Sheep Horn Semi Skinner

[Ruben Calo]

Last week I finished to HT several blades that I had handles somewhat prepared for, so I'll be posting some new finished knives this week.

This is one of them :)

Sheep Horn Semi Skinner

4" blade in hand rubbed N678 (stainless steel similar to AUS8)
8 1/4" Overall lenght
Guard in laminated nickel silver and bronze. Handle slabs are sheep.
Full tang with home made decorated pins.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/semiskinnermuflon1_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/semiskinnermuflon2_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/semiskinnermuflon3_big.jpg

Thank you for looking :)

Ruben

[Mr.LaBella]

very nice knife!

I really like the blade profile on that one!

[Guillermo]

Wow, I always have always wanted sheep horn for a handle. Nice blade.

[Mike Stewart]

Sheep Horn Is one of my favorite handle materials--We use a LOT of it.

Great Knife.

Mike...................................

[Guillermo]

Is it hard to work with? I don't remember much about it but I wanted it on a blade real bad a few years ago. Anyway it looks great.

[Mike Stewart]

It's not difficult to work with if you remember a few things.

You have to do all the grinding from the back of the scale. You don't want to remove any of the beautiful outer scale. If you want the handle to taper from the front of the handle to the rear--you have to put in that taper on the back of the scale before you attach it to the knife.

It's not unusual to find that in the ageing and drying process before you recieved the scales that--the set is a little warped. You don't want to try to bend it back. You want to flatten it --again--from the rear oof the slab on a platten grinder or flat grinder.

It drills easily so no problem there.

You have to seal the entire back of the slab with the epoxy that you attach it to the knife with. Don't be spotty with the epoxy. Get a nice even coat.

Use three clamps. Front, Center and Rear. You will not have any further warping or lifting problems if you do it this way. I clamp one side on the knife and let it 100% cure before drilling amd attaching the other scale. I let the second side 100% cure before i profile it to the shape of the knife.

Polishing the horn is no problem either. I use white rouge--high speed buffer and a medium stiched muslin wheel. If you have any imperfections in the horn that you want to deal with on the surface--I recommend you do that before attaching to the knife.

Mike.........................................

[Ruben Calo]

I apologize I haven't seen this sooner, I've been working like a madman to finish some knives.

It looks like Mike got me covered though, thanks! :)

Regards,

Ruben