Pass Alik 06-06-2013 20:40
I’m here to leave for almost the whole summer and I’m giving it my all). Someone push this thread
, so that it floats, the rest of the photos are there. It’s also interesting that people are interested in seeing for the future, like a survey like this here, if possible...
Uchenich-ok 06-06-2013 20:50
I brought up the topic, the handle with the eagle is very beautiful
Pass Alik 06-06-2013 20:57
Uchenich-ok, thank you.
f42sD 06-06-2013 21:11
upnul. How long does it take on average to handle?
Pass Alik 06-06-2013 21:16
quote: upnul. How long does it take on average to handle?
Thank you, but no more, otherwise the topic will be deleted)))
Time varies, due to urgency it was done in a day, but after 2 days it was like pickle, green and didn’t smell very fresh. Usually I put it off for a few days, sometimes for several months if I don’t order it. For an order I take a week to work so that I don’t have to rush.
Kerogen 06-06-2013 22:11
Beauty! I liked the one with the Indian the best.
alex-wolff 06-06-2013 22:21
quote: Originally posted by Pass Alik:
It’s also interesting what people are interested in seeing for the future
People are interested in it for free if possible, and at a fraction of the cost.
The carving is cool, but for such handles, you get tired of choosing the blade..... By the way, the problem with many carvers who try to make knives with other people’s blades is the eternal inconsistency between the blade and the handle, ... carried away by the beauty of the carving, they forget about the integrity of the object. .... well, it would be better not to attach the blade to a ready-made handle, but to invent a thread for the blade..... so think about it ..... and the thread is good, but only the shape of the handles is not for knives, ... purely imho.
borisA 07-06-2013 12:09
SUPUR carving!!! Regarding the blades, I agree with Alex-wolff
froghunter 07-06-2013 12:30
Only the harsh ones (in the 4th photo) - they probably saw a meteorite...
The Indian turned out great...well, three eagles - in that topic
poXer 07-06-2013 03:56
quote: Originally posted by alex-wolff:
but only the shape of the handles is not for knives
You probably wanted to say “not for working knives”? For office-show-off desk pens, the pens are the best in line And Indians are always interesting (westerns from childhood, books by F. Cooper) This is me on to the topicstarter...
Joch 07-06-2013 06:04
Super carving! But the blades can still be picked up, I think it won’t be that problematic.
alex-wolff 07-06-2013 10:27
quote: Originally posted by poXer:
You probably wanted to say “not for working knives”?
It’s already clear that this is not for workers, I mean the shape of the handles themselves, I’m afraid to give the creator a harsh word, but in reality this is domestic bad taste, ... too much relief and clutter on one side, and the bare shaft of the horn on the other, prepared spacers, so not at all on topic.... and if let’s say the same Indian, you can still come up with something else for a knife, then frogs or an eagle, this task is no longer feasible....
This is not for you to stick a handle turned by a barrel into a Finnish blade.
Frankly, I sometimes feel sorry that carvers with excellent creative potential undertake to make knives, and even more so about carved blanks for knife handles. In any knife, the blade is primary, and if this idea fades into the background, then in any case you won’t see harmonious work, even if it’s tabletop.
quote: Originally posted by Joch:
But the blades can still be picked up, I think it won’t be that problematic.
in order to get a terrible outcome, then yes....not a problem. Only the carving (the work of the carver) in this case is a pity.
TENCH 07-06-2013 10:48
I also liked the frogs...
Nice 07-06-2013 14:06
quote: Originally posted by froghunter:
Frogs! Frogs are our thing!
+ that's it! The carving is amazing!
grafolog 07-06-2013 16:52
quote: Someone push this thread
In the morning I saw the topic, it was interesting and I immediately came across such a horn (two in one and Bowie, and the curved appendage came across for the first time)
Pass Alik 07-06-2013 18:51
Thank you for your rating, praise and criticism. Of course, the knife has a blade main character, but I make the handles so that a person can install the wedge himself without much difficulty (that’s why I drill guide holes and use porous horns in difficult work). And a person always decides for himself whether to match a blade to a hilt or vice versa with his own money. This is the most good indicator Now you can do work on the folding structures, which is also interesting, as an experience. Starting from the winter, if everything remains in force, I will become an apprentice to Khamzat (blacksmith) and then hang in there)))
quote: I met such a horn
A good horn, enough for 2 handles, if with spacers.
Sergey Podvarko 07-06-2013 20:13
I really liked the carving, it was skillfully cut! If the blades are also forged, then it will be super. But reverse side the moon, we need to put it into action.
bogeze 07-06-2013 20:29
quote: I’m going to apprentice to Khamzat (blacksmith) and then hang in there)))
Yes, the Workshop will only benefit from such a creative union... -SUCCESS
Aspis 07-06-2013 20:38
Beautiful work. I really liked the Indian.
To bookmarks!!! And good luck in your creativity!
Perlamur 07-06-2013 21:22
It seems to me that there will be more demand for small pieces of thread so that they can be glued into the handle or sewn into a sheath...
At the same time there are dies for folding frames.
Pass Alik 07-06-2013 21:56
Thank you for your wishes, everyone mutually. I exposed the scabbards
But not large inserts in the handle... you can try.
Titanium overlays with snakes, I’ll finish another one and put it on display before I leave.
