Frenchy's Custom Knives and Sticks

DAMASCUS PERSIAN STYLE KNIFE

DAMASCUS PERSIAN STYLE KNIFE IN RED DEER ANTLER AND CAMEL BONE WITH NICKEL SILVER SPACERS AND BLACK LINERS. POMMEL CAPPED WITH CREAM COW HORN. THE BLADE IS 7.75"" LONG.

DAMASCUS SHEFFIELD STYLE BOWIE

DAMASCUS SHEFFIELD STYLE BOWIE IN KINGWOOD WITH BLACK BUFFALO SPACER BETWEEN RED LINERS. BRASS BOLSTER AND POMMEL CAP. THE BLADE IS 9.5" LONG.

DAMASCUS SEARLE TYPE BOWIE KNIFE

mIXED ANTLER HANDLE WITH SCALLOPED BRASS BOLSTER AND POMMEL. THE BLADE IS 9" LONG.

DAMASCUS RANDALL STYLE BOWIE

FULL CORONET HANDLE WITH SCALLOPED BOLSTER. THE BLADE IS 7.5" LONG.

The Damascus Dolphin Bowie

I had waited patiently for quite some time for a nice quality Damascus Bowie blade from the USA - it was worth the wait...

This Bowie Blade was meant for an ex-army buddy of mine, but it took so long in coming that he decided to go for another one I already had ready to be made up. In fact he ended up with a 'piggy back' number that I called 'The Gift set Bowie' on account that it was his early Xmas present.

The Blade is Damascus Steel made by Two Finger Knife LLC of Idaho, USA from 1095 and 15N20 (1075 with 2% nickel with an RC of 56-57. It's real top drawer stuff, the pattern is crisp and clear and not seen very often, the temper line is clearly visible.

At 7 1/4", the blade is just about right for me. It's 3/16" (4.8mm) thick and has a robust stick tang, which I drilled with two pinholes for extra security. The knife over all length is 13 1/2" and beautifully balanced.

The handle is composed of a single Coronet Stag Antler and black buffalo horn near the brass bolster. The whole lot is epoxied and further secured by 5mm brass pins and a 6mm mosaic pin. On the coronet face I stuck on a Titanium Dolphin that I had originally used on another knife (the Beastie) which I decided to designate to the garden!

The Sheath is from 3.5mm veg tanned leather with quite a bit of figure work and fancy stitching over larp thonging. It's fully lined with red fibre sheeting. The leg strap is of larp thonging with a horn toggle.

It a very nice knife man; probably my best Bowie knife to date bar none...

This one went to Sydney, Australia...

Gary Wale's Leuku

in 52100 Bearing steel

This Leuku style knife is made from 52100 Bearing steel. Overall the knife is 320mm long with the blade being 205mm long and the handle is 115mm long.

The handle is Black Buffalo horn over red fibre liners. The butt cap is solid 3mm brass as are the 4 pins.

This knife has an edge to die for - absolutely a flat sided V and very very sharp!!! I should know, the two cuts I got in my hand are proof enough.

As you may or may not know, the grind on the original 'Guardian' cum/BFKII prototypes took no less than three prototype batches to get it just right. Well, Gary is in for a very pleasant surprise when he gets this knife...

All parts ready for finishing.

The sheath configuration is a bit unusual in that it's a sheath within a sheath. The sheath on the right is made out of Chrome dyed leather and is inside out so as to minimise the chance of the leather staining the blade. The outer sheath (on the left) and the securing belt loop are of veg Tanned leather.

The knife at this stage has not been finished properly, hence it looking a bit dull. You can see the difference though and how well it came up in the photo below.

This is the whole lot finished and ready for assembling.

To say I'm quite pleased with the way this turned out is an understatement; I'm over the moon with it and in a way I'm secretly hoping that it's not quite to Gary's taste so I can keep it for myself...

Tony Collins Leuku

This Leuku style knife is made from 52100 Bearing steel. Overall the knife is 320mm long with the blade being 205mm long and the handle is 115mm long.

The handle is in highly figured Masur Birch over black fibre liners. The butt cap is solid 3mm brass as are the 3 pins.

The Sheath is 3.5mm veg tanned leather dyed to compliment the knife's handle. The emblem is Tony's, which he wanted included in the sheath. Tony knows his knives and is a user, so I expect that this knife will be put to work often enough...

Just about everybody who sees my knives for the first time ask me what varnish I use to achieve such a nice finish. I don't use any varnish on my knives. I primarily use CCL English Oils and Carnuba/Beeswax and finish off with Renaissance wax as a protective layer, which also happens to buff up well. It is to be noted however, that the result is not achieved in a day or two; it can take me up to a week to get the finish just right...

