Bear Knife *Update pg. 2*

[Bryce]

  So ive been working on this off and on for the last few month whenever i had some free time from work and fishing. Now that hunting seasin is just around the corner i wanted to get this project finished up so i could get a good amount of blood on it:)

  Once again i used File Steel, because..well its one of my favorite materials. its also fun making one tool into another tool.
hidden tang, and the weight is really nicely leveled out, but still forward. i put the pins behind the abalone hip inlay and behind the eyes.
anyways, i thought id show yall my new hunting knife.

  Made a plains sheath awhile back for my Caribou handle knife awhile back but i think that ill use it temporarily with this bear knife until i get a sheath made up for it.

  *File Steel
  *Roosevelt Elk Femur
  *Brass Powder
  *Abalone Shell
  *Aquamarine Gemstone 7mm (since i was born in march:)
  *Overall length 8"

[Hawkdancer]

Nice work!
Hawkdancer

[dylanholderman]

Now that’s a cool knife!
You say the handle is bone? How did you get it so glossy and warm looking? It looks like stone rather than bone.

[Bryce]

Now that’s a cool knife!
You say the handle is bone? How did you get it so glossy and warm looking? It looks like stone rather than bone.

the negative spaces are sanded to 400 and the positive parts are sanded to 1000, then 0000 steel wool and then buffed with a small wool wheel for like a rotary tool. and there isnt a finish on it. though i might coat it with some food grade mineral oil, to keep the moisture out and to keep it from drying out or something. im not sure what kind of finish to use that wont chip or change the color of the material.

[Trapper Rob]

Bryce did you do the carving?
It's a beautiful knife nice job

[Bryce]

Bryce did you do the carving?
It's a beautiful knife nice job

Yep, sure did. May not be the best but it’s probably the second thing I’ve ever carved....

Thank you:)

[Mesophilic]

Nicely done!!!

[Pat B]

Incredible knife and neck sheath, Bryce.    It should bring you good luck in the elk woods. 

[Bryce]

Nicely done!!!

Thank you sir

Incredible knife and neck sheath, Bryce.    It should bring you good luck in the elk woods. 

Let hope. Gonna get after some blacktail here soon and then elk in February 😁

[Pat B]

   Looking forward to those HERO shots. Don't forget the pics.

[dylanholderman]

Now that’s a cool knife!
You say the handle is bone? How did you get it so glossy and warm looking? It looks like stone rather than bone.

the negative spaces are sanded to 400 and the positive parts are sanded to 1000, then 0000 steel wool and then buffed with a small wool wheel for like a rotary tool. and there isnt a finish on it. though i might coat it with some food grade mineral oil, to keep the moisture out and to keep it from drying out or something. im not sure what kind of finish to use that wont chip or change the color of the material.

How did you sand the negative spaces? Was it just hand sanding or do you have a attachment for your rotary tool that let you get in there?

[Bryce]

Now that’s a cool knife!
You say the handle is bone? How did you get it so glossy and warm looking? It looks like stone rather than bone.

the negative spaces are sanded to 400 and the positive parts are sanded to 1000, then 0000 steel wool and then buffed with a small wool wheel for like a rotary tool. and there isnt a finish on it. though i might coat it with some food grade mineral oil, to keep the moisture out and to keep it from drying out or something. im not sure what kind of finish to use that wont chip or change the color of the material.

How did you sand the negative spaces? Was it just hand sanding or do you have a attachment for your rotary tool that let you get in there?

I only use the rotory tool for the first 10-15 mins of the project to take off the bulk of the material. After that I used only hand tools. Little bits and scrapers that I made. Along with some dentistry tools.

Yep all hand sanded. Used a tiny pieces of popsicle stick with sanding paper on it.

[YosemiteBen]

very nice work Bryce!

[dylanholderman]

Thanks, one last question did you glue the sandpaper to the stick or just wrap it around the end?
Fine finish work like this is were I normally stumble and lose interest but you have really inspired me to give it another shot 

[Bryce]

Thanks, one last question did you glue the sandpaper to the stick or just wrap it around the end?
Fine finish work like this is were I normally stumble and lose interest but you have really inspired me to give it another shot 

Yep! The sandpaper had an adhesive backing. Then I used a bamboo skewer to get in a burnish the really tight areas.