# TOCRSLTGB -Build Thread. (wooden knife challenge)



## rocky1 (Jul 24, 2016)

*T*he *O*pen *C*hallenge *R*ocky *S*ays *L*et *T*he *G*ames *B*egin - For those of you that don't think like the Monkey!

Well... had a few hours to kill this afternoon while the house was full of kids, so I wandered off to the shop thinking I'll go see if I can figure out what I want to try and build this knife out of. Was the wrong thing to do, because after I found it and picked it up, I simply had to play.

While I don't have a shelf like that @Tclem guy, or a barn full like that @Kevin guy, or whole bunch of burls laying around like a few other guys hereabouts, and I only just got into this turning of woods thing, I did start buying up a few interesting blanks at really outrageous prices a few years back, so there is a little really interesting stock buried out there in the barn, if you dig deep enough.

After going through several boxes of really interesting goodies I found one that kinda caught my eye, and the more I turned it and looked it over, the more it looked like it simply had to be.









Didn't have a clue what it was, but it kinda looks a little like Damascus Steel, and I'm thinking Blackwood bolsters and pins. (_After considerable E-Bay receipt reviewing, determined it to be a Figured Ziricote blank._) Scales is still at a toss up, either Honduran Rosewood, or one really kick ass piece of Box Elder Burl in Blue/Grey to Black.

Have to dig a little deeper and see what I feel like when I get through digging. Kind of a pain, because it's all still in boxes stacked and piled, and scattered all over the barn, sorta.

Cut a slab off the side little over a quarter inch wide, figuring to sand it down to a quarter or less. Marked it out, fired up the Grizz and started cutting. Don't have a belt sander so I was kinda at a loss for grinding this thing, so I started the bevel on the bandsaw, used the 6" Bench Grinder to knock a few humps out, then got out the Wood Rasps and started working it smooth.

Once I got it smooth, I whipped out my EDC (_Every Day Carry - for those that don't think like the monkey_), a Kershaw Volt, and turned it into a spoke shave or a draw knife or something along those lines and started planing this thing down trying to pull a little hollow grind into it as I went.

Somewhere along about now someone is thinking, "Holy bat guana this has got to be a site!" I'm sure, because if I was reading all that I know I would be! But... Nay nay... handtools hath created many a work of art, and lo and behold the Kershaw is not only one heckuva knife to carry, it's a pretty damn good wood working tool to boot!

My only question is, do we get bonus points if you can carve meat with this thing when we're done?







 
Not sure how I did it, because I didn't measure a damn thing when I started drawing, but the tang is 1.01" inches tall, and 0.30 inches thick, so after sanding nice and flat down to .25" thick, a 1" scale will fit right nicely for sanding to fit.

And, that is day one progress on the TOCRSLTGB project!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1 | Way Cool 11


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## ripjack13 (Jul 24, 2016)

Looks real good rocky!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Jul 25, 2016)

Need to straighten my bottom edge back out a little, planed it down and the grain started flaking out on me. It's already drawn blood twice, didn't think I was ever going to get that second splinter out of my finger! Ran a bead of CA down both sides of the edge to try and stabilize it a little, and when I resumed working the stuff off that was giving me grief it pulled a little more back on the flat where it was failing, than down on the turn. Then when I started trying to work that down, the edge started getting really ragged because I was pulling the edge so fine where the CA was, that I had to sand that all back down, so I just kinda parked it for the night, before I screwed it up. Will get out the sander in better light and play a little more, or order a belt sander more than likely.


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## Tony (Jul 25, 2016)

Nice thread Rocky! Going to be a good looking blade me thinks! Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Jul 26, 2016)

Had to make a parts run today, pick up a few things to fix all the broke down stuff around here at the moment. So I ran to Harbor Freight and picked up a few goodies to assist with the project. Like a belt sander, (_honestly wanted the Grizzly 0547, but I'd have had to wait days for it, Harbor Freight is 20 minutes away and half the price of Lowes or Home Depot, so for the present time at least..._), and needle files to clean my bolster out. Kinda figured that was gonna get interesting. 

And, since my floor jack is mysteriously broke, it wasn't last time I used it, and it's about 25 years old, and I need a jack to work on some of the broke down bat guana, one of them too. I'll find a model number and fix the other one, if Sears Direct still carries parts for it, but at present none of the 6 around here work, so I had to buy one.

Returned home, and went to work on the knife again, drug out the blackwood and tried to carve out a bolster. First attempt was a little too crude, failed miserably in respect to fit. Opened it up with the moto-tool, then finished it out with the rasp and needle file, but it simply did not fit right. Started over with it, drilled a hole, as in ONE, and went to the scroll saw. Cut inside the line, cleaned up a few humps and rough spots with the moto-tool, then got after it with the rasp and needle file again. Got a pretty decent fit out of that one; still not exactly perfect, but when I get done no one will ever know! (_The mark of a true craftsman is being good enough to cover up your mistakes._) Once I got a good solid fit, I started sanding it into shape; currently in rough semi-finished form, it'll get more refined before I call it done.

