Custom Damascus folder from Untamed Knives

Garciamarquez1918

Garciamarquez1918

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I've been wanting to have a custom damascus folder made. Looked at lots of companies before I realized the answer was in front of my eyes every time I watch one of Untamed Knives' awesome YouTube Videos.

I've been in contact with Ross over the past few days. He's super responsive on WhatsApp and came right back with an initial design as well as some follow ups. He also forges his own damascus which is relatively rare from what I've seen. (I'm by no means a "knife guy" so could be wrong about that.)

Ross also mentioned that people who hunt in Zimbabwe could potentially have a custom knife made with, for instance, your own warthog ivory. Buffalo horn is also possible but presents some challenges according to Ross because it wants to bend.

I'd be excited about this knife no matter what but I really like the idea of giving my business to a company that creates such great content and that supports our community so tangibly.
 
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This isn't "my knife" but an example of a warthog damascus folder.

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Today's update from @RossVosloo at Untamed Knives:

"Took the billet from 31 layers, 4x stacked to 124 layers now. Tomorrow will stack again with flashing to take it up to 374 layers."
 

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Below are the first steps of making my knife!

First is the initial billet which is 31 layers stacked 4 times. This is heated in the second image and then hammered out into a blade blank in the third.

Next step is this flat, with 124 layers, will be cut in three. These three billets will have two "flashing" layers put between them and then be hammered out for a total of 374 layers.

Billet.jpg
oven.jpg
Blade blank.jpg
 
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Heat treating day! Three rounds of "normalizing," grain refinement and anneal. Heat the knife to 900 c, then air cool. The 840 c, and air cool. Then 770 c and air cool. This refines the grain structure of the steel to be as fine and even as possible before the quench.

I'm really excited about the third photo where you can faintly see the Damascus pattern coming through!

Knife Heat 1.jpg
Knife Heat 2.jpg
Knife Heat 3.jpg
 
Next the knife is quenched from 830 celcius into a special heat-treating oil. Final image shows the blade fresh out of the oil, showing the nice light gray color of martensite, the hard type of steel we want. Now it's back into the over at a mere 205 c for two rounds of tempering.

Quench.jpg
Post Quench.jpg
 
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Work has begun on the liners! In the first photo, the laser engraver is used to mark out the shapes of the liners on sheet titanium. Next a slot is milled for hack saw blade. The hack saw is then used to hand cut the lock into the liner. Holes are drilled and tapped and in the last photo the liners are ready!
 

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Super exciting to see the Cape Buffalo horn handles for the first time!

That's the third image. First image is thinning the lock bar so it won't foul the handle during opening & closing. Second image is machining relief into the back of the lock bar so it's not too heavy to push.
 

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Hardened stop pin cut and installed. Lock bar heated and bent into position. Assembled knife closed, and then assembled knife open and stopping in the right position.
 

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Initial blade grind is done!

Delicate work of installing the detent ball into the lock...done.

And a couple of test etches have begun to give a hint of what the Damascus is going to look like!
 

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After a pause, things are moving fast with this project!

First photo the hand sanding is complete. The blade's then buffed to a mirror finish in preparation for etching.

Photo three is the first round of etching in ferric chloride. Then the second and fourth (and final) etchings. After this the blade goes into a coffee bath for a couple of hours!
 

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I just sent Ross a one-off design for a solid shank hunting knife I want made. Man, is he responsive and creative. I need another conversation with him so he can do a mock up design for my approval. I selected his stainless steel that once finished, is HRC 61. I'll make a point to post it here on AH so everyone can see his quality.
 
coreydb said:
I just sent Ross a one-off design for a solid shank hunting knife I want made. Man, is he responsive and creative. I need another conversation with him so he can do a mock up design for my approval. I selected his stainless steel that once finished, is HRC 61. I'll make a point to post it here on AH so everyone can see his quality
Click to expand...
My ears were burning :LOL:

Looking forward to working on your knife, that example knife you sent through is a great size and shape, and an awesome canvas to have some fun with
 
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