# Upswept Skinner



## Foot Patrol (Jul 21, 2014)

Last month I posted a thread on another site looking for a welder that could make a vise for Knife Making. I posted a few pictures and HainesNYT decided to take the challenge. You can find his DIY thread here http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...highlight=vise. (Moderators If I can not post links, please delete)

For making the vise for me I offered to send him a knife. During our discussions, HainesNYT asked if I would consider making a knife for some one special to him as her birthday was coming up. When I said sure, he asked for an upswept skinner with a gut hook. This would be a first for me as I have never done a gut hook design before. The process started by making a wood mock up of the knife.







Once the wooden mock up felt good I cut out the basic shape of the knife using a bar of 1084 steel from Aldo. I decided to hold off cutting the gut hook until later in the process. I then ground the blade on my KMG.






After the knife was ground I went back to the bandsaw and cut in the gut hook. With a high speed dremel I then ground the gut hook in with a half inch stone wheel. I then hand sanded the blade up to 400 grit.






I then used the Knife Makers Vice HainesNYT made for me to put some file work on the knife. I choose to put 3 arrow heads on the spine of the blade. The blue tape was put on to prevent me from putting scratches on the blade since I had already sanded it.






I then sent the knife off to Lee Oates (Bear Claw Knifes) in Laporte, Tx to be heat treated. He has been making knife for over 30 years and is my mentor. I appreciate all his support and could not be happier with my progress at this stage.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Foot Patrol (Jul 21, 2014)

Once I got the knife back from heat treating, I again hand sanded the knife to 600 grit. At this stage, I added a black spacer to the stabilized maple burl scales. After this step I attached the scales using epoxy and added 2 Corby rivets and a mosaic pin. 






After letting the epoxy cure for 24 hours, I began the process of lining out how I would be shaping the handles. 






Once my marks were on the handle I used the KMG to do most of the shaping and then do hand sanding to ensure it feels good in my hand. I also begin the process of hand sanding the handles until I get up to 1500 grit. 






Once this was done I put it under the buffer with pink compound to shine it up. Here is a picture in the sun of the handle but the picture does not do it justice.

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 3 | Way Cool 1


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## Foot Patrol (Jul 21, 2014)

With any good knife you also have to have a sheath to put it in. HainesNYT also wanted it to have special meaning for AggieVet so he asked if there was a way to incorporate the Vet Symbol into the design. My wife Lyttle Foot has not been making sheaths for too long but decided that she would give it a try. This symbol has a snake wrapped a pole with a capital V in it. For an experienced leathermaker this design would be touch as there are 3 fiqures all on top of one another. So after doing more research we discovered that the V could be placed under the snake and pole. This really helped and Lyttle Foot practiced on leather scraps for a few days until she felt she had it. At 4 am one night she woke up and decided I am going to get it done. Here is the knife and her sheath. I think they make a great pair. 






Here is a good view of the filework.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 3 | Way Cool 1


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## Foot Patrol (Jul 21, 2014)

Here is one more. 






Close up of the file work

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 5 | Way Cool 4


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## Sprung (Jul 21, 2014)

Scott, that is just awesome! Both knife and sheath! Great work and top notch craftsmanship!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ironman123 (Jul 21, 2014)

Some very good work by oth of you.

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## Johnturner (Jul 21, 2014)

That is a beautiful combo of knife and sheath.

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## robert flynt (Jul 21, 2014)

Very nice work, those gut hooks are a pain in the butt and it's very dangerous to buff a blade with one. I wish my wife liked to do leather work because it is my least favorite task.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Foot Patrol (Jul 21, 2014)

robert flynt said:


> those gut hooks are a pain in the butt and it's very dangerous to buff a blade with one.



I agree with you Robert. I did not buff the blade only the handle. All hand sanding to leave a satin finish. I really thought about it though but a little voice in my head said NO!!! Step away from the buffer.


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## Foot Patrol (Jul 21, 2014)

robert flynt said:


> I wish my wife liked to do leather work because it is my least favorite task.


 My wife really took to it quickly. She had 2 lessons and then did about 2o of them. It took a few on her own before she was really hitting her stride. Lee says if she keeps it up there are a few local bladesmiths that would jump at the chance to have her do work for them. Seems like every day there is a new package on our front door from Tandy. LOL!!! Now she cant complain about my boxes of wood.

Scott

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## robert flynt (Jul 21, 2014)

That darn buffer took a knife away from me today and knocked some bark off my index finger and brusied my thumb. Look at Weaver Leathers web site, their leather shoulders are better quality. All you have to do is send them a business card to prove you have a business.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Foot Patrol (Jul 21, 2014)

robert flynt said:


> That darn buffer took a knife away from me today and knocked some bark off my index finger and brusied my thumb.


Sorry to hear about what happened. I have a healthy respect for the buffer. I am told it is the most dangerous piece of equipment in the shop.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Molokai (Jul 22, 2014)

Nice job ! I like how you incorporate some small tutorial in the thread. I also always make a mock knife to see how it will feel in hand. Keep up the good work !

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## robert flynt (Jul 22, 2014)

Foot Patrol said:


> Sorry to hear about what happened. I have a healthy respect for the buffer. I am told it is the most dangerous piece of equipment in the shop.


I have to agree with that! It is the most dangerous thing in the shop! I was buffing the face of the guard and the tip of the blade got to close to the loose buff and the tip caught and it jammed it back at me. If you haven't already, you should build a box, open in the front, around the buffer so that if does get loose it will rattle around in the box. This make it a little safer but you should still approach it like it's a cobra.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Foot Patrol (Jul 22, 2014)

robert flynt said:


> If you haven't already, you should build a box, open in the front, around the buffer so that if does get loose it will rattle around in the box.



Robert can you please post a picture of the box? I like the idea to guard against the knife becoming a projectile. I have 2 of them. A 6 and 8 inch buffer.


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## SENC (Jul 22, 2014)

Outstanding, Scott!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## GeauxGameCalls (Jul 23, 2014)

Wonderful! I'll get into knife someday, maybe a long time Jen I run out of projects.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## barry richardson (Jul 23, 2014)

That's a great knife and a great post Scott! Looks like you and your wife are going to be a heck of a team in this...

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## robert flynt (Jul 23, 2014)

I'll post you a picture the first chance I get, I've got some new knives I have to take pictures of and will do it then.

Reactions: Like 1


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## NYWoodturner (Jul 24, 2014)

Very nice Scott. Very unique file work too.


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## Kevin (Jul 24, 2014)

Nice knife Scott, and the vise is pretty cool. Never thought of using round pipe for a vice but it looks like it works great.


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## Foot Patrol (Jul 24, 2014)

Kevin said:


> the vise is pretty cool. Never thought of using round pipe for a vice but it looks like it works great


 I am having another one made that is not attached to the bench. It will have a flange on the bottom that I will be able to put into a standard bench vise to tighten it in place. The top part of the knife vise will be the same. This will free up valuable bench space until I can add another work bench. I have a lazar engraver I want to set up too that I can use for boxes and knives.


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