You have to love an observant woman... wife got home from town, walked in the shop, saw me sitting there in front of the fan, in a puddle of sweat, sanding away on the bolster, and she said, "Oh my! Is that knife all made of wood? That is really really cool!!" She just carried on for several minutes about this knife project, as I explained what was up with it. Said supper was in the car, and would be on the table shortly, if I was to a stopping point, then headed for the house and never said a word about the new combination belt/disk sander sitting on the table right behind me!! It was kinda dusty by then, so maybe she figured one of you guys loaned it to me, or something.

Blackwood didn't remain black, it's all red on the inside so I got a faded effect on the bolster at present. Tried staining it and that don't work, it's so hard it won't take stain. Did bring the figure out in it a little though. All roughed out it looks kinda interesting.





Although a little rough in a spot or two, it fits pretty snug, the taper top and bottom of the bolster and tang worked very nicely, like I had hoped it would, allowing some minor adjustment of the bolster, while retaining a tight fit on the back of the blade.

_Yo knife makin guys... Is that the way it's supposed to be done??_






Since my blackwood turned red, the Box Elder Burl in blue/gray to black, just didn't look right. And, I dug through the stack of boxes and searched and searched, the one box of Honduran Rosewood had some decent figure with sapwood, but that really wasn't what I wanted, so I kept digging until I stumbled upon the box of Honduran Rosewood Burl, and that just kind looked right up against the bolster.

Cut my scales, knocked the edges down a little on the belt sander before gluing them up. Kinda interesting trying to get as near a perfect fit as possible on the front bolster, but I only had to sand the end off of a little bit to fix the first screw up, and left them about 1 - 2 RCH full for final fitting on the second pass. Glued and clamped them, and called it a night.










Tomorrow I'll work on cutting and fitting the rear bolster, turning pins, drilling the handles and the rear bolster, and shaping and sanding everything, while baby sitting a 5 year old. Could be an interesting day in the shop!!

Reactions: Way Cool 5


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## HomeBody (Jul 26, 2016)

Damn! You're almost done. I haven't even decided if I want to try one. Gary


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## ripjack13 (Jul 26, 2016)

I love it.....great job....

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Jul 26, 2016)

HomeBody said:


> Damn! You're almost done. I haven't even decided if I want to try one. Gary




You're as bad as my wife Gary! I walked in last night about 11:30, still soaked in sweat, and covered in sawdust, since it all stuck to me in my covered in sweat mode. And, my wife said, "Did you finish your knife?"

I just kinda chuckled and said, "Yeah right! I got at least 2 more days on it. I'm down to all the detail work now; the easy part is done. "

Reactions: Like 2


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## rocky1 (Jul 27, 2016)

Didn't get as much done as I wanted today, however I did make a little progress on the project.

Front bolsters ground, scales shaped a little better, rear bolster fitted and glued up after 4 attempts... man that one was a pain in the keester! Attempted moto tool with a drill bit, things got ugly! Attempted to straighten them out with a milling bit, and then it got too sloppy. Attempted to cut a new hole with the milling bit, didn't work at all. Round three I went to the drill press punched 3 - 9/32" holes side by side, then ran the milling bit through them and it was absolutely perfect! Was trying to grind a little decorative tail on the rear bolster and ground it up too far, so that one bit the trash can too. Didn't like the way it looked regardless, so the 4th. attempt we went for plain old rear bolster. 

Have a little more shaping to do on the rear bolster after the glue dries, and a lot more sanding to do on the scales, but I had to polish them up just to see what the Rosewood scales were going to look like. And, OH MY!!

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 3


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## Tony (Jul 27, 2016)

Too cool Rocky! Tony


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## Jack "Pappy" Lewis (Jul 27, 2016)

Man Rock...I am worried now that this competition thing has brought the monster builder out in folks.....looking good my man.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Funny 1


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## Foot Patrol (Jul 27, 2016)

Nice knife Rocky!!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Jul 28, 2016)

Spent the night cleaning and fitting everything, feel like I must have turned a half mile or so of sand paper into paper. But joints at the scales and bolsters are all sanded clean, as are 3 of the 4 joints between the bolsters and tang, have one left that needs just a little more work.

Tried to work a little more depth into the hollow on the blade, getting it all into shape for finishing it up basically. Not much change in looks of things from last night, except it's cleaner and shinier!

Biggest dilemma I'm having at this point is trying to decide whether I really want pins in the scales. It would add additional detail to the build, but the pictures above really don't do that burl justice, and I really hate to detract from that. Will ponder on it until tomorrow.


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 28, 2016)

rocky1 said:


> Spent the night cleaning and fitting everything, feel like I must have turned a half mile or so of sand paper into paper. But joints at the scales and bolsters are all sanded clean, as are 3 of the 4 joints between the bolsters and tang, have one left that needs just a little more work.
> 
> Tried to work a little more depth into the hollow on the blade, getting it all into shape for finishing it up basically. Not much change in looks of things from last night, except it's cleaner and shinier!
> 
> Biggest dilemma I'm having at this point is trying to decide whether I really want pins in the scales. It would add additional detail to the build, but the pictures above really don't do that burl justice, and I really hate to detract from that. Will ponder on it until tomorrow.

