Hit the road at 5:30. The sunrise was great.
Wilson
Here’s my ride to BLADE Show 2018. I bought this Dodge Challenger new last year. I’ll be tooling around the show floor wearing my SWAT knife in that kydex sheath I recent made. BLADE Show inspired me to start making knives again two years ago. I think I’ve made half a dozen blades since then and practiced not only in steel, but in thermoforming plastics and recently leather.
I guess I owe the show a great debt of gratitude for giving me a diversion from obsessing about my job, keeping me from spending too much time in front of some form of electronic screen, and contributing to a lowered blood pressure. Yep, all good.
Visiting the booths and tables of wares from grand manufacturers to humble one-man shops is creatively invigorating. I took an interesting grinding class by Tom Krine last year and this year I will attend a balisong-crafting seminar by Chuck Gedraitis.
I’ll try to post some photos here over the next few days. I am dreading the seven-hour drive, but in anticipation of the wonders I shall see and people I will meet.
by Wilson
In preparation for BLADE Show 2018, I needed a wearable sheath for my SWAT Knife. The original sheath I had made had no real provision for mounting. I had to do something soon since BLADE is close and I wanted to show off my knife from the hip.
Rummaging in my cave of junk, I found an old paddle mount for a BLACKHAWK! Kalista fixed blade knife I had bought decades ago. If I fashioned a new flat-backed sheath out of Kydex, I could drill the holes to match the paddle and I would be in business.
Into the kitchen with a sheet of .060″ patterned Kydex, thermoforming foam, tongs, and only moderate patience. The process usually drags out for five or six attempts to get a sheath molded to my liking, however, Continue reading
As an amateur knifemaker and sometime writer, I am stoked that BLADE Show 2018 is less than a month from now. This year, BLADE Show will open up 25,000 new square feet of exhibit space and add 200 more exhibitors to give us 900 booths, tables, and displays over which to salivate. Whether you are a seller, maker, collector, enthusiast, or regular Joe, there will be something sure to bring you a stupid grin and maybe upend your wallet. The show runs June 1 through 3 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta. See you there!
Wilson
Whew, this was quite the project. I had a scrap of Alabama Damascus that was too short for a fixed blade knife. My thought was to turn it into a simple folding knife. I would name it “Lil’ Scrappy.” Sounded easy. It was not.
A friction folder has no locking mechanism. The blade is held by, well, friction in any position. When opened, the knife cannot close because your thumb is atop the spine of the blade. The blade rides on a pivot and stops at both ends of its rotation via Continue reading
Okay, I was not super happy with My Pocket Carry Kiridashi. It was a bit too chunky and irritated my thigh when wearing the business casual attire that is my daily dress. I liked the idea of the knife, though, so I took another stab at it. This is Pocket Kiridashi 2.0.
The first thing I wanted was a much more rakish outline to the blade. I backed the angle down on the chisel grind to make it pointier. Again, I used a scrap piece of Alabama Continue reading
A few years ago, I wrote an article about a knife I made to carry for SWAT. Since rekindling the knifemaking hobby again last year, I decided to construct another blade, this one as a homage to my two decades spent carrying an H&K MP-5 on duty. But this knife had to be special.
This SWAT knife would be the third blank of my 3 1/2”-bladed series in Alabama Damascus steel. I felt the handles should be black and OD green to reflect the uniforms I was issued. Although I glued up a pair of bi-colored slabs from commercial Micarta, I wanted to do something more personal.
On a lark late one Sunday afternoon, I found myself at a West Marine supply store purchasing epoxy resin and hardener meant for boating applications. The internet had sent me on an adventure to make my very own handle scales! Continue reading
I currently shuffle papers in an office for a living. Occasionally we receive packages and boxes to open and it seems like no one ever has a knife handy. Well now that I make knives, it is embarrassing not to have one on me, even in casual dress clothing.
There was this chunk of Alabama Damascus left over from the three previous knives I made. It was too short for a kwaiken, so I put the steel aside, not wanting it to go into the trash bin.
A kiridashi is a small utility knife of Japanese origin, sometimes found with a chisel grind. The piece of damascus was just right for this pattern. I traced around the outline of the blank on paper and came up with a basic design. A quick trip to the grinder and Continue reading
Here is a short video of the making of a presentation knife for a friend.
by Wilson
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We made it!
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