Spots

I had the opportunity to train with Col. Dwight Mclemore this weekend. He is the authoer of several books, including Bowie and Big knife fighting systems, Bowie knife advanced techniques, the fighting tomahawk, and several others. He was a gentleman, a gracious host, and an amazing teacher. We trained on big knife fighting, double knife, hawk and knife, and discussed Gladiator and Viking armor, weapons and techniques. I have learned a great deal, and got to train with a real professional. Here are some pictures of the group. Hawk and knife draw practice Debrief and knife discussion Live steel slow sparring with my dad. He has a Windlass primitive bowie and I have a Randall Thorpe bowie. They are sharp Viking style helm and shield with hand forged axe and viking sword Mirmillo Gladiator armor and gladiud

This is a short video of us working on a knife together.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn9bIR4tifM&feature=youtu.be

Head blade products. Used them while I was in the military and still use them for my head when its summer time.

If this has already posted my apologies. Just thought it was cool we got a mention in the article in a good light. http://www.newsmax.com/fastfeatures/gun-owners-clubs-diverse/2014/09/18/id/595593/

76 was 12yrs before I was born. Thats about the time my old man started putting together the blacksmith shop though.

I have 2335 post and 11,884 profile views. I thought I was kinda dull

Thanks for the compliments guys. I go back and forth between wanting extremely clean ground blades and leaving them as forged. To me the performance means more than looks. This is a very large chunk of properly heat treated high carbon steel. It should be more than capable of any large chopping or cutting chores or abuse. Its intimidating in its sheer size, but the smaller one thats my edc is far more dangerous because its quicker unless your just a brute of a man. I like the heft and power of the blade, but its gotta be 3.5 lbs at least. Heres a little different size perspective. I'm 6'1 for reference

So this weekend I had some free time and decided to make something that is total overkill. Its the biggest bowie I've ever made and up there with the biggest I've ever seen. Its 3/8" 5160, 14.5 blade, 20" overall with a threaded through tang, oak handle and a nut welded to the pommel for a good strong tight fit. Guard is mild steel and about 4" long. I still need to finish sand t he handle and tong oil it, but other than sharpening and a little clean up the blades gonna stay forge finished. Tang drawn out Tip hot cut with a hanmer and chisel Finished product Laying next to my TGO passaround bowie from 2012 and my edc bowie with a 10.5 blade. And with my edc 10.5" bladed bowie and a case large trapper for size reference.

This is the best way. I just got this sheath from Two Drunken Celts leather. Its a small blade cover sheath with a stud to keep it from sluding through the belt. You simply slide the knife behind the belt or for concealed you slide it in the waistband at about the 4 o clock postion vertically. This is one of my bowies for reference. 10.5" blade. This is one Ill be carrying often from now on.

  1 x 30 harbor freight belt grinder from 80 grit to 400 grit. I dont need an axe to shave, and I have done sharpened with a file or big whet stone, but the grinder is the fastest and easiest.

Considering the source thats one hell of a compliment. My work is tough and built to be as unbreakable as possible, but looks rustic and unrefined, while yours is beautiful and the fit and finish looks superb

Hahahahahaha. Yeah a free Saturday once a month that doesn't get taken up by shooting or riding my bike. You need to come out again soon man. The weather is getting about right I need to do that. Find a commercial camp axe of equivalent size. Or I may just do another pass around lol. Ill get it on a scale shortly and find out. Feels like 2.5 lbs or so. Thanks for all the compliments guys [emoji106]

This pc crap is getting very old. I was hoping Popeye would got the other way and get more badass with age

I hike with a fullsize ILBE which is also my bug out bag. That way I'm used to carrying it in the woods. Though I have a lot of time under an ILBE in the Marines. I can strap this to the side, and have almost as much chopping ability as a fullsize in a much smaller package

So what does an enterprising mountain man do when they need a camp axe on a budget? Well, for me I fire up the forge and make one. Wrapped and welded 5160, 3/8" thick. Made from an old leaf spring, the handle is an old busted mattock handle I had laying around, and the wedge I just forged out from scrap. Handle is about 28". Should make a nice addition to the hiking pack [URL=http://s535.photobucket.com/user/tnplowboy07/media/axe_zpsc506f219.jpg.html][/URL]

Throw it over the hill. Nasty, smelly critters. Its about time for me to start running trap lines for them again.

Keep it sharp. If you need help on that, look under my topics, I have a large write up on sharpening. Keep it oiled, even being stainless it will eventually rust if you don't oil it. Don't use it for a prybar, screw driver, etc. Other than that you should be good to go. Keeping a knife sharp is the number 1 rule of owning a knife to me. A sharp knife makes everything easier and safer.

If you don't know that a 2 x 4 is 1.5" by 3.5" or that an 8" block is 15 5/8 by 7 5/8, you should probably leave it to a professional. This is a bogus suit from a money hungry state. What complete bullshit. And mike, car tires is a bad example. You take 5 different companies 31 x 10.50's and they will all measure different when mounted on identical rims with identical pressures. Also, good luck with pressure treated lumber. It might leave the store at 1 5/8 or 1 3/4 thick and shrink to size or smaller. Also, how will they now reference 5/4 deck boards? This is just as bad as people who have never shot a firearm making gun laws.

Im on Tapatalk right now with no issues

I will simply say this. Eventually these kids will pick the wrong one. That person will be armed and trained. There is nothing like a few gunshots and a few dead animals hitting the ground to break up a mob. Or it will be someone carrying a knife that knows how to use it. Seeing your buddy carved like a Christmas turkey isn't real good for morale in a fight. Also, the numbers work against people quiet often. They get in each others way, pushing and shoving trying to get their licks in. 3-5 individuals are more likely to do a lot more damage than a mob of 100 with no organization. Notice, all 3 victims refused to be transported to the hospital. I look forward to the night I turn on the news and see a few of these assholes bleeding out and crying for mama. Yes thats harsh, but I'm fed up with this bullshit. And maybe someday, I might be involved. I'll probably end up hurt, then crucified by a jury for hurting a poor innocent minority, but Lord willing I'll go down fighting with a empty gun and a bloody knife.

That steel is gonna take more time and patience as it is very abrasion resistant. And a recurve can be tricky. I have done recurves by wrapping a mouse pad around a 1" wooden dowel rod to allow me to work the curve better. Ill work with you as long as you like till your happys with the results. You can also pm any specific questions if you need too.

It shouldnt take that many. My case pocket knife was beat to hell and it only took a few minutes. If it comes down to it and you can't get it to work, you can send them to me and Ill reprofile them and sharpen so all you have to do is hone them when they need it

How sharp was the knife to begin with? You may just have to try varying your angles and pressure. It took me awhile to find the pressure (fairly light now) and angle I liked. Its a lot of feel thats hard to explain. Also if they weren't convex edges you'll need to start at a low grit to reprofile the edge

I'm on the Gulf side of Flordia right now, gutting and restoring a house. Plumbing, electrical, sheet rock, floors, etc. It was 101 here today with high humidity and a heat index of 115. I am ready for winter

Yes and no. I knock the edges off the teeth with a grinder to stop them from tearing a sheath all to pieces. I could leave the teeth on the back of a file knife, but it wouldn't cut very long as I temper them softer to stop edge chipping and make it stronger. A file is super hard an abrasion resistant but its very brittle and breaks easy. Thats why we anneal, then reharden and temper the blades. A file has a higher rockwell hardness, where my blades are edge quenched then have a soft back draw temper. This gives a hard edge in the 58-60 rockweel range, a springy middle and a softer back. This is the best combo I have a found for edge holding and toughness, and is superior to a blade that is hardened and temper all at one hardness.