A Bushcrafter in progress - Moose Antler & Blackwood

 The plan for this knife is to have the Moose Antler up front as a bolster and the African Blackwood at the back. I'm still trying to work out a way to have some light coloured pins to go in the Blackwood to mirror the antler - I think I'll be using Carbon Fibre pins in the antler, if I remember correctly!

 

The blade bevels still need finishing.

One side looks like this (and it's still not there!)

while the other side looks like this - lots of work to do here!

Hand polishing gives lovely grubby hands.  I really should treat myself to some more barrier cream!!

A bit of moose antler prep. Boy does this stuff smell when worked! It's like burnt hair!

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Spyderco 52100 Mule strip down!

I've finally taken the handle I wasn't happy with off the 52100 Mule.

I recently received a couple of bits that could work really nicely for the new handle.
A gorgeous pair of Yew scales with lovely burr.

and also a block of stabilised spalted Birch.

I previously softened the curve where the forefinger sits, shortening the guard, but I think I'm also going to make the thumb ramp a little more rounded as well.
It can be a bit pointy....

...and afterwards will look like this.

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A kiridashi!

I haven't made a kiridashi in a while.

A little bit of O1 steel, cut off one end at an angle. Tapered one side so that it's not parallel.

A quick drill (using old transformer blocks as drill blocks)

Then round the end - used the drill bit so that the curve matched the position of the hole, pivoting it round.

and then a bit of thinning and rounding in the middle.

It still needs the bevel putting on, heat treating and possibly a bit more rounding of the handle but a satisfying bit of work.

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