Reactions: Funny 6


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## rocky1 (Jul 28, 2016)

Well tonight went fairly well, everything was about ready to finish, hit it quick with 2000 grit and applied copious amounts of medium CA to the scales and bolsters. Smoothed it in with surgical glove. Piled on 2 - 3 coats, it was all nice and shiny and then it did things I have never seen CA do... It just slowly sucked it up and the gloss disappeared. Then it all started turning white. After I cussed a great deal, I started sanding again, then I cussed some more!!

Finally fired up the Beal Wheel on my lathe, hit it hard with stage 1 and worked all the white out of it, and it started coming my way. Wet sanded to knock all the humps down, kept polishing, until I was happy. Had one or two blemishes in the finish, didn't really want the white dust off the White Diamond so I grabbed the Novus 2 polish instead, and polished some more. Then ran her over it with the carnauba a little to fill a few errant pores, and polished some more.

Blade I just buffed out and polished, no finish on it, was afraid anything I put on it might darken it, and didn't want to lose the contrast in colors.










@Don Ratcliff - This would be the cause of indecision on pinning the scales. Sometimes you just don't mess with what mother nature has blessed you with.










Have to get better pictures tomorrow, difficult to get a decent picture on something that shiny in the shop.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 1


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## Tony (Jul 29, 2016)

That is gorgeous, great job! Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ripjack13 (Jul 29, 2016)

Looks real good Rocky!


Side note...To keep it looking authentic/real looking, the reason for the pins would be to keep the scales on. (On a real knife) Unless it is a hidden tang. Then it would be glued with epoxy.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Jul 29, 2016)

ripjack13 said:


> Looks real good Rocky!
> 
> 
> Side note...To keep it looking authentic/real looking, the reason for the pins would be to keep the scales on. (On a real knife) Unless it is a hidden tang. Then it would be glued with epoxy.




Yeah I know... just couldn't force myself to do that to those scales.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 29, 2016)

So much for being Mrs. December... you will be lucky now if you get Mrs Septemberish

Reactions: Funny 3


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 29, 2016)

rocky1 said:


> Well tonight went fairly well, everything was about ready to finish, hit it quick with 2000 grit and applied copious amounts of medium CA to the scales and bolsters. Smoothed it in with surgical glove. Piled on 2 - 3 coats, it was all nice and shiny and then it did things I have never seen CA do... It just slowly sucked it up and the gloss disappeared. Then it all started turning white. After I cussed a great deal, I started sanding again, then I cussed some more!!
> 
> Finally fired up the Beal Wheel on my lathe, hit it hard with stage 1 and worked all the white out of it, and it started coming my way. Wet sanded to knock all the humps down, kept polishing, until I was happy. Had one or two blemishes in the finish, didn't really want the white dust off the White Diamond so I grabbed the Novus 2 polish instead, and polished some more. Then ran her over it with the carnauba a little to fill a few errant pores, and polished some more.
> 
> ...

Reactions: Like 1


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## Jack "Pappy" Lewis (Jul 29, 2016)

Rock that Honduran rosewood sets it off like a bottle rocket on the 4th of July......who needs pins when you got class!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 29, 2016)

Rocky, I am not in the challenge so who are you going to listen to? Me, your most trusted advisor; or pappy who is trying like a Clinton to win the centerfold portion of the calendar.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## rocky1 (Jul 29, 2016)

I hear you Pappy! If it was real, and it was going to actually be used, I'd pin it. But, since it's supposed to sit on a shelf, and be purty for calendar pictures, I just couldn't bring myself to do it on those scales. I'll pick uglier wood for the next set!


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 29, 2016)

rocky1 said:


> I hear you Pappy! If it was real, and it was going to actually be used, I'd pin it. But, since it's supposed to sit on a shelf, and be purty for calendar pictures, I just couldn't bring myself to do it on those scales. I'll pick uglier wood for the next set!


Talk to @ripjack13 he prolly has some junk in a bucket from the 80's

Reactions: Funny 2


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## rocky1 (Jul 29, 2016)

I probably got a scrap or two laying around the shop that'll work, but if all else fails I'll shout at @Mrs RipJack13 and see if she'll clean some of the old stuff out of his shop and send it to me.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## ripjack13 (Jul 29, 2016)



Reactions: Great Post 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Jul 29, 2016)

@rocky1 there is an old saying, "the sun shines on a dog's ass once in a while." You my friend may have just had your shining thought...


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## Jack "Pappy" Lewis (Jul 30, 2016)

Joking aside I am well pleased with the response to the challenge ... it seems to have brought out the creative juices in a few and a lot of comments have been made to reflect the talent of all who have tried their luck at turning that "scrap" into something "purty" and shelf worthy LOL

Reactions: Like 1


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