Another hobby. Knife making

[rancid crabtree]

During the winter months, I like to tinker with a little shade tree knife making. Nothing to fancy. I made my first knife back when I was 18 years old back in 1982.

I make a lot of knives from saw blades but recently, I have been using bar stock O1 steel and doing my own heat treat and temper. I have also used some purchased Damascus blanks. I typically don't sell my knives but rather, give them away or donate them to be used as raffles or fund raisers. I AM NOT HERE TO SELL KNIVES!! I have more than enough to keep me busy already. I also make my own sheaths. Leather working is another great hobby. Lately, I have been doing a few restorations of old knives.

these a few of my most recent knives.

10" Table saw blade with a gun blue finish and a handle of purple heart and hard rock maple.




10" Table saw blade with a Bloodwood handle.




Stainless gut hook blade with elk antler and brass handle with an 8 Oz. tooling leather sheath.




24" concrete saw blade with a curly maple handle and an 8 Oz. tooling leather sheath.




10" table saw blade with a Cocbolo handle




24" Concrete saw blade with alum. bolsters and a Cocbolo handle. I also used homemade mosaic pins.






24" Concrete saw blade with elk antler scales and a mirror blade finish.






An O1 steel blade with whitetail antler handle and 8 Oz. tooling
leather sheath




O1 steel blade with a Moose antler handle with a little ink work and some blade filing. The sheath is tooled 8 Oz. leather with a moose antler tooled into the sheath








A father and son set with O1 steel blades with filing. Whitetail antler handles and 8 Oz. tooled leather sheaths.







A small Bowie with an O1 steel blade with filing and a Bloodwood and brass handle. The sheath is 8 Oz. tooled leather







A neck knife with a whitetail antler handle and 6 Oz. tooled leather sheath.







A knife I am donating to the Wisconsin Bowhunters as a fund raiser. A Damascus blade and dyed maple burl handle with WBH logo inlays













My first attempt at metal carving. O1 steel and cocobolo. The gun bluing does not photograph well.











A restoration of an old German Bowie with an 8 Oz. tooled leather sheath.









A restored knife with a missing handle and missing sheath. The handle is leftover bow riser wood call camo diamondwood. The sheath is 6 Oz. tooled leather.

[TradRag]

WOW Very nice. I love the antler handled knives and the matched set is special too. Great work

[BowHuntingFool]

Dude your killin me! Those are pretty sweet! What the story behind the WBH knife????

[rancid crabtree]

I made that for the upcoming (March) WBH convention in Wausau. I donated it as a fund raiser.

[tommyg]

Thats the most beautiful work Ive ever seen.
I to enjoy making things and giving to others.
There is no greater pleasure.

[Lance Coleman]

Hey Rancid..... yer killin me too. two questions... ONe: what do you use to cut the saw blades (cuz I have an absolute ton of em)

And. how long does it take you to polish them blades?

[Spotted Bull]

Sir, I would say that you have gone past tinkering and straight into....HOLY COW!!! Those are really, really nice! That carved blade is something else!

[battman1]

You truly have a talent.Those are some of the nicest knives I've seen.

[mountainrifle]

hold me back! those are some nice knives!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Very neat. I have some old saw blades that I have tinkered with and then kinda walked away from. Do you re-heat the blades or just use them as is and reduce the blade while the steel is hard?

Your work is very nice, Do you get toward Wausau much? My dad could use a bow shooting friend or someone to show him he way IE 3d and stump shooting.