All About Pocket Knives

These are now in the customers hands so I thought I would post them.

Shadow Baby Butterbean, Ebony scales, shield on both sides, and liners milled for relief.





Bare head Copperlock, California buckeye burl scales, liners milled for relief.

I'm blown away. Stunning work. I love your finish. Sometimes I'd love to give a satin finish a whirl, I just never seem to be able to get results like yours so I end up polishing out all the way . Love that butterbean. Amazing.

Really great looking knives! I do have a really stupid question--several times now I have seen comments on, 'milled liners for relief'..--could you please explain exactly what this is and does?? Like I said, really stupid newbie question.

KNOCKED OUT by your efforts on the butter bean. Looks so simple yet elegant. The shields, pins, liners, and file work are an inspiration. I'm convinced the effort was not nearly so simple as it looks though. It would really push my limited talents to try this but the gauntlet has been thrown. I gotta try. Thx so much for lighting my fire. Just started working with (read; destroying) some MOP so maybe will try to incorporate some of that into my effort. Never made liners yet but that seems the next big challenge for me. I think I understand what you mean to relieve them but how much and exactly where will be fit and try (times 100) for me. Thx again
Mike

If you are doing your first MOP, it pays to shop for prices or buy B grade, especially if you plan on putting pins in. Don't use green chrome, there is white rouge that is the same grit. I do plan on a pearl tutorial, seems like I never get things done when I want to - always a few weeks late - stuff just comes up.

I have the knife picked out but may use abalone shell (laminated) because 1 knife and only 1 Bulldog knife (Kentucky derby knife) was made with pearl with the knife I chose. I will either stamp or etch my name in the liners, since I hate counterfeiters. I also plan to make a steel pattern to inlay a sheild, better to screw up a cheap piece of steel than a piece of MOP.

I can use this - same rules apply.

CharlieR wrote: I do have a really stupid question--several times now I have seen comments on, 'milled liners for relief'..--could you please explain exactly what this is and does?? Like I said, really stupid newbie question.

I know you have heard this before but here go nothing... There is no stupid question. How else are you suppose to learn

A liner that is milled for relief has a pocket (for lack of a better word) that has been milled out so when the blade opens and closes the inside of the liner won't scratch the sides of the tang. Go look at 99% of the production knives and the tang will be scratched in a radius where it drops into the liners. It's not so bad on a knife that has polished blades, but on a hand rubbed finish or an as ground finish it will stick out like a sore thumb. Here is a pic to better explain.



Some say that liners that are milled for relief weaken the strenght of the pivot point, and if you open a blade and look down in there, there isn't that much contact in there and none of that gets removed anyway. Besides that a knife isn't a pry bar, it's a cutting tool I hope that answered your question Charlie, if not, or I left something out, just ask again

pmike5869 wrote:KNOCKED OUT by your efforts on the butter bean. Looks so simple yet elegant. The shields, pins, liners, and file work are an inspiration. I'm convinced the effort was not nearly so simple as it looks though. It would really push my limited talents to try this but the gauntlet has been thrown. I gotta try.
Mike

Thank you for the kind words all !

Oh yea, Mike... Get to the shed and get busy !

This has to be Jeremy.

Beautiful knives, my friend. God has truly "Blessed" you with an amazing talent.

And, I'm envious.

Jackie

ky40601 wrote:This has to be Jeremy.

Beautiful knives, my friend. God has truly "Blessed" you with an amazing talent.

And, I'm envious.

Jackie

Jax... Is that you, by golly it is... Hi Jax, glad to see you over here. These boys have some beautiful knives of all brands Thank you for your kind words

I think someone said “simple but elegant.”
I couldn’t agree more, except to add “beautiful!”

Dale

Thank you Dale !

Beautiful knives!
I would have loved to carry that Copperlock in my pocket..!

How deep do you make your relief? About .007 to .010 or a bit more? Inquiring mind wants to know

Thank you Froggy !



I had been going .005" and it still seemed a bit close so the Butterbean and the Copperlock got .008" and that seemed much better to me. I know .003" difference doesn't seem like much but it's more than you think once you cut it and look at it.

Took your advice and "went to the shed" What a hell of a job. I worked my wrinkled old buns off and only got halfway there. I earlier said I thought it would be a tough job and not as easy as it looked. Boy, was that an understatement!! I got to take some time off to think about this project before I ruin what I've got so far. Thanks again for the inspiration, I'm enjoying every minute of this )(*&^)*&^(&^%(&^ project.
mike

Here's what I've got so far

Used to work in a night club and this is what the teeth looked like on the front row of a Merle Haggard concert.

Mike it looks good from here

First of all... Turn it up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFsiXPa7 ... re=related


Your file work look good Mike, the spacing looks very good and that will make or break file work. My only suggestion to you would be (and it's more of an opinion) to space your vine out so it flows better and wont look so cramped. Like I said though, it's more of an opinion than anything, and we all know what opinions are like... They're like... Well, their like noses, everyone has one and they all smell

Here is a pic of some vine work I did.

Thx for the advice. The difference between an amateur and a pro. Yours looks 10 times better and I see your point. Your's is so delicate and artistic! Wish I paid more attention to the things that count. Never thought such a small thing could make such a big diifference. This is only my 5th try at file work and I feel like I've already learned so much but the more I learn and try the more I find ways to improve. Timed my attempt at this filework and I did it in 50 mins. I will take more time and no doubt improve with your suggestion. Thx 1k times
Mike

pmike5869 wrote: The difference between an amateur and a pro.

Hold on Brother, I'm a wanna be, but I do look at things a little different I guess, because I like to see things flow on a knife, to me it has to look like it belongs there thats all. I spend more time planning file work and finding good start and stop points and laying it out than I actually do filing the work.

i think both of you do fantistic work...
i am still staring at this backspring and files on the desk...
keep it up

Flow is important and the bottom of my knife as it is, is the ugliest filework (really bad flow) I've ever seen. But, I live and I learn. I'll never do that style again and I have adequate proof of why. I like to experiment and sometimes "the bear gets you". The good thing is I don't have a market or a customer and my boss (me) lets me screw up whenever I want to, which I do regularly. Maybe I learn more from recovery from these disasters than if everything goes right. This whole project, making the liners and bolsters, was a stretch for me and I've learned a heck of a lot. Now I wish my grandson had some interest so I could pass the knowledge on but he has no interest in this stuff. Thx again, your work is sincerely admired and your advice is greatly appreciated
Mike

Gringo,,, All I can say is JUMP, doit, git r done, damn the torpedos