The Ratzuki Project

[Pete Rock]

Absolutely one of the finest threads I know in this forum, great craftsmanship, and I really like the fact that you already know how you want it to be like when it´s over and done. Keep the great work.

Hey, you got me interested, could you a picture of one of your knifes please? Just so that I can see what you usually do with your skills.

[Pally McGee]

Yes, I have more pics to come, but I have hit a small obstacle. I've exceeded my bandwidth for my current pic-hosting site. I'll sign up for a smugmug account today and press on with another installment tonight.

Here's a small sample of the knives that aren't suitable for selling.


Top to bottom:

1. A blade which is made from Hitachi ATS-34. It's waiting for some attention. I'll make this into a nice drop-point hunter with a stag handle.

2. A folding dagger with a green bone handle. I don't like the shape, and the finish sucks. I could keep rubbing it out, but eff-it, I'll make a better one.

3. A tanto of 440C, cryo-tempered. With an ivory Micarta handle and nickle-silver bolsters, this knife was for a customer but I noticed a flaw called an "inclusion" in the blade as I was polishing it out. I made another knife for the customer and chucked this in the drawer.

4. This knife is actually one I made for entry into an, UGLY knife contest. I lost. The guy who won had his knife stuck in a mound of cow dung for several months. It was by far uglier than mine. I thought by making a regular knife and ugging it up some by soaking it it muriatic acid, it would be enough. Not so. In the drawer it goes.

5. Here is a work-in-progress. A sister blade to the one at the top, this is a straight hunter. Filework along the spine. Sambar Stag handle. 303 stainless for pommel and guard. The guard and pommel will be filed and carved and sculpted. The funky discoloration you see around the ricasso area is from the silver-brazing of the guard to the blade tang. That will all be hand-polished and rubbed out.

The long bar off of the tip of the tanto is a piece of damascus steel, pattern-welded with some motorcycle chain, and welded-up in a cannister. Makes a great pattern! I may use that steel on a couple small hunters or maybe a dagger and a hunter. I dunno.

Okay then! Check back tonight for more pics and progress on the Ratzuki. Tonight will be more fender-trimming and fitting.

[Pete Rock]

So, your work on knifes is your only occupation? Very interesting, congrats.

[Pally McGee]

Originally Posted by Pete Rock

So, your work on knifes is your only occupation? Very interesting, congrats.

No sir. I'm an industrial mechanic.machinist. I work on printing machinery. That's my full-time job. Knives and blacksmithing is only a part-time gig. I'll probably settle into it full time when I retire someday. For now, its just a creative outlet. :):

[PASSMORE]

Nice stuff Pally (even if it is not your nicest)!

M

Originally Posted by Pally McGee

Yes, I have more pics to come, but I have hit a small obstacle. I've exceeded my bandwidth for my current pic-hosting site. I'll sign up for a smugmug account today and press on with another installment tonight.

Here's a small sample of the knives that aren't suitable for selling.


Top to bottom:

1. A blade which is made from Hitachi ATS-34. It's waiting for some attention. I'll make this into a nice drop-point hunter with a stag handle.

2. A folding dagger with a green bone handle. I don't like the shape, and the finish sucks. I could keep rubbing it out, but eff-it, I'll make a better one.

3. A tanto of 440C, cryo-tempered. With an ivory Micarta handle and nickle-silver bolsters, this knife was for a customer but I noticed a flaw called an "inclusion" in the blade as I was polishing it out. I made another knife for the customer and chucked this in the drawer.

4. This knife is actually one I made for entry into an, UGLY knife contest. I lost. The guy who won had his knife stuck in a mound of cow dung for several months. It was by far uglier than mine. I thought by making a regular knife and ugging it up some by soaking it it muriatic acid, it would be enough. Not so. In the drawer it goes.

5. Here is a work-in-progress. A sister blade to the one at the top, this is a straight hunter. Filework along the spine. Sambar Stag handle. 303 stainless for pommel and guard. The guard and pommel will be filed and carved and sculpted. The funky discoloration you see around the ricasso area is from the silver-brazing of the guard to the blade tang. That will all be hand-polished and rubbed out.

The long bar off of the tip of the tanto is a piece of damascus steel, pattern-welded with some motorcycle chain, and welded-up in a cannister. Makes a great pattern! I may use that steel on a couple small hunters or maybe a dagger and a hunter. I dunno.

Okay then! Check back tonight for more pics and progress on the Ratzuki. Tonight will be more fender-trimming and fitting.

[Loadedagain]

hey pally! more ratzuki?

[mutineer]

Pally went and got himself 48 hours in the corner.


Pally stay the fuck out of JM and spend you time here. Time in front of the screen seems to serve you better when it is spent in the garage instead. And you are much better at it.

I weening myself off of JM after my whole CCKLR thing (he is still a pussy though). Maybe you ought to consider the same.

Your photo links a AFU, you may wanna look into it.


free pally, for OSR anyway.

[JamesJWeg]

Yeah, I saw the light too and got out of JM BEFORE I got my shorts in a bunch. Free pally for OSR.

James.

[Humungus]

Originally Posted by Pally McGee

I work on printing machinery.

You have my deepest sympathys mate.

I just sold my share in a largish print shop...i looked at the offsets on many occasions when they were busted...best way known to lose a finger i recon. They look like a mad womans custard inside.

I grew very bitter towards moths.

If you can get those things going then you should do well with the bike.

[Pally McGee]

Hello, mates.

During my brief exile it appears the old adage that trouble comes in threes has once again struck this old McGee. My pic hosting site took a huge dump and lost all but a couple pics. Since then, I have subscribed to SmugMug, and have been attempting to reconstruct this thread. It seems an insurmountable task. I will most-likley just recreate a new thread and continue the project from there. Sorry for the delays in getting back to this thread. In the next few days I intend to resurrect a new Ratzuki thread out of the ashes on the old.

Thanks for checking in, folks!

[dragoon]

Hi Pally

[GaelicDog]

Welcome back from exile you ass!!!!!!

Get back to work on your bike!

Oh yeah, what did you get suspended for anyway???

[kbasa]

Originally Posted by JamesJWeg

Yeah, I saw the light too and got out of JM BEFORE I got my shorts in a bunch. Free pally for OSR.

James.

Reading this after seeing him in JM is like listening to an idiot savant.

[JamesJWeg]

Originally Posted by kbasa

Reading this after seeing him in JM is like listening to an idiot savant.

And just how involved have I been in JM latly? Maybe a few posts, and I do go in there and look around every few days, but that's about all.

James.

[Tork]

Originally Posted by kbasa

Reading this after seeing him in JM is like listening to an idiot savant.

I think kbasa was talking about Pally