HT 2024 trail cam contest prize build

[tooln]

Handle scales were epoxied on yesterday. Now it will be a slow process of profiling them. I have to work slow so I don't burn the epoxy. The 2nd knife will be a cleaver. Total opposite size wise. Enter if you want a chance to win.

 

[tooln]

Did some profiling and hand sanding on the handle today. I'm up to 400 grit, it's starting to come around. I'll have to get up over 1000 grit to get it to pop. I have one side of the handle with the sea shells towards the top, the other side, the bottom. Each side of the handle will have its own look. Once I get into the finer grits, the side with the sea shells towards the bottom will come around. Picture don't do it justice right now.

 

[tooln]

Ok I'm back at the prize knife. Hand sanded to 1500 grit. Pictures don't do it justice. Once I wax and polish it will be even better.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Ok I'm back at the prize knife. Hand sanded to 1500 grit. Pictures don't do it justice. Once I wax and polish it will be even better. View attachment 67530View attachment 67531View attachment 67532

Geez gorgeous! True talent

 

[tooln]

Today I finished up the Fillet prize knife. To recap it has a stainless blade .040 thick which makes it very flexible. The handle has seashells embedded in a clear epoxy with stainless pins. One side has the seashells towards the top and the other near the bottom. This was done intentionally to give it an unique look. The sheath has finished leather both inside and outside. The display is a piece of spalted maple. If you want a chance to win this you have to enter. I do have to say the pictures don't do it justice, but I do say that a lot. The other knife to be included in the contest is a cleaver. I'll start on that sometime in the next few months.

 

[tooln]

I haven't forgotten abut the prize knives. Just been so busy with orders. Will start the cleaver soon. Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a custom fillet and cleaver.

 

[tooln]

Starting on the cleaver today. Couple of dandies this year. SS filler & SS cleaver. Don't forget to enter if you want a chance to win.

 

[tooln]

Ready for heat treat. Won't get at that till Saturday or Sunday. Each end of the spectrum for prize knives this year. Can't win if ya don't enter.

 

[tooln]

The cleaver is wrapped in stainless foil and in the oven. Heat to 1560 degrees hold for 5 minutes. Then ramp to 1975 degrees and hold for 10. Then air quenched between 1" thick aluminum plates. Once cooled to around 120 degrees it will get the cryo treatment in the deep freeze overnight.

 

[tooln]

Heat treat done, blade out of foil and into cryo deep freeze till tomorrow. I've got something special planned for the handle. I think you guys will like it.

 

[tooln]

Bill likes me to space out the updates of the build. I'll try my best to space them out but afraid I'll miss something along the way. Normally I work on it and set it aside come back later to do something then post an update. I'm swamped with orders to get done for Christmas and need to get the cleaver finished so it's not forgotten. Here's what the display for it will be. Don't forget to get your trail cam pics in for a chance to win.

 

[tooln]

Well the something special I had planned for the handle didn't go as planned. I had some deer teeth & antler pieces imbedded in clear epoxy. While surface sanding one dropped and cracked so it not large enough to use. So I picked out a nice piece of olive wood. This came from Bethlehem and is complete with a COA. I've made a few handles from this and once I get it sanded it really comes to life. Don't forget to enter if you want a chance if winning.

 

[tooln]

It's going to take some time but I'll get it figured out. These are t bad for first time using it

Post in thread 'Tool'n Knife Builds' https://habitat-talk.com/threads/tooln-knife-builds.14122/post-359407

 

[tooln]

Well it's getting closer. Hand sanding the handle today. At 220 now, I'll take it to 800 and if I'm happy it will stay otherwise I'll go higher . Don't forget to enter if you want a chance of winning a fillet and cleaver.

 

[tooln]

Well both prize knives are done. I’m just going to give a little recap on each. The fillet has a .040 thick blade and the cleavers is .160. Both are made from 14c28n Stainless which is a Swedish Stainless used in high end cutlery. The displays are each made from spalted maple with the cleavers having a live edge. The bobbers for the fillet will need to be put in as they will be removed for shipping, be careful as it is a tight fit. The handle for the fillet is a clear epoxy embedded with sea shells. Each side of the knife has a different look with one side has the shell towards the top and the other towards the bottom. This gives a unique look, the pins are also Stainless. The fillet has a sheath with finished leather on the inside as well as outside. The Cleaver has mosaic pins one being a bucks head the other a bear claw. The epoxy I use is the best money can buy. No cheap 5-minute stuff for me. It is water proof, UV resistant has a modulus elasticity of 150,000 psi & tensile strength of 3,440 psi. The handle is olive wood direct from Bethlehem complete with a COA, this takes over a month to get shipped to me. Shipping in or out through customs is a royal PITA. With proper care these can be a family heirloom. I’ll be posting pics of both knives soon. The edge retention test for the cleaver video will be Monday. I've had people say that Olive wood can be gotten in the states. Well here's my proof.

 

[tooln]

Don't forget to enter to win both of these. A big thanks has to go out to Bill for the contest.

 

[Brian662]

Beautiful work as usual @tooln

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Yeah, unreal. You are so talented.

 

[tooln]

Yeah, unreal. You are so talented.

Thanks. I just got lucky and found something I really like doing. Just ended up being good at it. I never figured I'd be so busy during retirement. By the end of the year I'll be at over 200 made. 14 different states and the possibility of 1 going out of the country.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Thanks. I just got lucky and found something I really like doing. Just ended up being good at it. I never figured I'd be so busy during retirement. By the end of the year I'll be at over 200 made. 14 different states and the possibility of 1 going out of the country.

That’s great! Though I have a feeling you have many talents and this is just an extension of those