Gary's Second Leuku

I'm a bit stumped as to what to say about this Leuku as Gary already has one as can be seen above.

The blade is the same and the main difference is the handle material, which is made up of spalted Beech and coloured Cow horn over white fibre liners. Owing to the sectional make up extra brass pins were added. The solid brass butt plate has some file work in the shape of a Union Jack (what else...?!)

Bearing Steel Leuku

with Purple Heart handle

I made this for Bill who already has a Guardian in Purple Heart.

Damascus Bowie

The Sheath configuration of this Bowie is such that it can be worn on either side of the body.

Mike's Leuku

Number 4 of the original 5 Leuku blades. This one I made up for Mike from near where I live in Geordie land.

One last blade still not made up, which I had in mind of making up for myself. Of course I already have a whopping Leuku with a 250mm blade that I made specially for my trip to Oz. But for the UK the 205mm bladed version is far more suitable.

MOD Type Survival Knife

Original blade was given to me by my mate Big Kev. It's a rather hefty knife blade very similar to the MOD Survival knife.

It made up into a very nice heavy duty general purpose knife.

303 Bayonet

in Yew and Leather Scabbard

I was given a bare 303 Bayonet by my best mate Big Kev. I made the handle from some Oliepod off cuts I had left over and the Sheath from an 8mm thick by 60mm wide piece of Yew glued and stitched to a chrome leather backing. Unfortunately the photo doesn't do it proper justice. I'll experiment further with this wood/leather combination when i get the chance.

Custom 'Cold Steel' Tanto

Joe from Heywood in Lancashire contacted me asking if I could make a custom handle for his Cold Steel Tanto as nobody else wanted to do it for him.

As can be seen in the photo I said I would that was that. The original handle was in Kraton, which I think makes for a very good safe handle. But Joe wanted Antler.

As can be seen in the photo, the new handle is made up of Red deer Antler, but I also incorporated Black Buffalo Horn and red fibre liners.

I wait to learn what Joe thinks of his Tanto now...

Exhibition Damascus Bowie

Damascus Field Knife

Red Deer Antler and Black Buffalo horn.

First time for me to work with Raw Billets.

I got the above blades in Billet form from the USA. I then sent them off to Denmark to have them professionally evaluated and if the steel was of good enough quality, make them into suitable blades.

The blades you see above is the result of this one-of exercise. The Damascus pattern is amazing on these blades as is the cutting edge. Ideal as a general Field knife...

The Blade - is full wide stick tang made from 125 layers of �Birds Eye' patterned Damascus steel composed of 1084 and 15n-20 high Carbon steel.

Blade proper is 135mm long, 30mm wide (at the plunge) and 4.5mm thick. Overall the knife is 265mm long.

The Handle - on all blades is approximately 130mm. Although of the stick tang type it's 20mm wide and tapers to about 10mm, which is quite substantial.

Some other examples...

Spalted maple Burl. Bolster and Pommel in solid 3mm brass.

Red Deer Antler with Black Buffalo and Camel Bone spacers. Bolster and Pommel is stabilised Curly Birch.

Corian in two colours with Blue fibre liners in between.

Some of my early efforts...

These knives represent my first serious efforts at producing finished knives of decent quality.

Obviously I have other knives as well, some of which are very nice indeed. They're bog standard, but prime examples of their type nevertheless...

The knives unsheathed. From the top - Frosts of Mora blade; 17" Working Kukri; 200 layer Damascus Bowie; 156 layer Indian Damascus Bowie; the Bowkri and finally, the Kitchen Beastie.

The BowKri

I wanted two tough cutting/chopping knives for heavy duty bush work. I wasn't going to use my genuine Kukri that I got from when serving with the Ghurkhas, so I ordered two working Kukris originally, a 19" and a 24" off eBay. What I actually got were two 17" ones instead! Needless to say I haven't dealt with that seller since!

Although the handles were rough and ready, the blade steel turned out to be pretty good and with a full tang handle. I had no real need for two similar Kukris, but I did want a heavy duty shortened version, so I decided to 'minimise' one of the Kukris. It took me a while cutting and reshaping because I didn't want to generate high heat and affect the blade's hardness/temper. The end result is what you see. I need to do more work on the blade to get it smoother, but that'll have to wait until I don't have anything else to play with!

