First Camp Knife

[Big Medicine]

This is my first camp knife with my first leather sheath. Made for the KITH on the forum.
(Bad pictures, can't seem to get the photography stuff right.)

This is around knife number 15-16 for me.
Welcome any and all criticism, I'm pretty thick skinned

Forged O-1 tool steel, 3/16 inch thick
8 ? inch blade, 13 ? inches overall
attempted satin finish
green canvas micarta handle
stainless steel pins
550 paracord lanyard

8 oz leather sheath
hand stitched
550 paracord tie down






Just the Knife

[Tim Crocker]

I think that looks like a great blade. If looking at it with a critical eye, I would ask how high the bevel comes up and how thick the blade is. If the blade is thick and the bevel does not come up very high you may be losing some cutting performance. Good job!

[Big Medicine]

The initial grind was done with an 8 inch contact wheel, so I guess it comes about half way up. It is fairly thick. I still haven't gotten a good feel for convex blade geometry. Thanks for the input.

[Tai Google]

Looks like a great cutter, man!

[terence]

i cant wait to get that knife in the bush and put it to use. hopefully itll get to see some use this deer season.

[chiger]

I'm with Tia, man. Looks like a great chopper.

But I have to say Terence...if you use that thing on a deer...better make the children turn away. It could get brutal! ;~)

You're gonna get a lot of use out of that, T. It's just the right size to go from the camp site cuttin' board to whackin' limbs away from the stand.

As a matter of fact Big, I might suggest putting a simple straight cut saw back on the next one. Make it even more utilitarian around the camp.

Oh, the sheath looks great for a first stitched. I threw my first attempt away and haven't tried it again. That was over 25 years ago. Your's blows mine away!

And if you're struggling with the convex edge, do a standard hollow or flat grind. They'll preform just as well for you and after more practice the convex will be less of a step.

chiger,

[Big Medicine]

Chig, do you just file in the saw back? Somebody got a picture of one?

[chiger]

Sorry to take so long Big,

Yep, you can just file them or use a dremel to cut them.

Here's one I'm working on right now. Not near done and not near as big a knife as yours, but you get the ideal. I use a rotary tool. Most important part is layout.

chiger,
Saw.jpg

[terence]

looks cool. what if the teeth went the other way so it cut on the pull and not the push?

[chiger]

Hey Terence,

Oregon and probably others actually make folding saws that have interchangeable blades that cut on the pull. I have one and they work great! Use mine every spring around the yard.

I just like to have mine work on the push so that, and this is just because I know how clumsy I am, so that I'm not exerting the most force to cut as the blade is coming back at ME! ;~)

Not likely to happen, but I'd rather risk bustin' a knuckle than stickin' the thing up in a leg. Or worse. Especially up in a tree stand!

To answer your question, it would work just as well and you actually have more leverage on the pull than push. Just like drag or pull filling.

And you can get cute with the number of teeth per inch, swedge, relief angle and all kinds of other tweaks you might see on any kind of saw. The one in the pic is just barley functional and intended for the sportsman who finds their self in a bind out hunting. So the teeth are more about form than function. Although, I've sharpened them up now and they'll cut bone, branches or whatever else you might need.

There really aren't any rules as long as it cuts.

chiger,