In this article, step by step, I will introduce you to the basics of the art of carving a knife handle - using the example of a geometric pattern that even a beginner can do.
Step one.
First of all, you need to give the handle itself specific size and form, and also attach raw material to the blade to compare sizes, and then carefully finish the edges. However, you should not secure the handle “tightly” until you have completed the engraving and are satisfied with the result.
In my opinion, the carving on the handle is excellent, as long as the screws are not visible. However, if they cannot be hidden, you can make them part of the handle design. I will try to teach you threads that will help hide the screws. Remember: the screws must be installed in the thickest place on the handle - which is formed after the thread. This will not cause you any worries, because thanks to the design of the handle, you will always know the exact location of the screws.
Step two.
Take a pencil and draw thin lines for the carving. Even though the design layout I have suggested is quite simple, I am absolutely sure that you will have to redraw it two or three times before you get it perfect. After this, you will need to mark these lines more dark color, since they may accidentally come off during operation.
Step three.
Start cutting! Start with the boundary line, this is how I always start. Then, according to the layout of this design, you need to cut out the middle circle.
To cut the above lines, I use a straight, cone-shaped drill with a flat tip. Use the auger bit only to make notches. While carving, be sure to hold the piece at an angle so you can clearly see the lines you want to cut.
Don't try to cut out long continuous lines right away, as they may end up crooked. Carve the lines in short, quick, jerky strokes, but don't try to cut too deep. Take your time and you will definitely succeed in carving! Remember, if you mess up the material once, nothing can be fixed.
Once you've cut out the border lines and center circle, you can start smoothing them out. Depending on the material being processed, I use a small triangular file or scraper.
In other training articles on this topic, I did not touch on the topic of using various tools. In order to do a quality job, I can make changes to any tool. However, in this case there is no need to make drastic changes to the tools. It will be enough, for example, to make the tip of your triangular file straight and sharp. This will be especially useful when you straighten cut lines, or give the notches the same depth.
So, all the lines are smoothed and now you can safely cut out the lines emanating from the central circle. Again, I remind you not to rush when cutting long continuous lines, on the contrary, you should cut the lines with quick and jerky movements. Then use the converted needle file to smooth out the lines and give the notches the same depth.
Step four.
Now that the main lines have already been cut out, you will have to shape and round each piece of the drawing. Start working the corners of each piece with the above-mentioned cone-shaped drill. Be careful not to touch other important lines of the drawing!
Step five.
Now that you have outlined the rounded outlines of each element of the design, you can begin cutting out the general background. Take a small, rounded drill that fits the size of the background and start getting rid of the excess material. Make sure the depth of the background is even.
So you need to cut at 5600 rpm. However, if your tool operates at other speeds, such as 30,000 rpm, now is the time to use it! It will give you more control over the process of working on the background.
Step six.
Congratulations, the process of cutting out excess material is completed and now it’s time to “breathe life” into the product. As already noted, each fragment of the cut out pattern must be absolutely even, and now it’s time to make it convex.
I carved this design for quite some time and performed each step described using a machine running at 30,000 rpm. However, if you want to try your hand at carving for the first time, I recommend using a flat-tip needle file. Most beginners immediately start working using high-speed equipment, and that is why they “climb” into the drawing and ruin all the work done. In order to carefully handle the corners and give the design a convex shape, use a tool at a lower speed. Once you've done this, sand the design down with sandpaper.
If desired, you can also cut out not a convex pattern, but the opposite one - in the same style. In this case, you will need to use a small rounded drill bit to carve out a concave shape in the center.
Contouring and cleaning of tips.
A ladies nail file can be indispensable for contouring and cleaning. It is very hard and can give the desired shape to the product in hard-to-reach corners. It works especially well on Ivory, bones and wood.
In order to give the drawing different shapes, you can use various tools, cutting material various shapes and size, and also use a piece of self-adhesive sandpaper. Sandpaper comes in different grits and is suitable for both sanding and cleaning the product.
And here's another tip: use a diamond drill bit as a file. You can also use your drills as needle files by mounting them in a small handle or tool holder, giving you the ability to have a hand tool at hand the desired shape and graininess. This tip is useful for carving on any surface.
The final step.
On last stage It is necessary to clean the surface from marks and scratches. If you wish, you can texture the background of the handle. Use a buffer with a soft surface and polish the product - that's it, it's ready!
Imagine!
The design of the handle presented to your attention is ideal for people who have very little experience in artistic arts. Even though I call this design "simple" in its cutting technique, that doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to copy it. I meant that this design is much easier to cut out than another intricate one, for example, a naked girl.
This modest design can be complicated and embellished in a variety of ways to suit your tastes. Imagine! You can decorate the handle with guards, rivets and overlays.
Don't be discouraged if your first piece is a bit rustic, over time you'll be able to improve your skills and create more sophisticated pieces. carvings in future.
I teach the art of cutting and begin my training by learning simple geometric designs. Over time we learn more complex techniques and apply the acquired knowledge in practice. Give yourself a chance, I'm sure you will succeed!