The handle is made up of ebony/horn/antler with mother-of-pearl inlays. I also did some file work on the top and bottom of the full tang handle. The Stag crown is practical as it is nice. I notched and grooved the first inch or so of the blade nearest the bolster so I could 'choke up' when doing detailed work with it. Nothing cuts through pliable material such as rope like serrations, so this knife has them top and bottom. It's designed for hacking and cutting, adjusting the hand grip depending on the job in hand.

I also re-worked the wooden Sheath and covered it with nice leather. It's not quite a Bowie or a Kukri, hence calling it the BowKri...

The India Damascus blade Bowie

At the time, I had long wanted a nice looking large Damascus steel Bowie that I could keep. However, the ready made ones weren't exactly cheap, but the

the Damascus blades from India looked like very good value for money. So I ordered the 13" blade from Ancient Arms with the fitted gold engraved bolster.

The handle scales are Red Deer antler with brass liners and inlays and lots of file work. One brass liner extended beyond the handle in which a lanyard hole was set.

It's a nice enough looking Bowie, but at a blade thickness of a shade over 1/8" it lacks the substance and ruggedness that one would associate with a Bowie of 13" in length. I would have thought 3/16" to 1/4" would be more like it. Still, considering the origin, cost, the overall effect and Damascus patterning is very handsome and overall the knife is smart.

The knife takes a very good edge, but this is not a heavy duty blade.

This one went off to Germany...

The 200 layer Damascus Bowie

I wanted a special knife to give as a gift to my son out in Oz who does a bit of hunting. The original version of this knife caught my eye so I ordered one to see if it would be indeed that special to give to my son.

On receiving it I knew straight away that the knife would be perfect for him. I sent him the original as it came, as it was very smart. As I had hoped, he was very pleased with it.

Naturally, I fancied one for myself, but the handle was a bit on the thin side for me, so I resolved to have a go and improve on the original. I don't like thin handles and it was enough of an excuse for me to get to work on it... and anyway, I wanted a knife unique to me.

The handle is a composition of two types of Deer antlers (Red and Roe deer) and black buffalo horn.

Along the sides I inlayed some flattened twisted copper wire, topped with brass inlays and two slivers of mother-of-pearl. Brass plate liners with extensive file work run along the full tang handle. The antler/horn slabs are epoxied in place over the brass plates supported with hidden 1/4" brass pins.

For the pummel I used a sovereign enclosed within a body of cast brass with one end folded over itself to make for a lanyard hole.

As the original Sheath was pretty substantial, I just adorned it with a nice piece of patterned leather and also inlaid it with the mother-of- pearl on brass 'Eye of Horus' at the back of the sheath.

This blade of this knife is very good; it not only looks good but it takes and keeps a good edge. At 5/32" blade thickness it's in proportion for an 11 and 1/4" long knife. It's a lovely knife and while many would baulk at using such a pretty knife, I'll be quite happy to use this knife when out and about. My son does so out in the bush when hunting and is very happy with his.

I like this knife a lot and can see me using similar blades for quite some time to come yet...

My best mate Bill has this knife now, but he won't use it!

The 17" Working Kukri

This is the second of the two working 17" Kukris which I decided to leave as is except for the handle.

I opted for a combination 'hack/cut/sharp' set-up. I dumped the two little useless knives that came with it and replaced them with a tidy little Frosts of Mora knife blade and a mini-sharpening steel instead.

The Kukri blade takes and holds a good edge - the convex grind helps a lot here. I'm no metallurgist, so the only way for me to test anything is to hack away at logs and bushes and generally bash it about. I found no problems with dents and nicks etc. Just some very light scratches.

The Mora knife is exceptionally sharp - shaving sharp! It's meant to deal with small jobs where sharpness is more important than brute force! I also added the little sharpening steel and the whole lot is contained within one compact neat sheath - if I could say that bearing the overall size...

The original sheath was a poor fitting one so I had to re-work it with some old nice leather - topped with studded belt loop.

As you can see, I went to town on the handle in keeping with the Indian be-jewelled ornate style. The handle is teak with lots of solid and thick silvered brass inlay work. I also included some small bits of black Buffalo horn for contrast.

The Mora knife handle is just one solid piece of Roe Deer antler, as is the sharpening steel's. I wanted these to blend into the sheath so as not to detract from the main piece.

The end result is pretty enough, but given the right situation they'll be used as intended. And that goes for any of my knives because basically they're tools first and foremost. My view is that making knives look good shouldn't make them less functional ...

I'll most probably end up re-working this set when I have nothing better to do...

I've re-worked since...

White Stag Antler and Horn Bowie

Full tang 200 Layers Damascus 3/16" steel throughout, 11 1/4" Over all length. Original blade purchased from the USA.

