edit, pics didnt flip the way i edited them in photobucket, so i guess you will have to turn your head sideways to get the feel of it. Here are two knives I did up for a fundraiser that the local wildlife federation is having in a couple of weeks. They will be donated to the club and auctioned off. From what I understand one will go in the live auction and one will go in a silent auction. I was approached to see if I would do one, and I agreed to do two, so that both auctions could have one. They gave me no info on what they wanted, and just left me to build whatever i felt like building. These are what i came up with. The smaller of the two is 3/32 W2 with a 3 1/4 cutting edge and 7.5 overall. Handles are diamondwood and pins are stainless. This thing is very light and scary sharp. I am not a huge fan of dymondwood but when donating two I had to cut cost a bit somewhere as I am just a hobby guy right now. Either way it worked out well as their club colors are black and yellow anyway. The second blade is done in 3/16 1084, deferentially hardened, but just polished with no etch so the hamon is barely visible at all. The ricasso area was finished on a medium scotchbrite belt to give a contrast between it and the polished flat grind. The handle is stabilized Box Elder burl with 2 stainless pins and a stanless lanyard tube. There is also filework on the spine with black fill and red liners, but i do not have a clear picture of that part right now. This knife measures 9.75 overall, and the blade is 5.25 from tip to scales. Lanyard is black and red 550 with a cobra braid and a pewter sleeve bead on it. Thanks for looking guys.
The lever gun is a Winchester Model 94, its about 25+ years old and has only ever seen one box of shells through it, basically a safe dweller. The rifle is a Smith&Wesson Model 1500 in .243 win. It was my first gun when I started hunting, has taken numerous deer and dozens of coyotes, and will shoot cloverleaf groups with three holes touching all day at 100 yards with factory winchester nosler rounds. Also: trigger locks removed for the pictures, i am not storing them that way, just in case any Safety Sallys decide to get after me for that. Bolt for the rifle is also missing in pic, locked in safe still.
Thabks a lot Cal. I have the etcher and my light box ready, I just have not been able to get any transparency paper yet. Office supply store here is closed on the weekend so I was out of luck. Worst case scenario I will get the other half to snag a sheet from the school tomorrow. These ones turned out fairly good, but I still have a lot of work to do and a lot of things left to learn to get to a higher level. I just hope these bring in a decent amount for the club and go to someone who will enjoy them.
Well I just wanted to update since the fundraiser was tonight. The night was a great time, the food was great, and a good time was had by all. The knives sold, one in a silent auction and the other in a live auction, and I am absolutely blown away by the reception the knives got. Both went far above what I ever imagined they could sell for, and I am literally stunned by the money they raised. The smaller yellow and black one sold to a doctor from South Africa who would not let the bidding end, and ended up bringing in $195. This even seems crazy to me, the maker. The larger clip point with burl went as the most expensive item of the night, and sold to a gentleman who nobody seemed to know. I am not sure exactly how many bidders there were as it started fast and dropped to just two in the last 40 dollars. This knife sold for $285, almost double what I had hoped they would get out of it. This is by far the two highest prices my knives have ever sold for, my previous record being $160. I am in no way expecting this to be a salable price, as this was an auction setting at a wildlife fundraiser, but for small time me, it was a bit of confirmation I may be heading in the right direction. I also had a guy who bought the first knife I ever sold ask if he could bring me that knife to have my name etched on it now that I have an etcher and a logo. I said absolutely I would. I really don't want this to come across conceited in any way, I just wanted to update on these two knives. Like I said, both went for about double what I had hoped they would bring in for the club. Thanks for reading the update guys.
Awesome man I had planned on donating one of my knives for the auction this year but I ran out of time. I'm going to be donating on for next years auction. Did you supply sheaths with them?
I really appreciate the comments everyone. I am still just stunned by it really. I have seen huge prices for amazing works of art and knives made by some of the best in the business, but quite honestly never expected my work to be all that desirable or worth much. Each knife is made to the best of my ability, but I always feel like I still have so far to go to even approach the middle of the pack. In all honesty I had hoped that the small one could possibly bring them 80-100 dollars and that the larger would possibly get them 150 dollars. I always find it nerve wracking watching the auctions wondering were bidding will go, knowing the bids are for something made with my own two hands.
The work you do is worth more then that man. Usually a quality made hand made knife is worth minimum 150+ in my books. I haven't made many knives and have no problems selling them.
