Ka Bar Fish Knife

[just bob]

I really enjoy coming here and looking at the work of others, so I guess it's only fair I post some of my own. My work isn't up to the standards of the experts on here, but I'm learning. Here is an old Ka-Bar fish knife I got on Ebay for a few dollars w/o any scales at all on it. One thing about repairing knives is that your experience gets expensive. If you crack a set of bone or stag scales $20 - $30 is down the drain. The scales on this knife are from a pen blank. They are $1.95 each and if you're careful you can get 2 sets from one. This pattern is called confettit. The other thing I'll post is the Trim nail file boards. These come in different grits and they are about 2 for $1 at Wal- Mart. The scales on this knife were a square block when I started and I sized them on the belt sander then all of the finish profiling was done with these boards. They are great and contour to your forefinger making it easy to shape things.

[Toejammer]

Nice work !

I use Flexi - Files, basically the same thing as the salon boards. They work great for sanding prep right before polishing. And, if your working on a knife that is assembled, but needs cleaning, they fit perfectly in the blade cavity for getting minor rust and other goobers.

[Bert]

Well done,Just Bob!

I agree, using common materials for scales is good to practice on when your starting out. It's no fun ruining a nice (expensive) bone scale. I'm thinking the fish will go for those purtty scales too!
Oh and thanks for the tip on sanding, looks like a good idea.

Bert

[Elvis]

Those Acrylic nail files (what the gals use when they get acrylic nails glued on) are great. The wife has been picking them up on grocery runs for me for years now. I use the black ones which tend to be a bit more coarse, but since they tend to wear down fast they can get fairly smooth pretty quick. It's a tip I've been meaning to pass along for some time now, but Bob got there first. Great tip Bob and great results on the knife too!

[glennbad]

Nice work. Looks like the nail files would take alot of patience to use, which I don't always have.

That confetti is cool!

Glenn

[jerryd6818]

My family called those 'Salon Boards' "Emery Boards". Probably the 1930s-1940s country in them talking.

You did a fine job on that old fish knife. The pen blanks was a clever idea. I love it when folks innovate.

[orvet]

Nice work Bob and great creativity using a pen blank!

I use those nail files too on some applications.
I find packages of several of them at the Dollar Tree for $1.

It is interesting that several of us have discovered that tip independent of one another.
I guess great minds do work alike!

[whitebuffalo58]

Beautifully done, Bob!

WB