This was my first attempt at a hidden tang or thru tang (not sure which is right). The steel is from a file. The handle is mesquite and deer antler from a deer I shot a few years ago. The bone and wood is separated by black micarta liners that I made. I cast the guard and pommel using lost foam casting. I am very pleased with how it turned out. Had a couple of "learning moments". The first being the aluminum started to show pits when I started polishing. Still working that out. The second was the mesquite wood developed a small hairline crack near the guard. Hope yall like it. I was wondering if yall thought this was good enough to sell. Been thinking about posting some on Facebook and seeing if anyone would be interested in my work. ( Mods- No, I'm not trying to sell it here.)
I like it...and of course, leaps and bounds above what I could do. As for selling it...of course it is good enough to sell. Anybody can sell anything. But you have to ask yourself, do you want something out there with your name on it that has a hairline crack and pitting in the aluminum? If so, sell away! People will buy it.
Thanks Unclebubba. I need to clarify what I wrote about selling this. I meant I was wanting to know if people would be interested in my work. Not necessarily this particular one. I'm probably going to give this to a friend.
The biggest suggestion I can give you about first starting out is; if you can't stabilized your handle materials including antler, l send it out to get stabilized. Wood expands and contracts with weather conditions. I buy my wood in bulk and process is myself, I've gone through three gallons of Cactus Juice this last month. I'm a full time knife maker, I sell over 300 knives a year, I can't afford to have a knife come back with a cracked handle.
Thank you sir. Good advice. Not sure if I will ever make that many knives. It takes me a couple of weeks just to turn out 1. Hah. Thanks for the kind words.
Thank you sir. Good advice. Not sure if I will ever make that many knives. It takes me a couple of weeks just to turn out 1. Hah. Thanks for the kind words.
Oh you will, you just have to keep doing it, once you make a few bucks you'll get the bug. If you ever have any questions feel free to email me, or call me, my information is on my website.. my site is on my signature below.