Announcement picture: Array
The very first wooden handle was an ordinary stick, to the front end of which our distant ancestor in one way or another attached a sharp one, first stone, then metal. And the very first problem that faced this gunsmith was the problem of ensuring the strength of the connection of dissimilar materials. History shows that, even without knowing the strength of materials and not having epoxy resins at hand, our forefathers coped with the task superbly, using no worse natural components. Here in front of us is a flint one with a wooden handle wrapped in something like straw or a thin vine.
There were an innumerable number of similar knives in that era, but only a few have reached us in their entire form, so the photo is most likely a reconstruction. The method of fastening the blade with straw is not visible, but it is simple and reliable, having been tested over many, many centuries: a stone plate was inserted into a split wooden block (sometimes with resin) and fixed with a winding of guts. Screwed in a wet state, when dry they firmly grasp the parts and are not at all prone to loosening. Bone could be used instead of wood, but more on that below.
Modern craftsmen do the same, complementing the piece of iron with a simple piece of wood. True, they do not use guts, preferring synthetic glues or rivets, but in vain - such a winding created an excellent transition zone,
absorbing breaking forces and protecting the front end of the handle from splitting, and the fingers from accidental cuts when sliding forward. This style is very popular among gunsmiths. northern countries- Sweden, Norway, Finland.
This is how the one given to me was mounted japanese knife for ripping open fish bellies at a fish factory, but then I remade it, replacing birch handle juniper and adding a compression ring.
Please note the last detail: this important element handles of this type, because without it the wood will crack sooner or later. With all my positive qualities any wood splits easily along the grain, so a handle that is not reinforced in any way will survive short life. To avoid such trouble, the wood is reinforced with metal. These can be rings or short sleeves (caps) stuffed onto the ends. Apart from everything else, the combination of two dissimilar materials, emphasizing and shading each other, creates a beautiful, balanced harmony.
If the shank passes through the entire handle, this significantly increases the strength of the structure and allows you to mount heavy heads of complex and convenient shapes. Here the tree looks like a thick-walled tube, squeezed between two fairly massive
metal parts, usually brass or bronze. Application
The American trench stiletto of the early 20th century has such a structure, but, of course, in in this case There is no talk of any beauty, but durability and convenience fully provide the range of tasks of this more than deadly weapon.
Another, perhaps the most common, method of mounting the handle is to attach the side plates to the tang plate. This is done in two ways - using rivets or screws with nuts. Of course, the first of them is simpler, but the threaded connection allows for disassembly, cleaning and lubrication of the weapon. This is important, since it is under the “cheeks” that corrosion eats steel especially fiercely. The vast majority of bayonets for small arms were assembled on screws.
Nowadays, molded plastic handles are in use, in which the issue of corrosion and disassembly has been resolved once and for all, as well as many other technological and operational problems.
non-ferrous alloys due to the need to get rid of corrosion,
and even more beautiful.
Rivets have found a home in countless kitchen knives that do not pretend to be exquisitely beautiful, as well as among hunting and universal products, where a single blade plate also forms a handle. In the past, such installation was rare because
good metal was expensive. Sometimes the shank was welded on altogether
(of course, using the blacksmith method) on the back cut of the blade, so as not to waste valuable steel. Now the blades are simply cut out with a stamp from a sheet of the required thickness. But it turns out strong, durable, but, in our opinion, too heavy.
At the same time, a family of weapons has long been known, for whose representatives large and often decorated rivets are a kind of clan sign, an obligatory and traditional element. We are talking about the classic bebut and kama daggers, as well as a great variety of similar products that have adopted this simple, reliable and practical type of handle. The service soldier's bebut presented below gives a complete picture of the subject of the conversation.
Russian artillerymen during the First World War were equipped with such curved massive daggers of excellent steel. The rivets themselves are steel, and their semicircular heads, like the front fastening clip, are made of brass. The straight kama daggers with which the dashing mountaineers killed many real men, both their own and all other religions, have exactly such handles. They may differ slightly in proportions, material (bone, horn, silver, etc.), luxury of workmanship, but the style is unchanged, having confirmed its consistency in thousands and thousands of bloody battles. By the way, the outer outline of the lining exactly repeats the shape of the shank, so the question of destroying the handle simply does not make sense - the hand actually covers the continuation of the blade, decorated for convenience with wood or something else. Tall rivets serve as good palm slip limiters.
Of course, every knife of the slightest value requires decoration, and a wooden handle provides the artist with a wide field of activity. As a rule, dense, hard wood of local (boxwood, maple, dogwood, apple, pear, juniper, yew) or tropical (black, red, pink, lemon Tree) breeds Here is a traditional Scottish knife with a figured handle.
Modern masters, specializing in exclusive weapons, create genuine masterpieces of jewelry, amazing in the subtlety of detail and harmony of composition. We will not give examples of their creativity - open any of the many magazines dedicated to designer knives and enjoy the spectacle of carved handles in all their endless variety.
And again about Japan: it should be noted that the islanders, with their characteristic craving for nature, elevated to the rank of standard, from time immemorial appreciated and tirelessly used the natural beauty of wood in the manufacture of handles and sheaths of bladed weapons. At the same time, its long varieties (swords) had braided hilts and lacquered scabbards, but the various ones, mounted in the aikuti style (that is, without a guard), most often looked like a single wooden block with a thin seam along the connector, sometimes reinforced with almost no protruding outward in a ring.
