Latest Knife - Bone-handled Bowie

[Flinch Morningwood]

Made this over the weekend from a design I peiced together from a variety of examples in The Bowie Knife: Unsheathing An American Legend by Flayderman.


Blade - 7.75 "  Handle (including guard) - 5"
1095 Steel .125" thick - edge quenched (you can just see the quench line in one of the photos)
Full tang - Bone slab handles (seven steel pins), brass guard
Still working on the sheath



This is designed to be a full size, all around belt knife that would fit in any CAS time period.

[River City John]

Nice blade!
It could be either a great belt knife, or a decent BBQ knife too!
I am partial to coffin-handled knives, and there's something about a nice expanse of bone that acts like a canvas and calls out for scrimshaw.

RCJ

['Monterrey' Jack Brass]

L.A. - great craftsmanship on the fit of the handle and the pins are perfect symetry. Great work - looks like it came out of a museum or private collection.

Brass

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[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Little Al


        Nice work Pard, like RCJ said I like the coffin shaped handles too, and the bone looks great, what type of bone did you use on this knife, it looks like a femur bone off a steer, you also did a beautiful job on the blade, I wouldn't mine having a knife like this myself, are you going to make a nice period sheath for it too, Well done Pard, and thanks for sharing.


                                            tEN wOLVES 

[Flinch Morningwood]

Thanks for the comments!

Ten Wolves - I don't know what type of bone...they were a couple of slabs I picked up at a muzzleloading gun shop in PA and have had for a while...decided to give them a try on this knife. 

The bone works pretty easily but you need to keep the doors open when you sand it as it smells pretty ripe!

The first version of the sheath is below...not too sure if it will be the final version...I have some issues with it.

Thanks again for all the comments!

[Ace Lungger]

Howdy Little Al, 
 I realy like the thing, the knife the sheath it is a very AWESOME combo!!
I hate ask a trade secret, and if you doubt want answer that is okay, but what I was wonering, does the bone that you use have to be old? I have plenty of acess to lots of fresh bones, nut I would have to look for old bones! They make beautifull handles!

Thanks for sharing!
ACE

[Flinch Morningwood]

I've never worked with fresh bone but, from what I've heard, the trick is to stabilize it....one way is to soak it a jar of wood hardener for a week or so then let it dry for several days....that is what I have been told...

I might boil the bone first to make sure the meat is gone....

[Ace Lungger]

Little Al,
 So i take it that you use old bones? You do a great job, and I am not in the knife making buiness, I am in no buiness, I like learn and make thing for myself and friends.
 I do thank you!
ACE

[Matt Bastardson]

Like wood, the older the bone the more naturally 'stable' it will be.  Lots of knifemakers still 'stabilize' (using various methods) even old/dry wood (and bone).

Nice job on the coffin-handled bowie.