On going project Colonial small lock back

[glennbad]

Looking good, Randy!

[#goldpan]

Thanks Glenn! Here are some pics of where I'm at on these knives. Backs have ground and the bolsters are almost done being ground. Next step is polishing of the all of them except the ebony. After I repair the spring on the other I can grind and polish it as well. Then the ivory stripes will be inlaid. I woke up with the flu this morning so I don't know how much will be done today. Decided not to go Salmon fishing this week. Been felling a little off since Sunday, now I know why!

[#goldpan]

Its been a while since I updated this thread. I'm getting closer as the pics show! Next I need to do the finish sanding and then contour the edges of the knives and finish shaping the bolsters. When these are ready I'll do the final finish on the others as well. These are the two you get to choose from Greg! But wait until they are both finished. There some big differences between these two that may not show in these pics. I will high light the differences when they are done!

The biggest thing that I have learned is that cutting the channels for the inlays is hard to get right when you don't have the right tools for the job! Its all hand work for me. Its been fun and challenging, as well one heck of a learning curve! I plan on doing some more of this kind of work so I'm looking for the right equipment to do the job. In this case I need to machine cut the channels to make sure that the channel is uniform in depth and the sides are straight. With bad hands and a bad neck this kind of work lends itself to a painful neck and shoulders after a few hours of work. I know what I need to do the inlays with more precision. A rotating machinist vise. I have a machinist vice that I use with my drill press but it only adjusts on the X and Y axis. They make them that sit on a turn table and that is what I need. This way the cuts are uniform and the angle is adjustable. So I am saving what little ivory that I have left until I can get one those vices.

[gsmith7158]

They look great Randy! I'll wait till you point out the differences. You can wait and ship it with the 72's I send.

[americanedgetech]

Thanks Glenn. I thought so as well until this........IMGP0002.JPG I used a backing block so that it would not happen. And it did anyway. Maybe the wood was too dry, I don't really know. Even so I think there should have such big blow outs. Most are too deep the grind away. I will have to cut new pieces of ebony and start over. Perhaps on the new pieces I'll drill the holes before I shape the handles. Its never been an issue before. I still have the others to drill. But my frustration levels are telling me to walk away until I know how to stop this from happening on the others. Anyone have any suggestions? We'll see what happens when I come back upstairs to the shop on Sunday. I have to do my granddaughters back brakes Saturday and the front brakes on my motorcycle.

There are two things that may help this issue that I can add (beyond the post that followed yours)

1) actually clamping the stock to a backer
2) Brad point drill bits... set your depth of cut so the point just breaks the back surface then you can flip the piece, and finish the cut from the back side.

The BEST method is combining undersized Brad point bits, and the appropriate sized ream to finish the cut

Those are some very handsome knives sir, and your skill is admirable. I hope my methods above will help.