The simple handle of an oval cross-section is extremely convenient and practical, and the entire knife can be placed freely and discreetly behind a belt, in a sleeve, in the folds of clothing, and so on. Truly, what has been proven over centuries does not need our gossip.
It remains to say a few words about handles made from unusual, rare or
exotic wood species.
Of course, the wide family of folding knives has long favored wood as a handle material. In this case, the same assembly principles are used - solid handles (simple and reinforced with clips) or side plates made of hard and valuable rocks. It is clear that pine or aspen have not gained popularity in this field.
To a certain extent, wooden handles also include inlaid handles made of birch bark, which have gained extraordinary popularity in Lately due to a number of remarkable qualities: they are light, quite durable, non-slip, very beautiful, “warm” and somehow especially pleasant to the touch.
It is also worth mentioning the technique of decorating wooden handles with notches of copper, brass, silver and even gold wire, rolled out in rollers so that it takes on the appearance of a thin strip, which is driven into pre-cut grooves. This type of work is only possible on soft but dense wood, so in most cases walnut is used. Flowing curls of floral patterns sometimes cover the entire surface, sometimes part of it, but it is always beautiful.
For example, the yew and juniper mentioned above are very good:
in addition to the thick red-brown color, high density and strength, they have a persistent, extremely pleasant pine smell, which almost does not weaken over the years.
Of the tropical species, we should mention the Brazilian rosewood, which has literally captivated the world today. Its hard, resistant wood is used to make handles not only for expensive knives, but also for simple kitchen ones. Walk up to the first stall you come across at the market selling knives, and you will see a whole scattering of these different-sized products - an attractive, but nightmarish result of cutting down the equatorial forests.
Of course, no one has yet given the correct answer, because this vine. This cultivated vine has an interesting structure, reminiscent of tightly compressed hair. It shrinks significantly (about twice as much) when dried, but becomes hard and takes polish well. To reveal the texture, the finished handle should be soaked in linseed oil, and particularly loose areas with epoxy resin, followed by grinding and polishing.
The Karelian birch will not surprise anyone, but nevertheless it was and remains one of the best materials for handles of both gift and working knives. It is not for nothing that Finnish masters prefer it to all other breeds.
The wood of the so-called burls (growths) on the trunks of the same birch, ash, oak, poplar, etc. has a similar texture. For some reason, ash is especially prone to forming burls - take a walk around the city and take a closer look.
Finally, in terms of lightness and “warmth”, cork handles take first place. Usually they are equipped with knives for fishermen, so that an object that accidentally falls into the water does not sink to the bottom. True, the blade must also be light for this.
Brief summary: wooden handles are among the most preferred in terms of comfort and aesthetics. Their range is endless - from a simple bar to the finest carved lace with genre miniatures and other ornaments. Natural wood, not "improved" varnish coatings, blends almost perfectly with the skin of the palm, does not slip and does not cool it in cold weather, although it is susceptible to getting wet, changing in volume (swells). Impregnation vegetable oils partially eliminates this problem.
If the knife is not intended for everyday work in natural conditions, it is logical to coat the handle with a mirror varnish or polish it to a shine using, say, paraffin. The tree will become slippery, but elegant.
Particularly dense wood can be easily polished with fine sandpaper just like that, without any coating, but over time, from contact with wet hands, the surface may become dull. The above-mentioned impregnation with drying vegetable oils amazingly reveals the depth of texture and enhances the color (especially of red rocks), only for this the lubricated handle should be kept in direct sunlight for several days.
It is preferable to use linseed oil, as it is relatively
dries quickly and gives a hard film - unlike sunflower,
the film of which remains elastic.
Wood has been and remains one of the best materials for interior decoration. Being completely natural, wood does not emit substances harmful to health either during processing or during use. Wood is practical, wood is beautiful. Taking advantage simple tool, you can create a unique carved decoration: a panel, a box, a figurine.
Wood carving – best decoration own home and a great gift. Carving is not difficult, anyone can become a wood carver, you just need a little talent, a lot of perseverance and, of course, good wood carving tools.
What a beginner carver can't do without
Anyone who is lucky enough to be in the workshop of a real master of wood carving will be horrified - he uses so many different tools. My eyes just widen. The master will easily determine how to perform this or that stroke, what is best suited for this or that detail. Choice the right tool for carving largely determines the quality of the product.
A novice carver does not necessarily need to purchase a full set of tools; to make entry-level products, you can get by with a few of the most versatile knives and chisels. This will give you the opportunity to gain work experience, develop your own style, and then acquire exactly the instrument that will really be in demand.
Blunt knives
The most common knives for wood carving are jamb knives. They are used by both seasoned professionals and beginning carvers. Knives of this type have a beveled blade, making them convenient for creating small recesses. Their use is justified both for flat-relief sampling and for creating volumetric compositions.
A separate type of joint is a flag knife. It looks like a triangle, one corner stuck into the handle. This knife universal, all zones of the blade are used in the work.
Blunt knives differ in the angle of the cutting edge and the width of the blade. Based on the type of sharpening, a distinction is made between single-bevel and double-bevel. A beginning carver's toolkit should have several of these knives: at least three of different widths.
Geometric thread cutters
When making relief panels, you cannot do without another common carver's knife - a cutter knife. Thanks to its longer blade, this knife is ideal for creating shaped ornaments. geometric shapes. They are convenient for processing curved shapes and roundings. So, triangles and other shapes are cut out with a hatchet knife.
