Author Topic: Bear Bone Handled knife Sister to Bulbus Handled Knife (Read 2373 times)

tippit · « **on:** May 30, 2020, 03:38:24 AM »

Just forged up a sister to the bulbus handled knife. Bear leg bone handle same length. I haven't assembled the knife yet just Scotch Guard finish to blade will hand sand once I decide if...

1) I want to antique the blade finish?
2) How I want to stain the Bear bone with Tea or Potassium Permanganate?
Any suggestions?

rollingb · « **Reply #1 on:** May 30, 2020, 03:49:47 AM »

I really like the bear leg bone handled knife,.... it just looks more like a knife from the 17th.-18th.-early 19th. century to my eyes.

Oil Derek · « **Reply #2 on:** May 30, 2020, 03:52:36 AM »

Not qualified to give any advice Tippit, but I am liking it already. I could see that on my belt!

Keith Zimmerman · « **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2020, 03:55:45 AM »

A pewter ferrel would make it even more amazing. Nice matching set. Carry one on Sat. The other on Sunday.

Bob McBride · « **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2020, 04:17:49 AM »

You could always go leather covered.....

Greg Pennell · « **Reply #5 on:** May 30, 2020, 04:18:34 AM »

I like the color of the bone as it is...I think I’d go with that and just let it pick up a little patina with use.

Greg

tippit · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2020, 04:22:00 AM »

I appreciated your replies. Next up is a pewter bolstered deer antler knife. Hey I got nothing else to do...just staying out of trouble & safe.

tippit · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2020, 04:40:07 AM »

Bob McBride.
I've done leather in the past...but it always gets a bit funky with use. I started my knife making when I used to help run a traditional (longbows & recurves only) bear hunt camp in Quebec for 12 years. We would skin & butcher 10 + black bears each week of a 2 week season. I'd throw a bunch of my knives on the table and ask guys what they liked...paracord & leather got pretty stink fast

tippit · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2020, 04:53:07 AM »

Greg,
All these Bear leg bones came from a Bear Hunting camp I used to help run for 12 years. When we skinned and processed the meat from the bears, we would dump the carcasses away from camp. Through the years, predators would clean up the remains but there was quite a pile of bones left. With time the bones weathered and picked up some nice mineral colors. That's when I started collecting them for knife making.

Bob McBride · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2020, 05:15:17 AM »

Quote from: tippit on May 30, 2020, 04:40:07 AM

Bob McBride.
I've done leather in the past...but it always gets a bit funky with use. I started my knife making when I used to help run a traditional (longbows & recurves only) bear hunt camp in Quebec for 12 years. We would skin & butcher 10 + black bears each week of a 2 week season. I'd throw a bunch of my knives on the table and ask guys what they liked...paracord & leather got pretty stink fast

Hard to argue with 20 black bears funkying up your leather. 😉

bob in the woods · « **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2020, 03:21:31 PM »

I have made one with a bear bone handle and powder bolster. For actual use, I prefer antler as it doesn't get as slippery in the hand when skinning or butchering. BTW, if crossing any borders, don't advertise that bear bone handle. CITES will bite you.

wattlebuster · « **Reply #11 on:** May 30, 2020, 04:48:48 PM »

I like all of the knives pictured.

tippit · « **Reply #12 on:** May 30, 2020, 05:26:12 PM »

Bob in the Woods
I make a fair number of knives with all sorts of handles...but my personal hunting knives have no handle material just textured bare steel (easy to clean, good grip even wet, and if I lay it down & forget it no big deal). I'll have one or two larger versions of my neck knife in my fanny pack...but this is the only knife I carry on me while hunting. I strictly bow hunt with a longbow and at times I'm up in a tree with a harness so a belt knife just gets in the way.

6" neck knife worn under my shirt if I need a knife quickly...

pictures on

tippit · « **Reply #13 on:** May 30, 2020, 05:51:16 PM »

I think I'll go with Greg Pennell suggestion and just finish it up as is. The leg bone has a lot of nice color from just laying on the forest floor for several years...natural coloration. The steel will patina with use on it's own. Thanks for all your suggestions...tippit

Brokennock · « **Reply #14 on:** June 01, 2020, 10:07:34 AM »

Quote from: tippit on May 30, 2020, 03:38:24 AM

Just forged up a sister to the bulbus handled knife. Bear leg bone handle same length. I haven't assembled the knife yet just Scotch Guard finish to blade will hand sand once I decide if...

1) I want to antique the blade finish?
2) How I want to stain the Bear bone with Tea or Potassium Permanganate?
Any suggestions?

I think it's perfect as is. A bolster might be nice just for a more finished look, but, I'd be one happy hunter with it just as it is.
As to "antiquing" the blade. While I don't like mirror bright gear in the woods, I really do not like blade "finishes" that create drag. I hate this forge scale look trend, it just looks lazy and unfinished, and adds drag to the cut. Is it possible to darken or reduce the reflectivity of a nice smooth finished blade without increasing friction? I use vinegar or potato but I'm not sure this is the best option.

tippit · « **Reply #15 on:** June 01, 2020, 06:24:08 PM »

Brokennock,
They will patina pretty quick with just use. Here are my two cooking knives that have a patina from just cutting up vegs especially anything acidic like tomatoes. As to the forged scale look, I've been forging for 20 years and that is just part of my look. I forge to almost completion including distal tapers on handle and blade point plus the edge taper. I feel I'm a good grinder as it takes me about 15 minutes to do a finish grind...but I do leave some unfinished areas to show they are hand forged. I personally don't like stock removal knives that have a straight thickness handle...but to each is own. I have stock removal friends that are superb grinders and make beautiful knives though. Making a knife with just hammers is my therapy time...tippit

Kitchen knives with natural patina plus the Osage has darken even though the knives are not outside in the sun light.

Keith Zimmerman · « **Reply #16 on:** June 01, 2020, 11:50:46 PM »

I myself like the partial forged look. Adds to the looks.

Oil Derek · « **Reply #17 on:** June 01, 2020, 11:57:16 PM »

I agree with Keith. I think what you do is quite tasteful tippit.

Brokennock · « **Reply #18 on:** June 02, 2020, 09:19:11 AM »

Quote from: tippit on June 01, 2020, 06:24:08 PM

Brokennock,
They will patina pretty quick with just use. Here are my two cooking knives that have a patina from just cutting up vegs especially anything acidic like tomatoes. As to the forged scale look, I've been forging for 20 years and that is just part of my look. I forge to almost completion including distal tapers on handle and blade point plus the edge taper. I feel I'm a good grinder as it takes me about 15 minutes to do a finish grind...but I do leave some unfinished areas to show they are hand forged. I personally don't like stock removal knives that have a straight thickness handle...but to each is own. I have stock removal friends that are superb grinders and make beautiful knives though. Making a knife with just hammers is my therapy time...tippit

Kitchen knives with natural patina plus the Osage has darken even though the knives are not outside in the sun light.

Tippit, I hope you did not take my comment about the forge scale look as a personal dig on you or your work. It was not meant as such. Your work is very nice and the little bit of forge marks look good and in the areas you leave them would not effect function. Some people lately seem to leave a lot of it all over the blade. I too prefer the tapers that you and other hammer workers get to the plain vanilla flatness of stock removal knives.

I love that top kitchen knife, that looks wonderfully comfortable to work with.

tippit · « **Reply #19 on:** June 02, 2020, 01:58:08 PM »

Brokenness,
I didn't take as a dig at all. Everyone has an idea of what they like. I was just explaining my work.

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Author Topic: Bear Bone Handled knife Sister to Bulbus Handled Knife (Read 2373 times)