We will also have some knife making consumables available.
With only a couple of days to go until the start of the 4th annual BROOKLYN KNIFE SHOW, there is excitement in the air. The BROOKLYN KNIFE SHOW has established itself as the premier event for knife collectors, buyers, sellers, enthusiasts, custom knifemakers, bladesmiths and just about anyone and everyone who loves knives, swords and axes.
Come visit me at Stall S23 and the Stock Removal Knife Makers section.
WHERE:
Queenspark Atrium, Brooklyn Mall, Brooklyn, Pretoria, South Africa.
WHEN:
Friday, 2 December (9:00AM – 18:00PM),
Saturday, 3 December (9:00AM – 18:00PM),
Sunday, 4 December (9:00AM – 14:00PM).
GPS: X 28.235 Y 25.772
MAP: Click here for a Google Map
Please feel free to forward this email to fellow “Knife Nuts” and anyone you know who would be interested in this.
I will be exhibiting my custom knives at the Baobab Custom Knife Show the weekend 28th – 30th October 2016.
The 4th annual Baobab Custom Knife Show was initiated to deepen the awareness and appreciation for unique handmade knives, each proudly made and exhibited by the knife maker, and to promote knife making, knife makers and knife collections. Doors open at 10am.
Safari Nursery – Safari Restaurant & Conference Centre – Kudu Hall
Lynnwood Road – Pretoria
GPS: 25’46’02.22”S 28’18’08.54”E
I will be exhibiting at Huntex 2016. Come visit me at the Sharp Corner #T30
HuntEx2016 is an international consumer exhibition with exhibitors from Southern Africa, Europe, North America and the Middle East. It caters for hunters, sport shooters, game farm owners and game breeders, people with personal and defensive protection requirements, outdoorsmen and -women, anglers, security and trade professionals.
HuntEx will make its sixth annual appearance as an international consumer show at the Gallagher Convention Centre,
in Midrand, Gauteng from 15 to 17 April 2016. It is the largest small calibre firearm show on the African continent attracting a growing number of hunting and firearm enthusiast from all over South Africa and neighbouring countries
every year.
“HuntEx is a shopper’s paradise for this emerging market and we are shifting our focus on the yet untapped female segment in the hunting and sportshooting industry. We have realised that for every male hunter and sportshooter, there is usually a wife, girlfriend or daughter that supports or accompanies him. It makes perfect sense for HuntEx and its exhibitors to turn our attention to women’s needs,” Woudstra said.
VIP DAY
Thursday 14 April | 10:00 – 17:00 by invitation only
PUBLIC DAYS
Friday 15 April | 09:00 – 18:00
Saturday 16 April | 08:00 – 17:00
Sunday 17 April | 09:00 – 16:00
VENUE
Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa.
I will be exhibiting at the Durban Easter Knife Skow – DEKS 2016.
Friday 25 March, 10am – 6pm
Saturday 26 March, 9am – 4pm
The knife show will be at the The Protea Hotel, Umhlanga Ridge, Durban. The Protea Hotel Umhlanga Ridge is situated in the secure environment of the Umhlanga New Town Centre opposite the Wavehouse and the Gateway Theatre of Shopping, where such facilities as movies, theatres, restaurants, shops and entertainment are all within very easy walking distance.
GPS Coordinates
Latitude: S 29°43.41
Longitude: E 31°4.11
Quick step-by-step tutorial on how to fit and peen bolsters onto your handmade knives.
Step 1: Mark off the bolsters slightly bigger than needed and cut them out.
Step 2: Flatten the insides (Blade side) of the bolster.
Step 3: Decide if you are going to make the back of the bolster square or dovetailed (Sketch 1). Please note that if you decide to do a dovetail, the back of the bolster needs to be slightly longer. This is important to ensure that when you peen the rivets, the back of the bolster dose not bulge out (Sketch 2).
I always ensure that the closest edge of the back of the bolster is at least 4.8mm from the back of the rivet. Also note that I use 3,2mm rivets. If you rivets are thinner, you can reduce this distance.
Step 5: After drilling all the holes, remove the bolster, countersink the hole on the blade side of the bolster and make sure it is still flat.