In addition to creating flat reliefs, cutters are widely used for three-dimensional products. IN in capable hands a small cutter can be compared to an artist's brush.
Bogorodsky knife, “Tatyanka”
The phrase “Bogorodskaya toy” is familiar to many. This wooden figurine self made. Almost the entire carving process, from preparing the workpiece to smoothing out small irregularities, is performed with a special knife, also called a Bogorodsk knife. Such a knife should definitely be in a carver's workshop.
A modification of this knife, popularly called “Tatyanka,” is widespread. When cutting soft wood, the full cycle of work can be completed with one tool. It is excellent for power carving; thanks to its comfortable handle, it ideally transfers force to the blade.
Chisels for wood carving
It is convenient to make samples of various configurations using chisels. Carvers use a variety of tools, but the most common are:
- straight chisels;
- semicircular or radius;
- cranberries, semicircular chisels with a bend at the cutting edge;
- stapled, having a U-shaped profile;
- corner
Unlike knives, the use of wood carving chisels allows you to make a groove of the required depth and profile in one pass. When working with soft wood, the chisel is pressed in by hand; carving on hard wood requires a striking technique. Here the master will come to the rescue wooden hammer, mallet.
In addition to differences in profile, chisels also differ in size. There is a tool with a working edge from two millimeters to several centimeters.
In addition, there is another type of tools for engraving and wood carving - a graver. They can produce beautiful artistic works.
Other necessary tools
A carver cannot get by with knives and chisels alone. It is necessary to acquire another tool designed for processing wood. The list can be very extensive, it all depends on the qualifications of the master and the list of products that he plans to produce. In any case, you will need:
- hacksaw or electric saw for cutting the workpiece;
- hatchet for roughing;
- plane and rasp for preparing the surface of the board;
- a set of patterns for transferring an image onto a workpiece;
- drill, manual or electric;
- nichrome wire for burning thin elements;
- sandpaper of different grain sizes for final finishing of the product.
It would also be a good idea to worry about safety when carving with a sharp tool. To fasten small products, a carpenter's vice or several clamps are needed. A protective glove made of steel wire will help protect your hands from injury; this is especially important for beginning carvers. If the work involves multiple movements of a sharp knife towards yourself, it is worth purchasing an apron made of thick leather.
Tool sharpening
For wood carving to be enjoyable and the created masterpieces to be pleasing to the eye, the tool must be sharp. If during work you feel an increase in the resistance of the material, you need to take a break and sharpen the tool. This will allow you to avoid using unnecessary effort when carving and guarantee the excellent quality of every stroke, every groove.
Sharpening should begin with leveling work surface tool. To do this, use a coarse abrasive. It quickly and efficiently removes burrs and creates an ideal cutting edge.
Note! When working, it is important not to spoil the sharpening angle of the wood chisel and the geometry of the knife blade.
When working with emery, you need to be careful, you must not allow the metal to overheat; sudden temperature changes can “release” the cutting edge.
After large irregularities have been removed, they move on to fine-grained abrasives. During grinding, roughness that arose during rough sharpening of the carving tool is removed. The last to be used are grinding mixtures applied to felt base. They create a perfectly flat surface, reducing friction between the tool and the material to a minimum.
Selection and purchase
A novice carver naturally has a question: where to get a carving tool. Nowadays this is not a problem. The industry offers chisels and knives of all types and modifications. You can purchase several knives and one or two chisels, or you can buy a set of tools, guided by your own taste and financial capabilities.
Oddly enough, the wide range of carving tools makes the choice much more difficult. It's difficult to navigate and buy for real good thing. It is not difficult to become the owner of a “disposable” tool that will last for several hours of work.
Before purchasing a tool, you should definitely ask:
- grade of steel from which the tool is made;
- manufacturer;
- country of manufacture.
An instrument is an individual thing. When choosing a knife or chisel, the right thing to do is to hold it in your hands, check how convenient it is to use, and only then buy it. It would also be useful to communicate on thematic forums, where experts share their own experiences; they will be happy to give practical advice.
DIY knife
Many professionals do not accept purchased tools and prefer to work with ones they made with their own hands. This makes sense, because every knife, every chisel is perfectly adjusted to the master’s hand. This tool is convenient to use, your hand does not get tired, and it is easy to control the pressure.
This is a reasonable approach. Having experience working with metal and good steel, you can start making a universal Bogorodsk knife for wood carving or a hatchet knife. To do this, you can use a broken blade from a mechanical hacksaw with a thickness of 2 mm. A powerful electric sharpener is sufficient for the tool.
The outline of the blade is transferred to the workpiece and carefully processed along the contour. During operation, the workpiece must be periodically cooled by dipping it in a container of water.
For a person familiar with woodworking, making a handle will not be difficult. An ideal handle can be made from a cast made from plasticine held in your hand. Wood block the appropriate size is marked and clamped in a vice. Using a hacksaw (it is better to use a hacksaw for metal) remove excess. For final finishing, use a rasp and sandpaper.
