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New Years Project

Happy New Year! Here's a recent project, spent New Years Day morning building the sheath for it. The Bowie started out as crane cable, band saw steel and an old Delta mill file.

First, the cable was forge welded into a billet. The cable Damascus billet was cut in half and an old, 1950's vintage Delta mill file was placed as the core/cutting edge. Because these two alloys are similar enough that they wouldn't contrast well band saw steel was placed between them.

then the billet was drawn out.

At this point the blade was then ground out of the billet stock removal style to help keep the core centered. A handle of elk antler and kingwood was mounted on a bolt through tang.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin D on January 2, 2025 at 12:38

Nice job James,

I appreciate seeing the process that bladesmiths make their knives. Using the three different materials to make the go-mai blade was a little unexpected as I was expecting a thin layer of nickel instead of the saw blade. I have not even attempted any type of forge welded steel yet, so I always like seeing the various materials used like this. Nice work.

The use of the kingwood and elk antler help keep the 'feel' of the bowie old-school along with the aged look of the brass quillon and butt cap. Is there any chance you can show us the rear tang connection at the butt of the knife? Not sure if anyone else is interested, but I know I am. :)

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KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by James McClendon on January 3, 2025 at 5:22

This isn't that knife, but it's the way I do these tangs. Wayne Goddard outlined the process in one of his books. He used machine threads that were the same thickness as the knife. I took the idea and beefed it up. Basically I'll silver braze threads onto the tang then a coupler nut on the pommel.

Kevin D said:

Nice job James,

I appreciate seeing the process that bladesmiths make their knives. Using the three different materials to make the go-mai blade was a little unexpected as I was expecting a thin layer of nickel instead of the saw blade. I have not even attempted any type of forge welded steel yet, so I always like seeing the various materials used like this. Nice work.

The use of the kingwood and elk antler help keep the 'feel' of the bowie old-school along with the aged look of the brass quillon and butt cap. Is there any chance you can show us the rear tang connection at the butt of the knife? Not sure if anyone else is interested, but I know I am. :)

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KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by James McClendon on January 3, 2025 at 5:26

Oh, with that handle; it's stabilized elk antler. I'll find the sun bleached, cracked ones and stabilize them. Put black dye then when it's sanded down it makes the piece pop.

Kevin D said:

Nice job James,

I appreciate seeing the process that bladesmiths make their knives. Using the three different materials to make the go-mai blade was a little unexpected as I was expecting a thin layer of nickel instead of the saw blade. I have not even attempted any type of forge welded steel yet, so I always like seeing the various materials used like this. Nice work.

The use of the kingwood and elk antler help keep the 'feel' of the bowie old-school along with the aged look of the brass quillon and butt cap. Is there any chance you can show us the rear tang connection at the butt of the knife? Not sure if anyone else is interested, but I know I am. :)