Step 6: Now place the 2 bolsters together, ensuring that the back sides are perfectly aligned and then clamp the bolsters together with locking pliers. Now with the first bolster as your drill guide, repeat the previous 2 steps. Remember to put the pins in the holes as you go along.
Step 7: Fit the bolsters on the blade, one at a time and mark off the outside of the blade onto the bolsters with a scribe (Sketch 4). Remove the bolsters and mark the front edge of the bolsters. Remember that the same principle applies as with the back of the bolster. Leave about 4mm between the front and the rivets.
Step 8: Cut or grind the bolsters as close to the scribed lines as possible. Grind the front of at least 1of the bolsters up to the line. Now fit the 2 bolsters together with the pins in place and clamp them with locking pliers or a G-clamp.
Step 9: Grind and polish the front faces of the bolsters. This is the final finish on the front of the bolster.
Step 10: To ensure that the rivets are secure after riveting, you need to taper the holes in the bolsters. When you hammer the rivets in, they will fill the tapered area and make a secure fitting. For this you can purchase a taper reamer, or make one from a diesel injector pin. If you go to your local diesel workshop they should have some old pins lying around. These pins are handy for scribes and centre punches as well. I grind 4 flat tapered edges onto the pin (Sketch 5).
Put your reamer into your drill press and ream the holes. Make sure you do not increase the size of the hole where it fits against the blade (Sketch 6).
Step 11: Now for final fitment. Make sure the inside of the bolsters are perfectly flat. Fit them onto the blade, with the rivets cut so that they stick out about 2mm (for a 3,2mm rivet) on each side of the bolster.
Step 12: Place on a sturdy anvil and hammer the back rivets in, alternating the sides, until you can see that bolster starting to bulge around the rivet. Now grind the bolsters taper, so that they taper towards the blade (Sketch 7). Then peen the front rivets in the same way as the back ones. I use the flat side of an 800g pall peen hammer.
Once all the rivets are set, give them all a couple of good blows with the hammer to make sure they are secure.
Note: Make sure that you use rivet pin material that will blend in with the bolster material. If you are using Brass or Bronze try to get the same grade for you rivets. I mostly use 303 or 304 Stainless steel bolsters.
For the 303 bolsters, I use 316L rivets and for 304 I use 308 or 309 rivets. This will help you to “hide” the rivets.
Now you can fit the handle slabs!!
Since Mandeni resident Stefan Diedericks was a young boy, he has been fascinated by the ancient art of knife making.
Over the years, the former Okapi factory manager has mastered the fine metal work, which requires creativity, attention to detail and many hours of patience.
“On average it takes me about two days to make a knife,” said Diedericks, who has twice won the Non-Guild Competition at the annual Knife Makers Guild show.
Where:
Show Hours:
Show Enquiries:
South African Knife Makers, Dealers & Collectors Unite! The Brooklyn Knife Show is the premier event for knife collectors, buyers, sellers, enthusiasts, custom knifemakers, bladesmiths and just about anyone and everyone who loves knives, swords and axes. 3 Days of custom creations. Definitely an event that cannot be missed!
WHERE:
Show Hours:
Show Enquiries:
I was once asked if there is something like a “Perfect knife” and if so, what would it look like?
The easy answer to “What is the perfect knife” would be a knife that is 100% symmetrical, perfect fits between the blade and handle with a perfectly finished mirror polished blade. The transitions from one aspect of the knife to the next must be defined by sharp lines, a knife that is absolutely flawless in all aspects.
Perfection can be defined as the following:
I think point 3 above sums it up. Perfection in most, if not all cases, lies in the eye of the beholder. One man’s “perfect” hunting knife, is most certainly not the next man’s “perfect” kitchen, tactical or survival knife. And even in any one of these categories there are different opinions of what the perfect knife for the job is.
“Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing.” – Henry Royce (Rolls-Royce Motor Cars)
In my opinion the desire to create the “perfect” knife is of more importance than creating it. In the process of producing a knife, one must pay attention to each step of the process, striving to perfect each aspect of it. Then do it better the next time and then better the next time and so on.
Furthermore what is seen as perfection constantly changes. The perfect knife for the Stone Age man is most certainly not the same thing today and this will constantly change as our knowledge, materials and needs change.
“Perfection is a lot of little things done right”
You tell me what you want and I’ll strive to make it “perfect”…..
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