Jack's camp knife | SouthernPaddler.com

Jack's camp knife

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
Well, Jack wants me to build him what would probably be classified as a camp knife. This knife will have a 6" cutting edge, a good non-slip handle, serrations on the blade spine for grip and a mustard patina for a little corrosion resistance. It's going to be versatile enough to cut vegetables, clean game, fillet fish and even chop the odd sapling around the campsite.
jackscorrection.jpg


Went out to the shop after supper, drew out the outline on the steel, rough cut the blade and profiled it to almost final dimensions.
Jadkprofile.jpg


I centered the cutting edge on the lower edge of the blade and started grinding out the blade bevels.
Jackstartbevels.jpg


More to come this weekend.

Joey
 

oldsparkey

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Aug 25, 2003
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Central , Florida
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You trust Jack with something more then a Swiss Army Knife and it's small blades. I have seen the man slice onions , when he wasn't slicing himself in the process.
As far as filleting fish , the blade looks to thick to do a good job on sardines ( especially the 50 to a can ones) or smoked oysters. :lol:

I sure hope you have several large Band Aid packages and a 1st Aid booklet for cut wounds that go with this knife when it is completed.

Chuck.
 

Kayak Jack

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Aug 26, 2003
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Joey promised to send some band aids for a mere extra $10. I thought it was too gooda deal to pass up, and sent him $20. I figured 1 pack for cuts from the front side of the knife, and another pack of bandages for cuts from the dull side. Oughta be fixed for a week or two that way, ehh?

Only sad thing about the knife is, Joey says that if I ever try to pick a vienne out of the can with it, the point will dissolve and fall off. (I'm not sure whether or not to believe this last stuff. I was told the point would fall off of something else if I wasn't careful where I put it, and that never happened either.)

But, ain't it a purty knife? And - it'll each to the bottom of the peanut butter jar.
 

oldsparkey

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Aug 25, 2003
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That is why I have the Swiss Army Knife , it can dig out a Vienna like nothing and then I can use the toothpick with it to secure the vienne and much on it like they do with horse-de-overs at the high fulten parties.

Seriously ... a good knife is a friend , companion , tool and even a weapon and it deserves respect and care from the owner. It is something that stays with a person for a life time , if they are careful.

I have had this one for at lease 45 years and it will outlast me , that I'm sure of.
It is one of those Bo Randall Knives he use to make here in Orlando , he made them to last and to be used. As you can see this one has been used and continues to be used.
Bo passed away in 89 and Gary (his son) continues the business today. www.randallknives.com/

Bo Randall made this one...........
knife%20001.jpg


Chuck.
 

Ozark

Well-Known Member
Oct 23, 2007
627
0
Ozark Mo.
I used to have one sorta like that knife came as a combo with a hatchet. I've looked a lot of places for a replacement to no avail. Thieving dirty no accounts takin a kids stuff.
 

Kayak Jack

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Aug 26, 2003
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Paul, Gerber Blades sells a combo knife hatchet that isn't too shabby. I have the Gerber hatchet with a real short handle. I use it as a splitting wedge with a handle, and to tap in tent stakes.

I suppose it could be used to tenderize armadillo steaks too.
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
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South Louisiana
Jack, I don't know if bandaids will be enough. I'll send 50' of gauze, a few 8"x10" bandage pads, a suture kit and a tetnus shot. :)

You won't have to stab no viennies outa da can. You pull this baby out and they will jump outa da can on to the cracker.

Sparky, that old Randall is still a great all around knife. That shape is what most of us think of when we say a "huntin' knife".
 

oldsparkey

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Aug 25, 2003
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Central , Florida
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jdupre' said:
Sparky, that old Randall is still a great all around knife. That shape is what most of us think of when we say a "huntin' knife".

It is a fine knife and has seen a lot of work , more in the past then today since I quit hunting and only use a camera now.

There is nothing as nice as a hand crafted knife or anything more needed around a camp. The one you are making for Jack will be a fine camping knife , it will do anything a person needs done in or out of camp.
Knowing Jack there will not be a safe jar of peanut butter anywhere in a 50 mile radius of him. :lol:

You better send instructions with the knife or anyway a WARNING..... DO NOT lick excess peanut butter off this blade. Or what the Indians said about the white man will be true ..... He Speaks with a forked tongue.

Chuck.
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
Did a little more on the knife this evening. Ground the blade bevels to about 80% of finished size. I then drilled the holes for the handle pins and the thong hole. I like a thong hole especially for a knife to be used on or around the water. Pic shows countersinking the holes.
drillpress.jpg


Next pic is the blade ready for heat treating. The wood for the handle is Birdseye maple. It ought to show up well when the blade gets its mustard patina.
farshothandlewood.jpg

closeuphandlewood.jpg


Later

Joey
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
Worked some more on Jack's knife. Cut out and fitted the handle scales. Cut out the handle pins and thong hole brass tube. Did a trial fit and everything fits perfectly.
knifeonsander.jpg

knifepapertube.jpg


The handle is still full size, but the weight and balance feels good.
Jacksknifeinhand.jpg


Next episode we heat treat. More playing with FIRE!!! :twisted:
 

Kayak Jack

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Aug 26, 2003
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Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
WOW! Joey - that is a beautiful piece of equipment. I'll wear that with pride, and use it with confidence.

PS: I have almost all the box tops saved up that you asked for. If I can't eat any more Wheaties, would Cheerios be OK?
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
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South Louisiana
No blood groove on this one, Matt. No need to worry about pulling the knife out of the bear. You normally only get one stab at an angry brown bear before he puts that knife where the sun don't shine. :shock:

I'm sure y'all heard the old joke about filing the front sight off of a hand gun used for protection against bears. It's so it don't hurt so bad when he takes it away from you and shoves it up your b%$#! :lol:
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
Yeah, Cheerios boxtops would be OK. I'll also take Viennie Sausage labels. And Jack, no fair gettin' those Viennie labels from Sparky--- He's already got a BIIIGG supply of them on hand. :wink:

Joey
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
This is the first sander I built about 3 years ago. Built it with scrap wood, a lawn mower idler pulley and a bench grinder I already had. Cost without the grinder--$17.00 . More than doubled that cost on the first sale from this sander. I've made a total of about 40 knives on it so far. Pretty good investment.
sanderleft.jpg

sanderright.jpg
 

Kayak Jack

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Aug 26, 2003
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Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
WHAT??!! An electric powered grinder??!! You told me everything you did was run with a water wheel. Something about a freshet stream coming down from the mountains into your bayou homestead.


Next thing you know, he'll be telling us that his electricity comes from an armadillo on a treadmill hooked up to a generator from a Yugo.


Joey, the proportions of that knife are perfectly balanced. Nice, real nice.