this morning and got a start on it. First thing I did was a 'dry fit' of my blade in the sheath. A little tight, so I did what I'd been thinking of doing anyway, and took the sharp corner off the back end of the blade. Has better flow now, and less of a 'cleaver' kind of look.
I used some virgin olive oil to darken or 'patina' the veg-tanned leather. Then grabbed the stamps I had purchased at Tandy and the wooden mallet, and embossed some design onto the sheath.
You can see the original color on the right, which will be the inside of the sheath, and then what happened after I applied about 3 coats of oil to the leather on the left.
I found that I needed about a dozen strikes with the mallet to get an impression on the leather that was deep enough to be seen. In the photo above, I had only hit it about 6 or 7 times. Here are the pieces drying in the sun. The oiled leather lightens as it dries, so I will likely add more this afternoon.
2019 Builds in RRB Build-Offs:
" Helen Wheels" " Trans-MIG- RaT " " RaTsberry Buffet"
Goodwill Hunting Knife
Opened up the Tandy Leather Co. sheath kit this morning and got a start on it. First thing I did was a 'dry fit' of my blade in the sheath. A little tight, so I did what I'd been thinking of doing anyway, and took the sharp corner off the back end of the blade. Has better flow now, and less of a 'cleaver' kind of look.
I used some virgin olive oil to darken or 'patina' the veg-tanned leather. Then grabbed the stamps I had purchased at Tandy and the wooden mallet, and embossed some design onto the sheath.
You can see the original color on the right, which will be the inside of the sheath, and then what happened after I applied about 3 coats of oil to the leather on the left.
I found that I needed about a dozen strikes with the mallet to get an impression on the leather that was deep enough to be seen. In the photo above, I had only hit it about 6 or 7 times. Here are the pieces drying in the sun. The oiled leather lightens as it dries, so I will likely add more this afternoon.
2019 Builds in RRB Build-Offs:
" Helen Wheels" " Trans-MIG- RaT " " RaTsberry Buffet"
Goodwill Hunting Knife
Really fun day in the garage / workshop! This Tandy Leather Co. sheath kit only cost me $7.00, and it made the project go so smoothly. The waxed thread is cool that you stitch the front and back together with. My wife and I sat out in the garage (faces south, nice sunny day) and she told me stories of all the clothes and stuff she used to sew as a kid and teen. Sewed all her own clothes. It was the '60s, not uncommon in those days.
My favorite story was the one where she had just finished this mini skirt and matching sleeveless blouse. Father Mike from their local parish was over for coffee visiting with her mom at the kitchen table. Barb came bouncing down the stairs in her new outfit, excited to show it off on a Saturday night downtown.
As she hit the bottom step, and the priest caught a glimpse of her heading for the door, he quiried, "Dorothy, you're not going to let her out looking like that are you?"
Barb flushed a bit, but kept moving, not waiting for her mother to reply, or change her mind.
I used a combination of the olive oil, some leather conditioner, and brown shoe polish to achieve kind of a 'sunburst ' western look on the sheath. The shoe polish settled in to the grooves of the embossed designs and then I was able to wipe the excess away, while leaving some of the brown hue behind.
I might be done with this knife. Pretty much on schedule of an OJ build. I do have a belt I bought at a thrift store that is too long for me. I might shorten it, do some stamping on it, and polish it up to match the knife holder. We shall see.
Really fun day in the garage / workshop! This Tandy Leather Co. sheath kit only cost me $7.00, and it made the project go so smoothly. The waxed thread is cool that you stitch the front and back together with. My wife and I sat out in the garage (faces south, nice sunny day) and she told me stories of all the clothes and stuff she used to sew as a kid and teen. Sewed all her own clothes. It was the '60s, not uncommon in those days.
My favorite story was the one where she had just finished this mini skirt and matching sleeveless blouse. Father Mike from their local parish was over for coffee visiting with her mom at the kitchen table. Barb came bouncing down the stairs in her new outfit, excited to show it off on a Saturday night downtown.
As she hit the bottom step, and the priest caught a glimpse of her heading for the door, he quiried, "Dorothy, you're not going to let her out looking like that are you?"
Barb flushed a bit, but kept moving, not waiting for her mother to reply, or change her mind.
I used a combination of the olive oil, some leather conditioner, and brown shoe polish to achieve kind of a 'sunburst ' western look on the sheath. The shoe polish settled in to the grooves of the embossed designs and then I was able to wipe the excess away, while leaving some of the brown hue behind.
I might be done with this knife. Pretty much on schedule of an OJ build. I do have a belt I bought at a thrift store that is too long for me. I might shorten it, do some stamping on it, and polish it up to match the knife holder. We shall see.
Padauk Basher
Day 2
Cutting scales down
Shaping
More shaping
Little more shaping and some sanding
Apart from being toxic and giving you orange boogers, the padauk is pretty nice work with.
Using steel pins instead of brass is annoying. I dont have a belt sander, so the only thing I have capable of grinding them down is the angle grinder. Had to get real precise with it to get them flush without losing too much wood as well.
I still have to clean some epoxy off the blade, and work out some nicks where I caught it with the rasp.
