Mt. Man Folder

[Gene Chapman]

Gary and I are working on a couple Mt Man folders using Sanbar Stag antler for the handles. After the blade pin was drilled the nest step is to slot the handle. A homemade 3/32" wide antler saw, 01 tool steel, is used to start the slot. Gary is about finished with his slot, dark antler on the right. I began sawing this morning and will do a little at a time in between all my other things to do.

I'll try to post pictures of each important step in the making of our folders. My real retirement job is forging house trinkets and writing how to booklets, this will be a welcome change.

[Raymond Richard]

Stroke on......

[Dana Acker]

YAY--Good for you, Gene. We've been waiting to see some more knives come out of your shop. Glad to see it. Nice looking pieces of stag you've got there.

[DC KNIVES]

Gene,I always look forward to seeing your work. I also have your Antler and Iron books. While I am not forging yet, I have had to make some adjustments in my procedures to make my folders but they have been alot of fun and continue to be great sellers. I thank you for the inspiration.Dave

[Gene Chapman]

Thanks ya'all, here is a image after slotting, the slotting saw, 3/32" thick, was re filed for improved cutting, the front edge has a 4" radius in it, 8" belt grinder, and is used to groove the slot. It cuts a chip on the pull or push. it removes a chip about .001" or less in thickness.


The small tool is about 1/16" wide and is used to remove antler from the blade end (closed) of the antler. It's amazing what a single point tool can do. They are used after the antler saw has established a groove. Once in a while the saw is used to go back in and true up the slot.

This project will be quite a while to complete. I talked to Gary, my son today. We may get together next week for step two, making a Mt. Man folder. I have a hunk of damascus steel stashed from a long time ago, maybe we do a damascus blade.

Mean while, I gotta get a batch of house hooks to Montana.

[whv]

nice texture on that dark colored tip, gene.
thanx for the ideas.

[Crex]

Hey Gene,
Why don't you move the antler out of the way and let us get a better look at your clamping device. Several angle shots would be OK. I've been trying to set up a positive tracking/clamping device to use on my small table saw, but getting antler lined up is a real bugger. A good look at your jig might give me a better idea.
Crex

[Keith Montgomery]

I can see this is going to be a very informative thread. Thanks a lot, Gene.

[Gene Chapman]

Crex, sawing antler with a table saw sounds very dangerous. I would never consider it as an option for sawing antler.

The image has a fabricated holder that began as a pin press experiment. The forged one was used at Mt man shows and rendezvous. Hand slotting takes about an hour or so. Most of the slot is scraped, the homemade saw establishes, width, length and keeps the slot straight. Slotting is the easy part, making the spring and blade spring geometry can get a bit hairy.

Again, I advise staying away from the table saw in slotting antler. I have all my fingers and toes after 35 years in industrial maintenance. My kids call me Mr Safety.

[cwp]

Hey all,

Gene does a good job showing how to do a knife like this in his Mt Man folder book. Also shows the jigs and how to set them up. Highly recommended.

--Carl

[hammerdownnow]

Gene, That blacksmith vice is a beautiful piece of art. Thanks for sharing. Slotting was always what stopped me from trying. Now you tell us thats the easy part?

[Gene Chapman]

Something I just thought of, when drilling the screw holes, the fixture was held in a drill press vise, after drilling the first hole, continue through and drill the second hole, that way they are aligned. If you don't want to tap a deep hole, the holes can be counterbored halfway or so.

Slotting can be boring, I like to have a baseball or football game on or listen to the talking heads on the news.

As this progresses there will be more tooling pics. The curved spring holder for filing is neat if I do say so myself.

[DC KNIVES]

Crex,Gene is right, nix the idea of the table saw.Hard to make those neat little knives of yours with three fingers.I have used saw like Gene's but now use my Dremel with an abrasive wheel.Not Tribal and way more messy but a little quicker.When orders are slow or I'm in a laidback mood I use a handsaw.Dave

[Gene Chapman]

These folders will take a while, just work on them when Gary and I can get together in the evening or week end.

I smoked some salmon yesterday, it was on sale at the market. Man was it tasty, went back today and bought a couple more pieces. I smoke it so it's just done and not dried out. It's then frozen for future use. If the grandkids are here it lasts about 10 minutes, ain't it fun.

[DiamondG Knives]

I agree with you there Geno! I got to try my first smoked salmon up in Canada last spring. MMMMM MMMMMM Good!!!
Only bummer was I couldnt take any with me, if it's not comerciaqlly done, no dice with customs!

By the way, I want to agree with Carl, Genes books are TOP NOTCH! And cover the folder in all details. Well worth the cost, belive me!

God Bless

Mike