Cold steel has always attracted the attention of men. Especially Damascus steel knives. Tula blacksmiths not only revived the ancient secret of making a Damascus blade, but also improved and diversified the design on the steel. The blade began to sparkle with unusual wavy lines of various bizarre shapes. A blacksmith, like a woodcarver, thinks out in advance what kind of design he wants to make, so that his product would be unique and bring beauty to connoisseurs of edged weapons.
I, a Tula woodcarver, was lucky not only to decorate the handle of a knife, but also to introduce you to my work. On the pages of this site I will show you a master class on finishing the handle hunting knife made of Damascus steel. The handle of the knife is made of Caucasian walnut wood, which is distinguished by its strength and specific texture, giving a beautiful color after processing. The size of the handle has a small tolerance to realize my idea. But more on that later. To begin with, I came up with a sketch, which I carefully drew on paper. I transferred it to the upper part of the knife handle.
I want to immediately explain my idea. On the top there will be not only threads, there will be 3 directions connected here:
1) Thread
2) All silver
3) Inlay with voluminous boxwood inserts.
I put all this into one drawing, but in a different technical design. This is quite difficult to implement, and therefore I rarely use the invented bunch of new connections.
Well, let's start piercing the threads of the back of the handle. Semicircular chisel We pierce the carved layout along the back stop with a small radius. The layout has identical pattern elements along the entire diameter of the handle.
Since I made the markings in advance, the fragments of the pattern turned out to be the same, which made it easier to pierce the outline.
A fragment of a foliage ornament is drawn in the lower part; it seems to embody the beginning, the base from which carvings and notches extend onto the upper part of the handle. In my case, the pattern is symmetrical, so I make two identical punctures, changing only the radii of the chisels.
First of all, everything. The groove is punctured with radius chisels to a depth of 1 mm. Since the pattern is symmetrical, the puncture of one part of the pattern repeats the radius of the other part.
 |
As the curl is twisted, the radius of the chisel decreases.
I won’t rush into the whole thing, but will move on to inlaying the boxwood elements. This will allow you to complement the drawing and visually place all the inserts in their places. I first cut out leaves from boxwood plates 3mm thick with a jigsaw. I chose this size so that in the flat-relief carving the inlaid boxwood leaves would later look three-dimensional with the carving.
I move on to inlaying boxwood elements.
The place for the leaf has been selected and I carefully try on the element in place. If the inlaid part does not go in right away, then I trim the edge that is in the way. I make no effort so as not to break the insert, but gradually adjust it in place. Using a cranberries made from a thin file, I clean the bottom of the landing cavity so that the part sinks as deeply as possible into the handle mass and is flush with the surface.
We return again to silver alloys. But as I said earlier, the surface of the notch will be uneven and limited by space. This creates certain difficulties. The difficulty also lies in the small size of the surface itself. The constant mobility of the product during operation forces us to focus on safety. As the Russian proverb says: “The eyes fear, but the hands do.” That's why you need to take care of your hands! After all, with these hands, holding a flat chisel, I smoothly lower the surface of the notch. And in some places together with boxwood inserts, because... inlaid leaves are an integral part of the notch and one connecting element.
IncreaseThe pattern of the silver thread, which has a thickness of 0.2 mm, is already clearly visible. and width 0.76 mm. Now my plan is becoming more and more clear to you; where the lines of the notch smoothly connect, we correct the groove with a straight chisel. I flatten the tip of the silver ribbon and insert it into the groove close to the silver thread.
IncreaseI press the thread into the groove, smoothly twisting it into a spiral of curl. Having twisted the spiral, I cut off the silver at the end of the curl.
IncreaseTo give the curl a finished look, you need to put a dot. Silver point. To do this, I make a small puncture at the end of the curl with an awl.
IncreaseWe hammer in the protruding piece of wire, but not completely. I do this so that when stripping the silver point has smooth edges and is not deformed by the wire cutters.
IncreaseBy choosing the background, I expose the outline of the notch and carving.
IncreaseOnly the outline of the notch and thread has been drawn.
The surface must be perfectly flat, without mechanical traces processing. You have to try hard to do it neatly in a limited space. Having cleaned the surface of the handle (except for thread fragments) with a file and emery, I moisten it with water.
|
|
When water dries, it raises the pile. This is clearly visible on the surface. After drying, I protect the surface with sandpaper. I wet it again and clean it, but with fine sandpaper. I do this so that in the future, when impregnated with drying oil, the pile will no longer rise, and the final polishing will take less time. After the third impregnation I do not use sandpaper. The entire surface becomes smooth and matte.
I sample from the middle to the edges. This is so as not to crush the edges of the recess boundary with a chisel. Having adjusted the insert, I place it on the glue, but so that it rises above the surface. Visually comparing the second insert on the other side and making sure of their symmetry, I trace the outline. I also inlay the second insert.
I give the elements the shape of the surface of the handle. Both elements rise above the surface by approximately 2mm. I left this height for the next cutting so that they would be voluminous. In this part of the master class you can see how the handle is transformed. Floral ornaments float onto it from above and below, intertwined with a silver alloy and inlaid with three-dimensional boxwood inserts. The back of the handle is surrounded by a layout of identical plant elements. All that remains is to give shape to all this splendor. This is what I will do in the third part of my master class.
