Moai Knife - New Knife Project - Update 09/08

Hi All
This post was inspired by Horseman1's post.
For a while I have thought about combining my hobby (knife making) with my love of all things South Pacific.
So here goes,
I started carving a Moai knife handle, which was constantly re-worked to try and get the right profile, inspired by many posts on the forum.
When I saw Horseman1's post about a knife I decided to try and finish the project.

Handle - English Bog Oak (very, very old 1000yrs+) Inset Paua shell, finished with Teak Oil.
Guard - Black Buffalo Bone
Blade - Lammi Balde, part of an original batch made between 1928-1930.

I am making a sheath from Stingray skin and a blade stand from the same Bog Oak.
Hope you like
Regards
Flynny

[ Edited by: flynny 2006-08-06 23:21 ]

[ Edited by: flynny 2006-08-07 10:18 ]

[ Edited by: flynny 2006-08-07 23:31 ]

[ Edited by: flynny 2006-08-08 22:35 ]

Awesome use of material.
Great job.

FLinny, Nice knife handle and the blade looks awesome too. Stick around and do a few more projects, only show us how you did each one next.
Lookin Good!

Nice work - the paua inlay looks great, kinda like a full moon on his forehead. Do you hand forge your blades?

Hi Paipo
Thanks for the comments guys, the blade used in this knife is 3 layer forged carbon steel made in Finland, The Lammi Company no longer exists and this is old stock from 1928-30.
Mostly I use Finnish stick tang blades or full tang bushcraft type blades but I know a blacksmith who lives about 30 miles away who forges blades from W2 steel and I have used his blades also.
Paipo did you get my email sent via your web site regarding the fish hook book?
Best Regards
Flynny

I'm stsrting a new knife project:-
I am going to have a go at creating a Tike knife, this time with a full tang blade, which won't allow me to carve anything in the round only on the two flat sides:-
Blade - 01 Tool Steel
Pins - Nickel Silver
Handle - Alternative Ivory

Here are the componants, Blade is drilled to lighten and to provide a better surface for epoxy to grip.
Handle slabs are roughly cut to shape, and you can see my traced design, a basket weave on the reverse and a tiki design on the front.
Will post pics as I progress.
Regards
Flynny

Latest pics:-
Pins filed to length
Slabs epoxied to knife blade using a slow dry epoxy 24hrs cure.
The whole thing clamped between 2 pieces of softwood.

next pics tommorrow, hopefully everything will have set OK.
Regards
Flynny
P.S I'm already having second thoughts on carving the design on a full tang knife.

Knife out of the clamps and sanded to final finish:-

240 to 8000 grit, prior to applying the tracing over carbon paper.

will post more pics as it progresses
Regards
Flynny

Hi Guys
Knife handle polished and the basket weave traced on using carbon paper then carved it's about 70% finished this side. This the first time I have used Diamond burrs with my Maxicraft pendant drill. I intend to finish of this side then cover with masking tape prior to carving the Tiki on the other side. I am going to practice on a few scrap pieces first before I ruin a perfectly good knife so th finished article may take a while.
Maybe I should just send it to Paipo for some of that real intricate stuff.
regards
Flynny