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Author Topic: A Gift Comes Back  (Read 1699 times)

Online Bigsmoke

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A Gift Comes Back
« on: September 30, 2020, 06:15:47 PM »
Maybe around the year 2000, I decided to make this knife.  From visits to see my mom, I had noticed that her kitchen knifes were not what I considered serviceable, so I decided to do something about it.
It has been my opinion for many a year that the best all around kitchen knives come from Russel Green River.  I like the steel, I like the designs and I also like the price of them.  Pretty inexpensive.  So, in my normal stocking order for them, I included enough blades to do some personal knifemaking.  I have always liked this design knife and think it is a great all-around design.  Big enough to do the job, but not so big to be unwieldy.
Since I first saw the scale material, I have been captivated with it.  It is a pressure impregnated rosewood.  Depending on how much of a polish one puts on it, the finish can be very, very deep.
So, I epoxy on the scales and then secure them with brass cutler rivets, cut the scales to size and finish them, have one of the girls at the shop fashion a simple leather sheath to ship it in, and send it off to my mom - Merry Christmas.  Although she did send me a thank you note, in the intervening years I never saw her use the knife.  And I did not have a clue whatever happened to it.
So, fast forward to last August after she passed away.  Ms. Smoke and I were at her condo, getting it ready to sell, and in one kitchen drawer, I found it.  To the best I can tell, it had never been used.  Well, I grabbed ahold of that, PDQ.  And it has been on my desk ever since we got back.  I have every intention of attaching a sheath for it on my new shooting bag, but I am getting more use out of it as a desk knife right now.
Well, Mom, I hope you liked it and I hope you approve of what I am doing with it now.  It'll be a keeper, that's for sure.

And now, a few photos of it:


From the top:


And the other side view:


 
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest Up to God.

BigSmoke - John Shorb
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Online BEAVERMAN

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2020, 06:19:44 PM »
John, you won't like that on your bag, better send it to me! :toast
Jim Smith
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Online Bigsmoke

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2020, 06:22:01 PM »
John, you won't like that on your bag, better send it to me! :toast

OK,  :bigsmile:  And if you believe that, let's talk about some ocean side property in Nebraska that I have for sale.  You'll just love it.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest Up to God.

BigSmoke - John Shorb
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Coeur d'Alene Muzzleloaders - Life

Offline PetahW

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2020, 09:39:02 PM »
.

I like that GR Ripper pattern blade for making a boot knife !  :applaud

I'm thinkin, white bone scales, maybe with a little scrimshaw - Hmmmmmmmm  8)
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Offline Oldetexian

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2020, 08:57:36 AM »
 :hairy Beautiful...every aspect of this blade just seems right...would definitely be proud to carry it. Nicely done, sir...and nice memories attached to it as well.
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Offline Winter Hawk

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2020, 03:35:45 PM »
That is VERY nice.  :bow I like that style blade, it works better in the kitchen for me than when the tip curves up.  You did well, sir; your Mother must have felt it was too special to use!  :bl th up

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Offline Doc Nock

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2020, 05:54:46 PM »
Smoke,

Which of the Green River is that??? I've bought, scaled several for BP use and another batch over time for the kitchen..

From another source, I purchased a small bowie blade made a hilt and attached it and then made a mountain man sheath

I"ve used Green River: Camp blade, paring(I have 2 for kitchen use and one on my bag as a patch knife with sheath),& their butcher.  I just don't recognize that one... :(I tended to select ones that were the thickest material...but that looks lovely

I tried the coulter rivets but apparently am not too smart... On another site a guy sent me some 9/32 brass rod scrap they make screws from where he worked... I'd fit them to the wood, epoxy, then shape and while the heads are smaller my attempts at Colter use was abysmal and I ground off the lot & started over... I applaud your work!!

Online Bigsmoke

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2020, 08:51:39 PM »
They call it a ripper.  Read all about it here.

https://knifemaking.com/collections/russel-green-river-blades/products/ripper-blade

This is from Jantz Supply, a great outfit for obtaining all sorts of knife making supplies

The rivets, I used are strangely enough called Cuttler rivets.  Two piece items, one side is male the other is female.  Very important to know, when you install the rivets, it is prudent to drill one side a bit larger than the other, as when the male rivet goes into the female one, the female rivet swells up a bit.  If you have drilled the hole size just to fit, guess what happens to the scale material?  It can break.

Jantz also sells a step drill that is the correct size to set the rivet head down into the scale, and then it steps down to the correct size for the shaft of the rivet.  Money well spent if you envision doing many knives with rivets.

I think they make the rivets in three different lengths, to adjust for thickness of the scales.

All I got about that.

John (Bigsmoke)
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest Up to God.

BigSmoke - John Shorb
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Coeur d'Alene Muzzleloaders - Life

Offline Doc Nock

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2020, 09:24:41 PM »
Sent you some pics at your Gmail account...didn't want to hog up what I think they call "bandwidth"...

Thanks for the link... I did make a few of the paring knives...one for the bag as a patch knife and 2 for the kitchen
attach=1]

Online Bigsmoke

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2020, 10:29:45 PM »
What's the wood on that, cocobola?
Sure pretty stuff, whatever it is.

John
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest Up to God.

BigSmoke - John Shorb
TMA Charter Member #150  
NRA - Life
Coeur d'Alene Muzzleloaders - Life

Offline Doc Nock

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Re: A Gift Comes Back
« Reply #10 on: October 08, 2020, 03:27:57 PM »
What's the wood on that, cocobola?
Sure pretty stuff, whatever it is.

John

As we discussed off line, memory is no longer a fried... a Boyer friend sent me some drops I had sawn lengthwise... I think that one is something different with the stripes...that's one I gave away to another guy I believe