Jim Baker Halloween 2010 buildoff

[JB Knives]

For my first buildoff project, I'm going to customize one of my HD drop points into a JD/ Halloween themed "pumpkin carver" There's nothing quite like a 1/4" thick piece of steel with a razor edge!

Here's a pic of another one for now, to give you a rough idea:



The blade is 4.5" long and the overall is around 9". Blade steel is 1/4" thick 440C, with a Paul Bos heat treat. The finished knife above weighs 7.3oz, so the buildoff knife should be in this area also.

I'm still looking around at materials for the handles and sheath, but I'm leaning toward sculpted red and black G-10 scales and a black leather sheath inlaid with red snakeskin- and maybe some filework on the blade.

[RoyalM]

Welcome onboard. First pumpkin carver entrant, I like your thinking. This year is going to be a fight to the death for an outright winner.

[RoyalM]

Any update? I seem to recall Paul Bos retiring so do you have a new heat treating guy?

[JB Knives]

I finally had some time to put into this one, so here's some updates at last!

Here's the sketch of what I plan to do. I couldn't find any red snakeskin for inlays (at least without buying a whole python skin), so I've decided to try something more practical.
jd buildoff drawing.jpg

My heat treating is still being handled by Paul Bos' shop- I've sent off a batch or two already since then and everything has been perfect as usual!

Here's the blade, polished up and waiting for the red and black G-10 I have on the way now. The finish was done with a Norton 45X belt and finished off with a 600 grit cork belt loaded with green chrome compound. I chose this instead of the mirror polish, so the end user doesn't have to worry about using the knife.
jd buildoff 004.jpg
The other knives I've built from this design have been very impressive in my opinion, and this is quickly becoming one of my favorite fixed blade designs.
They are well balanced and feel great in the hand despite the thickness and weight, and have to be handled to fully appreciate. I'm also considering making up one for a passaround as well
The edge is about .015" thick now, and will be honed to my usual shaving-sharp edge. Once the handle material is in, I'll be posting some more pics!

[M.Olexey]

Nice grindin'!

[cardoso5fr]

Nice grind bro

[RoyalM]

I like the look of that a lot. As a user and not really a collector the finish is a lot more useful to me than mirror, good stuff.

[JMCNEES]

That looks great!

[JB Knives]

Handle scales, cut out and ready to attach. The material is 3-D red and black G-10, and it will be sculpted.
jd scales cut.jpg


The pins are peened and the tubing flared, scales are profiled and flattened, and the spine/ scale edges polished. Time for some fun with the files!
jd scales profiled.jpg

[RoyalM]

Looking good. The red/black G10 should be awesome when you've contoured and filed it, very JD.

[JB Knives]

Here's a quick look at the sculpting - I'll get much better pics once it is finished and can go to the photo area.

jd sculpting.jpg

The 3-D G-10 has a lot of contrast, considering the scales are only .130" thick and I can't cut too deep!

[wes]

That is going to look really slick.

[JB Knives]

Here's a few quick pics of the finished scales:
jd handles.jpg

jd unsharpened.jpg

[JB Knives]

Here's a look at the spine:

jd spine shot.jpg

Now, on to the sheath!

[JB Knives]

The d- ring is stitched in now, and the sheath and welt are glued up. This sheath design has a cam area on the welt to make sure the knife stays in the sheath.

jd d-ring.jpg


The rough sheath, ready for some hand stitching:

jd rough sheath.jpg