All About Pocket Knives

This week I'm starting a new project. Its a GEC 77 Washington jack. Going to remove the covers and replace them with some amber stag. Rob wants it to look like this old Shapleigh jack. The resulting harness jack is going to look sweet! I'll keep you updated as I make progress!

Step 1. Disassembly. This one should be a lot of fun!

Randy:

It seems like most of the re-handles I've seen are of an old, dirty, rusty, crusty knife, where the liners and springs have years of gunk on them. I bet it's nice to work on a fairly new, clean knife once in a while.

__________
Mike

Your right Mike! Cutting into a pristine knife was a knice change. Although I must admit that I sat there for awhile and thought,"What a cool knife, its going to difficult to cut her open". But after the first couple of taps it was business as usual! Came apart easy with no issues. And yes it is nice to see a clean knife. I can skip the cleaning phase. Next up: cutting the stag to length and fitting between the bolsters.

I hope you post pics of each step along the way, and am looking forward to the finished knife. Feel free to throw in add-on details, like if you have to trim pin diameter, or whatever

So its time to cut stag. In the first pic I laid out the old covers on top of the stag. These covers came off easy without breaking so I can use them as templates. Looking at the grain in the stag I choose the sections that I think will look the best. Here the pieces are laid out side by side so that you can see the portion of stag that I am going to use. Next I placed the old handles on the back side of the stag and painted the edges with liquid paper to contrast the area that marks the edges where the old covers met the bolsters. Then using a fine point marker I made my cut lines. Its important to note: when the cutting is done those cut lines need to remain. If they are removed there won't be enough stag material to adjust for a proper fit. Next step is time consuming and I wont be taking pictures as the next step has been covered in other posts. After I trim them to size I need to thin them down to the right thickness on the 4 inch belt sander. After I do that it will be time to fit the stag into the frame. When I get to that point I'll be back!

This is my favourite wip ever. Looking great Randy.

Thanks Rob! Good to see you I think your going to like it more as we go along.

It fairly time consuming to thin and shape handles. Here are some pics though that show some of the stages they go through as I prepare them. There is still more thinning to do. After that I'll fit them to the bolsters and start the final shaping! Stay tuned!

Thanks Randy,I've come to the point I really enjoy watching people work , especially those skilled.

Your welcome Lyle, glad you like the thread!

I've begun to fit the stag to the scales: After grinding them to where they almost fit I work them down with a file.

They fit tight between the bolsters now its time to finish thinning them to the right hight.
There close now. After thinning It will be time to pin them on and shape them to the frame. Stay tuned!

Alrighty, I thought that I would have the stag pinned on today, but I am still shaping it for finish. I have a "look" in mind and its almost there! What do y'all think?

Randy...is the stag that is all shiney and gold on the ends the same stag
slabs that is pictured above the last pic....if so...amazing, I just cannot believe
its the same stuff or maybe I am having a senior moment

Will
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/clearcreekknives

Randy I think they are looking awesome. Totally appropriate for such an awesome thread.

Thanks QS! Will, those are the very same. I did not think about it at the time but they are shinny because they were wet! I gave them a coat of potassium permanganate to darken the edges. I am trying to make them look like the stag covers on the Shapleigh jack at the beginning of the post. When shaping and sanding stag it can take on a bright white appearance. Which is very cool, but in this case we are trying to copy the look of aged stag. Here is a pic after I gave them a rub down. There are a couple of places that need smoothing a bit. After that it time to drill some holes for handle pins and the rocker pin. After the handle pins are in its time to inlay the shield. I'll be back with more pics on Monday!

Thanks Randy...you are really gonna get the look you want looking at the
last pic of em...really enjoyed this post, and to watch someone share
their wonderfull talents with the rest of us Joe Lunchbuckets
I guess I never in all my days realized by sanding down them stag
slabs, you could get to the stag bark area you like the best...and the
color you are gonna get out of the smooth area...gorgeous !!!
I got a pair of slabs and when I figure out what to put em on,
I am gonna get on your waiting list bud....

Will
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/clearcreekknives

Thanks Will! Any time your ready buddy! Well its going to be another scorcher here today! Going to pin the covers on today and inlay the shield! Tomorrow is going to be a non work day. I have been nursing a bad tooth for a couple of days and have an appointment to get that sucker yanked out tomorrow. With any luck Wednesday is supposed to be cooler and I will done with the broken tooth! So my plan is to reassemble the knife then and start on the final finish! Most of my work is done by hand so maybe I'll be done on Friday. We will see! Stay tuned

Alrighty, covers are pinned on and the next step is to inlay the shield. Final finish and buff after that. Then its time to assemble! Here is a pic of where I am at this morning. I placed the shield where it is going to be so that you could get a look at it. and the picture of the knife that we are trying to replicate.

Coming along nicely, Randy!

Thanks Glenn! You know I was looking those stag covers and the lines on the cap end remind me of flames. Fire Stag!

Calm down Randy. You're not working on a '57 Chevy.

I'll try Greg But dang, there aint nuthin like a 57 Chevy Belair with tail fins, Cragers with baby moons. Fat tires in the back with raised white letters. Oh my.... there I go again... Oh jack up the back end .... and of course.... Flames!

#goldpan wrote:I'll try Greg But dang, there aint nuthin like a 57 Chevy Belair with tail fins, Cragers with baby moons. Fat tires in the back with raised white letters. Oh my.... there I go again... Oh jack up the back end .... and of course.... Flames!

You go buddy! Flames on that thing will look great!