And there's a few spots I missed sanding so I'll have to go down a few grits then bring it back up.
The knife is a real little guy, much smaller than I envisioned before it was together. So I'm gonna have to rethink my plans for decoration a bit, and see what I can come up with. I don't want to leave it just plain.
It also doesn't fit in it's sheath any more. The makers of the blank intended for the finger guard to be left exposed, but I wanted the scales to extend over it for the look and comfort. But it does mean it's now too fat for the strap to close. So I'll either have to modify it or make a new one.
Day 2
Cutting scales down
Shaping
More shaping
Little more shaping and some sanding
Apart from being toxic and giving you orange boogers, the padauk is pretty nice work with.
Using steel pins instead of brass is annoying. I dont have a belt sander, so the only thing I have capable of grinding them down is the angle grinder. Had to get real precise with it to get them flush without losing too much wood as well.
I still have to clean some epoxy off the blade, and work out some nicks where I caught it with the rasp.
And there's a few spots I missed sanding so I'll have to go down a few grits then bring it back up.
The knife is a real little guy, much smaller than I envisioned before it was together. So I'm gonna have to rethink my plans for decoration a bit, and see what I can come up with. I don't want to leave it just plain.
It also doesn't fit in it's sheath any more. The makers of the blank intended for the finger guard to be left exposed, but I wanted the scales to extend over it for the look and comfort. But it does mean it's now too fat for the strap to close. So I'll either have to modify it or make a new one.
Last edited:
@Verrt , nice work! Great handle shaping, and all by hand.
My son and I looked at Padauk as an option for a stave shell snare build. I have always liked the look. Has an elegant look with your highly polished (stainless?) blade.
Just for purposes of scale (knife pun intended), what is the length of the blade on your knife?
My son and I looked at Padauk as an option for a stave shell snare build. I have always liked the look. Has an elegant look with your highly polished (stainless?) blade.
Just for purposes of scale (knife pun intended), what is the length of the blade on your knife?
Thanks! Though I had some mechanical assistance.
You could get to this point pretty easily with just the coping saw and middle rasp.
I think 440 stainless? Says what on the packet it came in. Can't be bothered to go back to the basement again.
Friction Folder
Did a little more work on the blade and tried to cut a slot in this piece of cherry for the handle. That failed so I cut all the way through, and will now open up some space for the blade before pinning and gluing it back together.
mince I know it all fits, I will harden and temper the blade before assembly.
Does anyone have any experience with old Nicholson files? Is a Water or an oil quench preferred?
Did a little more work on the blade and tried to cut a slot in this piece of cherry for the handle. That failed so I cut all the way through, and will now open up some space for the blade before pinning and gluing it back together.
mince I know it all fits, I will harden and temper the blade before assembly.
Does anyone have any experience with old Nicholson files? Is a Water or an oil quench preferred?
Bike-nife
How did I get talked into this challenge? I know nothing of this stuff. Anyway.. it's not going well so far. Later I will post pictures of some lame attempts with no progress.
I attempted to enlarge existing .125” holes to .390” for chainring bolt clearance using lots of oil and a ceramic tile bit. Did not work.
Made a nice chamfer tho?
Called a machinist friend this morning. He said “I’ve got carbide everything. Bring it over”. So I’ll try to get there this week and we’ll go riding too.
How did I get talked into this challenge? I know nothing of this stuff. Anyway.. it's not going well so far. Later I will post pictures of some lame attempts with no progress.
I attempted to enlarge existing .125” holes to .390” for chainring bolt clearance using lots of oil and a ceramic tile bit. Did not work.
Made a nice chamfer tho?
Called a machinist friend this morning. He said “I’ve got carbide everything. Bring it over”. So I’ll try to get there this week and we’ll go riding too.
Last edited:
Friction Folder
Almost ready for hardening, assembly and shaping then finishing.
Almost ready for hardening, assembly and shaping then finishing.
Last edited:
Friction Folder
I glued the handle up. It was one piece, now will be again. The grain should line up ok.
It is drilled for pivot and stop pins and spots for another pair of pins are marked, but I don’t know if I will use them.
I glued the handle up. It was one piece, now will be again. The grain should line up ok.
It is drilled for pivot and stop pins and spots for another pair of pins are marked, but I don’t know if I will use them.
Goodwill Hunting Knife
Found a display spot for the GHK. Built / refab-ed this table centerpiece a couple years ago; also made from a Mesquite tree.
The knife rests on it's base. Deadliest 'table knife' known to man.
Found a display spot for the GHK. Built / refab-ed this table centerpiece a couple years ago; also made from a Mesquite tree.
The knife rests on it's base. Deadliest 'table knife' known to man.
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2013
- Messages
- 4,295
- Reaction score
- 9,472
The finger grove needs widening and the groove for the flint needs to be a little deeper
I will try to get better pictures before I put it together more.
Work has been crazy lately and it’s hard to get free in daylight.
Work has been crazy lately and it’s hard to get free in daylight.
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2013
- Messages
- 4,295
- Reaction score
- 9,472
How's the artificial deer poop coming?