Part 3
This preparation is necessary. It is a definite and important link for next stage cutting up the plant element. Continuing further, I use a chisel, the radius of which corresponds to the small sizes of the various elements of the layout.
|
|
I cut through each leaf of the layout with a chisel. Starting from the tips of the sheet and smoothly moving to the central part. The beginning of the leaf is cut with the entire radius of the chisel. Moving to the middle of the sheet, I smoothly turn the chisel. With this movement I adjust the width of the cut and use the tip of a radius chisel to cut through narrow spaces. Prepared technology is present for each element, no matter where it is located. At the bottom of the handle, having lowered the element, I also cut through the central part of the sheet with a corner.
Many people think: “Why such preparation? It takes time. I immediately passed the radius, and that’s it!” But no, when the fragment is not prepared, the radius of the chisel cuts off the excess along flat surface, sometimes chopping off a fragment without having time to give it a shape. Along the prepared fragment, the chisel moves along the geometry of the sheet and cuts off only what is necessary. At this moment I control the cut itself.
And on the other hand. So the thread elements will be the same in cutting and shape. Inlaid boxwood leaves are prepared and cut in the same way as carvings, although they are inlaid carving parts. They have the same volume as the thread.
|
|
Having finished with the flat-relief thread, I begin to chamfer the notch, which in the process of interweaving with the thread has fuzzy edges.
I immerse the product in drying oil for a day, if the volume allows, or lubricate it generously. After the drying oil is absorbed and dries a little, I protect the surface with fine sandpaper to remove the film.
I repeat this process until the drying oil stops being absorbed. During the last cleaning, already finished with fine sandpaper, the surface is polished and acquires smooth surface, pleasant to the touch. Well, that's it, my “work report” has come to an end. In it, I told in detail and showed all my secrets, many people asked me about this. Maybe other masters do it differently, and that’s their right. Everyone has their own approach, their own technology. I tried both for you and for those people who will hold this edged weapon in their hands, let them feel the tenderness and warmth of not only the wood from which this handle is made, but also a piece of the master’s soul.
Sincerely!
Valery Prostyankin.
This work is very interesting both technically and creatively. Of course, the pen must be used for its intended purpose. If you are decorating your kitchen or your room in a traditional Russian folk style, then door knob will fit organically into the interior. It is possible that you can stylize the door as antique. How? Think about it. In the meantime, let's take care of the handle (Fig. 134, a).
It consists of six parts that are connected by round pins. The drawing does not show two parts, so we will have to refer to the drawing, which will explain the weight.
The drawing (Fig. 184, b) shows the main, or, as they also say, overall, dimensions of the base of the handle, as well as details: 1 - base; 2 - intermediate blocks (2 pcs.); 3 - cubes (2 pcs.); 4 - block.
Of course, first you need to make all the parts (Fig. 185), fit them to each other, sand them, but not glue them. It is more convenient to work - mark and carve - on individual parts. Let's start from the foundation.
1. Base. To make it, you need to prepare a board measuring 360 x 90 x 20 mm (this can be seen in the drawing), and mark four semicircles and corners using a template.
After this, cut off the corners and cut out semicircles with a jigsaw. If you still don’t have a jigsaw, then you can do it as shown in Fig. 185, a, b. First make two cuts and then file with a semi-circular file.
2. Intermediate blocks. These two parts have a square cross-section of 20 x 20 mm and a length of 60 mm. A through hole with a diameter of 8 mm is drilled along the longitudinal axis (Fig. 186), where they will then be inserted wooden dowels, with the help of which you connect individual parts into a product - a handle. (Making dowels is described in lesson 8.)
3. Cubes. There are two of them. Let me remind you that the cube has one size. Here it is 40 mm. This means that the length, width and thickness are 40 mm each (Fig. 187). To make cubes, you first need to cut a piece of wood on which two cubes will fit. When choosing a workpiece, keep in mind that deviations may occur during cutting. Therefore, the workpiece must be significantly larger than 80 mm. It is enough if the block is 100 mm long.
In this part you will also need to drill two holes 20 mm deep. They will be located along the vertical and horizontal axis. The diameter of the holes is 8 mm. You already guessed that they will include dowels.
4. Lever It is a block with a cross section of 30 x 30 mm square. Length 150 mm. Holes with a diameter of 8 mm, as in other parts, are drilled at both ends. Hole depth 20 mm.
Only when all the parts are made and assembled into the product, disassemble it and start carving.
Start with the main part - the base. The template shows a drawing with new elements - crosses located inside the leaf.
You know how to mark a leaf from Lesson 7. To mark a cross, first draw a square, as shown in Fig. 188, a, and then make small triangles on the square.
Start cutting with a tattoo (the points are shown in Fig. 188. b), after which cut out each half of the leaf in the same way as a “pyramid” is usually cut.
To make a cross, carefully pierce the tops of the triangles with the toe of a knife, just as when tattooing a “peg”. Then prune. Make crosses on the cubes in the same way. By the way, drawings are made on them on three sides.
There are slightly different crosses on the intermediate blocks (Fig. 189), and I think you can easily complete them without my explanation.
The handle is very interesting and original. Despite the fact that there is no intricate design on it, it fits organically into the overall composition.
The handle is carved on four sides. Its marking is shown on the template, but when making oblique lines, try not to violate the given angle, otherwise the lines passing from surface to surface may not coincide.