Blade is 6" long, 1.5" at its widest. Handle is 5 1/4" long made from Stag Antler with full crown and White Horn insert over Purple heart wedges. Three brass rivets spaced accordingly. Pommel end is finished with Purple heart insert to augment crown, which is further strengthened by a brass lined lanyard hole. Handle is well seasoned and sealed with oils and waxes.

Bolster is set at an angle for a more natural grip and made from solid brass.

Sheath is hand double stitched 3mm leather designed specifically for this knife for a tight fit. Heavy duty leather protected Pop fastener to prevent scratching knife blade. Belt loop will accommodate belts up to 3" wide. Whole Sheath is thoroughly oiled and waxed for durability...

A rather attractive knife in every which way. Noting more I could say...

Damascus Bowie Knife

with Purple Heart & Yew handle.

Full tang 200 Layers Damascus 3/16" steel throughout, 10 3/4" Over all length.

Blade is 6" long, 1.5" at its widest. Original blade purchased from the USA.

Lightly contoured handle is 4 3/4" long made up from Purple Heart and English Yew, with red and white fibre liners and secured by three brass rivets spaced accordingly.

Pommel end is finished with cast brass plates inserts. Handle is well seasoned and sealed with oils and waxes. The Purple Heart and Yew have been epoxied and dowelled together with 1/8" inserts for added strength. As a result, the dowels are visible top and bottom, but attractively so.

The pommel brass plates are epoxied and pinned in place by 1/4" brass rod and for extra support I've also added two copper 1/8" pins at the top of the cast brass plates.

Bolster set at an angle for a more natural grip and made from solid brass.

Sheath is hand double stitched 3mm leather designed specifically for this knife for a tight fit. Heavy duty Pop fastener with leather protected part to prevent scratching knife blade. Belt loop will accommodate belts up to 3" wide. Whole Sheath is thoroughly oiled and waxed for durability...

This is not a light-weight knife, but it feels very good in the hand. It's a very substantial knife over all, with a good unique handle that will suit both right or left handed users.

Damascus Bowie Knife with Crowned Stag Antler and Ebony handle.

Full tang 200 Layers Damascus 3/16" steel throughout, 11 1/4" Over all length. Original blade purchased from the USA.

Blade is 6" long, 1.5" at its widest. Handle is 5 1/4" long made from Stag Antler with full crown and Ebony inserts. Three brass rivets spaced accordingly. Pommel end is finished with ebony insert to augment crown, which is further strengthened by a brass lined lanyard hole. Handle is well seasoned and sealed with oils and waxes.

Bolster is set at an angle for a more natural grip and made from solid brass.

This is a lovely heavy-weight knife and it feels very good in the hand. It's a very substantial knife over all, with a good sturdy unique handle that will suit both right or left handed users.

I feel very fortunate to have got these Damascus blanks and made them up with the some very nice antler. To date, I don't recall having seen anyone using the antler crown and make it an integral practical feature in knives.

The photos don't do it justice, it's got to be in your hand to appreciate this type of handle fully.

Damascus Bowie Knife with Crowned Stag Antler and Bone Handle.

This knife is similar proportionally to the one opposite with the main differences being the use of copper rivets, red fibre liners at bolster and a reddish tinted bone insert to augment the crown antler. But, I wasn't happy with it as the colour of the copper rivets just didn't seem right for this knife and the bolster had a small cast imperfection that niggled me. So, back to re-working it...

This picture is the end result of my re-working the handle with brass rivets inset in stainless steel washers. I also got rid of the cast imperfection.

It does take a while to finish making up such knives as some of the processes can't be rushed. It can be a bit could destroying when the finished item does not turn out as envisaged. But, it's pointless having something that you're not satisfied with...

I got the original blade from the USA, but whether they were actually forged there I have my doubts. Still, whatever their origin, they're good blades.

Crown Stag Antler & Black Goat Horn

This Bowie is similar to the other Bowies except for the handle. I had originally inlaid three large pieces of Abalone shell on each side of the handle, but not only did they not look right, they proved rather fragile when I tested the handle in my usual 'knock-it-about-drop-it-a-lot' way.

I had some black horn that was rippled and heavily indented, very much like a Goat's horn, hence my assumption that it is Goat horn. Anyway, I worked away at it and managed to fashion into two slabs that I then mounted, glued and riveted onto the antler. It polished up nicely. The sheath is going to be re-done in black to match...

I liked these blades, but it appears that I'll not be able to get anymore. If only I knew the original makers, I'll be bale to make a lot of enthusiasts happy with these...

From time to time I search for a source for these blades, but I've had no luck whatsoever.

