Knife Blade ??

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Getting a good sheath is becoming more difficult as well. Tandy leather has dried up and blown away and finding thick enough leather to work with is a tough hunt. Hit the thrift stores and look for lightly used boots.

One reason for that is that websites like eBay, where you can see the individual piece of leather illustrated, blew them away. I don't think they make boots thick enough for an all-leather sheath. You can buy a sort of miniature plane with a V[shaped tooth to groove thick leather in a straight line for bending and vegetable-tanned leather will mould if briefly dampened with very hot water - not soaked and not boiling. For a ¼in. thick blade I would cut two shallow grooves with their inner edges a ¼in. apart.

I don't like the idea of stitching plus rivets. If the stitching is nearest the blade it either holds or it gets cut and lets the edge contact metal. If the rivets are nearest, it touches metal anyway. I would rather rely on very tight stitching with heavy thread, drawing the leather so tightly together than the edge doesn't reach the thread.

If you want the strongest possible thread, that is Kevlar, and second-best is nowhere. It is difficult to dye, but a pretty good match for light coloured leather, especially when waxed. But if you want a natural thread, linen is good, and resists decay far better than cotton. Whatever you use, it should be well waxed.

You can make an adequate knife from a truck spring or an extremely good one from an old file or a broken machine-hacksaw blade. But when you consider the work you will put into it, buying a piece of most kinds of tool steel is a worthwhile safeguard.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I like Jantz Knifemaking Supply:

http://www.knifemaking.com/

I've bought a couple complete knife kits, as well as, numerous pre-finished blades from Jantz...many of which are still in the box, projects for when I retire, LOL (I've been retired for almost 2 years now).

Besides collecting old knives, I've refinished a couple, one was a Western fixed blade, it looked like it was lost in a mountain stream and exposed to the elements for a decade. I removed the rust, but left the pitting in the blade, it gave it a unique and rugged look (if I removed the pitting, there would not be much steel left, LOL). I like Western, they used some very good steel and holds an edge well...one of my favorites.

[Elkins45]

I bought a couple of finished blades from Jantz about 20 years ago. They both were 440C and made very good knives.

[Beerd]

You know, there's a forum right here on Castboolits for Knives and Knife Making

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru....php?91-Knives
..

[texasnative46]

To All,

Texas Knifemaker's Supply are GOOD folks to work with, imvho.

yours, tex

[OldBearHair]

My opinion Johnch D2 is a very good knife steel with very good edgeholding ability. It is difficult to hand forge at the anvil. It is hard to keep at the correct forging temperature. All it needs while turning an elk into four hanging quarters on sawed off limbs of a pine tree is to whet it on a steel a few times to align the edge and keep on skinning. put it back in its sheath with the fat left on it and pull it out again to use on a last hunt day kill and it performs that task as well as the first one.

[Texas by God]

Johnch, I'm sorry that you're still having the migraines. The Botox did not work for me. However Verapamil 360mg may be worth asking your doctor about. It is a blood pressure med and even though I don't have high bp it serves as a preventative if taken every night. I also use Diazepam if needed on the severe headaches. I've gone from everyday all day migraines to maybe one a week.
You've gotten great advice on the knife question; all I'll say on that is SOG and Spyderco are my favorite current brands- and of course the little Victorinox that I'm never, ever without.
Thomas

[OldBearHair]

Found the picture Knife in question is the one in the middle

[Tom W.]

I made one several years ago from a mechanical hacksaw blade and another from a file. They were good enough to give for Christmas gifts, and they held an edge...

[fiberoptik]

Search Thrift stores for old carbon steel knives. Change to fit your own needs. Thrifty!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Springfield]

Tandy leather is still very much around.. https://www.tandyleather.com/en/ . Look online for Tandy/Leather factory. There are 2 actual stores within 40 miles of me. I like their thinner leather but for better quality thicker leather I go to Wickett and Craig and order online. As long as i explain to the salesperson what I need they do a good job of sending quality leather that I can use for my holsters, gunbelts and stuff. And to keep your knife from cutting the threads you need a third piece of leather sewn in there for the blade to hit instead of the threads, better than rivets if you want to keep your blade sharp.