13'' Flat Grind; the Latest from The Reverend

[The Reverend Sharp]

This one was an old clunker with some new parts thrown in.

Cocobolo Wood Scales this time.

Considered making Brass Bolsters but my Brass Bar Stock is a tad narrow to do the 'Ears' on the big 13's Bolsters so it would have been an 'Ice Pick' style.

I decided to go with the old Pressed SS Bolsters on this one; I'll be doing a heap of 9s soon, might do some experimenting with those.

Thanks Pete for the donor knife, I hope you like it; no Skulls here mate !!

[ILikeStilettos]

Wow. I just love the grain in that. I'm not a fan of regular woods, the dyed and stabilized are more interesting, but prejudices aside I have to give credit where it's due and comment on beauty, whatever the medium. Great job!

Not to be negative, but you need to know about two piece bolsters. If you start with solid NS wide enough for ears, it's fairly easy to cut it down to shape, but wasteful of expensive material. It should be possible to silver solder NS to NS or brass so well that when polished you can't find the seam other than by color. Casting NS is not safe because of toxic fumes, but casting sterling is pretty easy and not much more material cost. Contact a local silversmith and find out what solid sterling bolsters would cost ... Make a plaster mold from stamped stainless and cast waxes, then use lost wax technique to cast bolsters that only need minor shaping and polishing.

Again, superb work, Chris, and lucky, Pete.

PS Notice how narrow my post is? The width of your pictures is doing that.

[DonC]

Good looking piece. The figuring in the scales really shows up well.
Have seen a number of wood scaled knives with rather mundane grain patterns that look pretty plain. This one is an exception.
Providing visual interest to a knife with exotic woods, burls or acrylics for scales can make it stand out from the crowd.
DonC

[The Reverend Sharp]

Thanks guys for those kindly words. Very encouraging for a novice like me....no pun intended!!

It certainly is beautiful wood with a very interesting grain and lovely rich colour. Interestingly it also has a very sweet fragrance; a bit like Sandalwood.

Dave, your tip regarding Two Piece Bolsters is very interesting; I hadnt thought of that. Sterling is very much a possibility as NS is not available on my side of the Pacific and works out at $50 per foot by the time it gets here from the US.

I would think 925 would likely work out a similar price; I will look into that.

Blessings

The Reverend

[peter44]

Great job your Reverence ! Love the Cocobolo

[monstro]

Very nice indeed.

[littlejimishiv]

Hello Reverend!
Greetings Reverend! My name is Jamie "littlejimishiv" I enjoy your work Man! May I ask why no safety? I only ask because I have had a few, ok quite a few hassles with safeties! I did however very recently install one! I salvaged an old one from a broke up SKM 9' bayonet blade stiletto. I installed into one of those safety-less 13' buffalo horn scale stilettos. It was sent to me a couple years back when I ordered a different knife! Iggot stuck keeping it cause I didn't have the balls to send it back. So I stored it away until I had the parts, tools & nerves to try to install a safety! I'm shure some of the talented folks on the site could install a safety in there sleep or call one in over the phone! But to me it was a huge undertaking & I still managed to get it a wee bit off to the top-side of the knife! I will post a photo when I wrap it up, still a few minor details! For now here is a before & after of a new 13' lite horn, bayo blade I did recently. I carry this one daily as well! I will be looking forward to seeing your work on your fine stilettos as you see fit to post pictuers them. I find it sad that these few makers in Maniago produce such poorly finished 13'. I noted that now they don't even weld the left bolster any longer! I could overlook that it they would just make the cheap shit bolsters solid! But no, just way thin cheap shit brass & equally poor bolsters. Good luck getting one that fires open & locks up in any sort of streight line with the handle! This & many more reasons are why I have started messing with new 13' italian stiletto to give them more of a look & feel of old classic stiletto! Snapped off a few parts, I tell you what!
Thanks so much!
Your Friend!
Jamie "littlejimishiv" MCGann
Ct.-USA
Your Friend
PS: I also wanted to mention how I liked how you handled that crazy "Wall of Death" business! I have a feeling we have a very tortured young man on the site now. I would strongly suggest avoiding ANY interaction or correspondence with that guy at all costs!!!!!!