[Just Carving]

I was looking at the Lyons curved blade detail knife, and I decided to see if I could make one for fun. It turned out pretty well I think. The handle is poplar--unfinished at the time of the picture--probably will get a couple of coats of Minwax Wipe-on Poly satin finish, and a couple of coats of Jonhnson's Paste Wax. The blade was cut out of a piece of reciprocating saw blade. The thickness is about .050" thick at the back of the blade. The length is 1 1/2" straight distance from tip of the blade to the back corner of the blade. Maybe I'll take up carving gnats now! LOL

Bob L

[Kenny_S]

Nice looking knife Bob. Is the point a little narrow or are you going to use this strictly for detailing?
I like it.

[Just Carving]

Hi Kenny

It is narrow but it has a little bit of meat, i.e. thickness to it--it doesn't flex at all. I definitely need to watch what I do with the knife though--can't let it fall on the floor--and it'll rip my hand to shreds if I'm not careful! I'll be using it for fine detailing in the hard to reach spots--and of course, my new trophy! LOL. Thanks for the compliment!

Take care.
Bob L

[chpster90bu]

Hey, Bob, that's a GREAT looking knife!! Good luck with it. I'm jealous. Bonnie

[arapsang]

Bob, That knife looks wicked. Can I ask you how you fixed the blade into the handle and how deep it goes?

Thanks
Peter Connor

[Just Carving]

Thanks Bonnie--jealousy will get you no where! LOL

Thanks Peter. I drilled/carved/filed a slot to fit the blade into the handle approximately 3/4". I usually set it in deeper--normally, it would have been another 1/2 inch or so--but the knife isn't going to get that much force placed on it due to the tip. If I'm really concerned with the torque being placed on the blade--then I make small cuts into the tang for the epoxy to grab hold onto. Once the slot is set, I dry fit the blade with a wedge of wood on both sides--the wedge is about half the length of the 1/2 inch slot--in this case about a 1/4 inch--not critical--main concern is to have a relief for the epoxy to come out. Once I'm happy with the fit, I mix up some two part epoxy--the stuff that comes in a double syringe. I fill the slot with the epoxy, slide in the blade, and slid the wedges in. Make sure everything is straight, and there's plenty of epoxy oozing out of the slot--no low spots into the handle. Wipe away any excess--leave some but not a lot. I let the knife set upright over night. Next day, I trim back the wedges and the epoxy flush with the handle. Sand it smooth and make any adjustments to make the handle comfortable in my hand.

Bob L

[arapsang]

Now thats what I call an answer!! Thanks a lot Bob. Guess what I'll be doing later this week.

Slainte!

Peter Connor