The middle line on the template is the cutting line, the depth of which should be 4-5 mm, and the side lines are the lines along which the trim will go. In principle, this is a “straw”.
When you have completed all the threads, you can assemble as shown in Fig. 190.
Do not forget that it is necessary to coat with glue not only the dowels, but also the surface of the holes where they will go. For gluing, use PVA glue. After finishing, screw the handle to the door of your room.
If you don’t want to stop there and are haunted by the thought: “What else could I do useful for my home?” - don’t waste time and proceed to the next lesson.
Notch, notch, mesh, shirt, tartan, scales, shark skin - there are many names, but the meaning is the same: applying a geometric microrelief to strictly defined areas (usually the forearm and neck) of the surface of a gun stock. Appearing exclusively for a utilitarian purpose, namely the convenience of holding a gun, the notch gradually began to carry a decorative and aesthetic significance. Since the second half of the 19th century, most self-respecting craftsmen did not even think of making guns without a carefully executed notch. The angle of convergence of the threads, the angle of the pyramids themselves, the shape of the contour, and the configuration of the numbers framing the notch changed. The masters sought to give it characteristic, individual features only for one or another workshop. Therefore, it is not difficult to distinguish an original notch from one that has been updated or, even more so, cut anew. Enough labor-intensive process production began to be mechanized as much as possible. First, using three-, four-, and even six-line incisors. On the products of our factories you can see stamping with hot “files” - molds. Using “machines” - something like a drill with a flexible arm and a pair of gear cutters in the tip. Then copy-milling machines came to the rescue. Now you can no longer do without a laser. So to speak: with smoke in a minute and a half. But “high” guns should still have handmade checkering.
Closer to our realities: what to do if everything on the gun is preserved except this very “mesh”. Or the newly acquired stock doesn’t have it at all. Yes, you either have to pay the master, or just take it and cut it yourself. It is not the gods who burn the pots.
Of course, without special tool it will be extremely difficult. And here there are two options: order imported (photos 1 and 2), 
but not cheap or, correctly, take it and do it yourself. For a long time I have been making do with homemade “babass”, which I make as needed in one step or another. A Soviet square-section needle file, which has lost its former prowess, is ideal for making such a cutter. Or better yet, two at once. Just in case. So: I heat the files on gas to temper the metal (photo 3). 
I bend it in a vice around the mandrel with a radius that is obviously smaller than what will be needed later (photo 4). 
Using a file with a triangular cross-section, I cut the central groove and shape the profile of the comb. After good knife I cut, on the same mandrel, the teeth of the future bass with the required depth and pitch (photo 5). 
Of course, the burrs formed on the side edges of the teeth after such a procedure must be removed with a velvet file. Now all that remains is to bend the cutter to the required radius and harden it (photo 6). 
I attach the handle and that’s it. You can start working.
I pay great attention to lighting the workplace while making a notch. It is more convenient for me to work when the lamp is at a height of 10-13 cm above the table level. In this case, the contrasting light coming from the right and front better highlights all the nuances and unevenness of the notch.
I make a transparent template for the shape of the future notch so that it is the same on both sides of the butt. I draw an outline on the tree and apply intersecting master lines (photo 7). 
The intersection angle is most often 50-55 degrees. For the convenience of further cutting, I try to orient the notch threads so that the main direction of the wood fibers is parallel to the bisector of the angle of their intersection.
Next, I make markings using a bass line (photo 8). 
To prevent the cutter or file from “flying” further than the contour marking in the future, it’s a good idea to cut through and deepen the ends of the threads (5-7mm) using a serger (photo 9). 
If the step is chosen to be large, you can speed up the cutting process (lifting the pyramids to the full profile) using a large triangular (60 deg) file (photo 10). 
If the wood is not very strong and there is a fear that the notch will not “hold”, you can finish it with a square file (90 degrees). Having thus obtained pyramids of a combined profile of 60+90 degrees.
You can cut through the full profile and with the help of the bass itself, it will come out a little slower. Leaving the notch in this form after impregnation, we will get a dark-looking mesh. Because the matte edges of the pyramids absorb more oil, and during operation, more dirt. To get a “transparent” notch, you need to go over the threads with a velvet file or a pencil, at the same time aligning the lines (photo 11). 
There doesn’t seem to be anything complicated and the notch is ready (photo 12). 
And a few words about the now fashionable “fish scales”. To make it you will need: a butt, patience, two incisors and a toothbrush. Cutters will have to be made, because I have never seen such ones on sale. If you make “scales” using a drill, as is customary abroad, you will get noise, dust, and an obtrusively large size. So, incisors (photo 13) 
I make it from semicircular chisels. The corners of the first cutter must be brought forward; its radius will determine the shape of the “scales” themselves, and the corners will cut the wood deeper along the edges. The second, undercut, is made in reverse with a central tooth protruding forward. Now all that remains is to draw one single initial straight master line and fill the entire contour with orderly rows of “scales” (photo 14). 
And after trimming the excess between the scales (photo 15), 
clean with a toothbrush. And if desired, deepen and level it. There are probably other ways to make “fish scales”, I settled on this one. This whole process takes two to three times less time than a good classic. (photo 16). 
In the next article we’ll talk about the rumors around the gun nut. And, perhaps, about materials that are not inferior to it, but are not deservedly relegated to the background.