So - If anyone knows the original source for these blades I would be obliged if they let me know and will be rewarded accordingly should I manage to obtain some.

Damascus Bowie/Skinner Knife

with Stag Antler and Rosewood handle.

Full tang 200 Layers Damascus 3/16" steel throughout, 8 3/4" Over all length.

Blade is 4 1/4" long, 1 5/8" at its widest. Original blade purchased from the USA.

Contoured handle is 4 1/4" long made from Stag Antler and Rosewood secured by three brass rivets spaced accordingly. Rosewood part is decorated with a green jade coloured bone insert.

I made this handle with a 'grooved fat belly' for a firm and comfortable grip and also somewhere for the wet muck to go instead of it staying clinging to the handle.

However, if the grip or the shape of the handle doesn't quite suit, you can simply take the 'fat belly' off, smooth down and re-oil/re-wax. I've got size 9 stubby hands and it's just right for me because I like chunky handles for a good grip.

Bolster set at an angle for a more natural grip and made from solid brass.

Sheath is hand double stitched 3mm leather designed specifically for this knife for a nice fit. Heavy duty Pop fastener. Belt loop will accommodate belts up to 3" wide. Whole Sheath is thoroughly oiled and waxed for durability...

This is one heck of a weighty knife in spite of its overall compact size. It's a cross between a stubby drop point Bowie and a Skinner, and a very substantial knife with it. This sort of knife needs a beefy handle - in my view at least - so I gave it just that and made it to suit both right or left handed users.

The Harlequin King Damascus Bowie

in Antler and Black Buffalo

At the time of writing I managed to get three types of Damascus bladed knives, which I decided to call the Harlequin range as my intention was, is and will remain, to make them up with contrasting composite handles.

The large Bowie - which is shown above - I call 'The Harlequin King', Then there's a smaller Bowie which I call 'The Harlequin Prince' and I also have a little Hunter which I call 'The Harlequin Duke'. My intention is to do these knives up individually as well as into sets.

The Harlequin King Bowie shown above is quite a nice size. It's dimensions are: 200mm long by 45mm at its widest and 5mm thick. Over all the Bowie knife is 350mm long. The other knife in he picture is my Bearing steel PFK1, which is 225mm (8 3/4") long overall.

The Harlequin Prince blade is 160mm long by 36mm wide and 3.5mm thick. Overall this medium sized Bowie is 290mm long.

The Harlequin Duke blade is 115mm long by 25mm at its widest and 3mm thick. Overall the knife small hunter knife is 230mm long.

This original 200 layer Damascus Bowie came with a bone handle sandwiched between two small pieces of horn. I could have easily left it as it was, but I like to be different anyway. Mainly, however, I always rebuild such knives as the original build and finish isn't substantial and refined enough for my liking.

I decided to replace the bone with a piece of Red Deer antler and a nice solid chunk of black Buffalo horn. I also slanted the bolster forward at the top and also reworked the pommel end so it's round and flat. I did some file work on the bolster to give it that extra glint...

The end result is a nice looking knife with a substantial balanced feel to it. I've worked and owned a few of these 200 layer Damascus blades for a while now and I can honestly say that not only do they look good, but they take and hold a good edge.

The Harlequin King

in Bone and Black Buffalo horn

I'll be doing a little Duke to go with this as they would make an exceptionally nice looking set...

This one is for my son's mate John in Oz and is awaiting his approval...

Two Harlequin Princes

in Antler and Black Buffalo horn

Unfortunately my supply of these knives is a hit and miss affair, but at least I've got a couple more to play with before I move on to different blades.

It goes without saying that I love working with Damascus Blades best, but the cost restricts me somewhat in not only what I can afford, but I've to consider fellow enthusiasts as well.

I like working with other steels as well, but I prefer them to be special in some way, type; shape and steel composition perhaps.

I'm not fussed as to what handle materials I use, but I do have a preference for Black Buffalo horn. Unfortunately, all handle material, especially antler and horn is not that easy to come by consistently or at a bargain price either.

Hardwoods are easier to source and prices vary, so one has a wide choice to suit one's needs and means. I tend to go for the exotic stuff, but many a good handle can be made from more readily available hardwoods.

As I said, this a 'whole' hobby for me, and sharing with other likeminded folk is all part and parcel of this interesting and rewarding pastime.

I subscribe to the concept that giving and sharing is good for the soul. Therefore, if I can, I'll be more than willing to help anyone who asks. I don't expect anything in return - your appreciation is reward enough.

If you have anything relating to knives and sticks that could be of interest to me, please contact me - thanks.

If you wish or need need to contact me you can do so via the Contact page. Thanks...