Dagger Handle- how to carve 2 different profiles with rotary?

[SteveNelson46]

Ed's uses a 2" diameter dowel, can you export that as a stl? Ill unwrap it and give it a shot. I'm using 1.87

Attached is a copy and paste of all the objects in the rotary project to a flat board. It is not ready for prime time as there are many issues including depth, proportions, extrudes, etc. I couldn't save it as a pattern either. I don't own all of the patterns and objects.

[SteveNelson46]

I had to re-draw most of the components but, attached is a generic pattern of the rotary dagger handle. You can add your own patterns for the details. The dimensions for the project are 6.5" length and 2" diameter with a .5" part-off diameter. I guess, that with the pattern, you can make it any size you like.

[Capt Bruce]

Hello Mark,

They say it's a small world and perhaps smaller still when one is hunting for and collecting Dirks over the years and across many countries.

The owner of Scottish Sword and Shield, Pat was kind and helped me trace information on a matched set of Dirk and Sgian Dubh in the pattern of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders that came in a fitted box to hold the two knives. It had taken me many years to trace the missing Sgian Dubh when the pair were broken up from an estate sale. They are back together now. The Argyle & Sutherland fought Andrew Jackson at the battle of New Orleans, they were the original Thin Red Line in the Crimean war, The Sepoy Mutiny in India and the Boer War in South Africa. It will be interesting now to use the pattern developed here to guide my work in duplicating some of these handle styles.

But enough about my play toys

Thanks Capt Bruce for posting more pictures. A Black Watch dirk that was at Waterloo. OMG! (as the kids say nowadays!) Just incredible- and what an interesting way to carve the handle so that it disappears into the hilt. Never seen anything like it. I also like all the maker marks (or Regimental marks?) stamped on the hilt and the pommel. There's a story behind each one of those stamps too. The dress dirk is a fine looking thing- you wear that one? There is a fellow up here in the Seattle area I met a few years ago that deals in a lot of Scottish memorabilia. His website is http://www.scottishsword.com/ . His business is known as Scottish sword and Shield. I bought a British Midshipman's dirk from him.

[Mark Dubya]

Hello Capt. Bruce,
Ha! Small world is right. That must have been exciting to find the missing piece in the set! I look at his website from time to time and drool on my keyboard over the dirks he has been able to acquire. That is an impressive A&S set. I love the blades from that era- rugged and fierce looking. As a Campbell, I developed an interest in Clan Campbell and A&S regiment items. I made a Clan Campbell badge from available Carvewright patterns. See photo. It is about 13" diameter and the boar is a second piece placed on top to give it depth. Heraldry experts will spot the boar's head is not the correct one for the Campbells of Argyll, but it is close.

[James RS]

I didn't really notice before, but what are using for blades? Are you forging your own?

Mark W,

You are pursuing a project I've tried to make several time before the Rotary Jig was created, and now it's time for me to try it again since I bought the Jig. My prior attempts using scanning and then double sided carving left me with still too much hand work to clean them up. Up until now I have carved my various Dirk handles the old fashioned way by hand with chisels and knives. Very satisfying when it is all done, but Boy does it take some time.

Attachment 71418 Attachment 71419 Attachment 71420 Attachment 71421

I'll follow your project with great interest so please keep us up to date and I'll start experimenting as well. Thanks

[Mark Dubya]

I didn't really notice before, but what are using for blades? Are you forging your own?

I don't have the knowledge to forge blades. I have used the "stock removal" method where the blade is ground from knife steel available here: http://www.admiralsteel.com/products/blades.html. Scottish style blades can be purchased from these 2 websites: http://www.atlantacutlery.com/c-90-k...-supplies.aspx
and http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/454/1 . Both of these companies sell Scottish style blades of the more "modern" style and are made in India or Pakistan. The old style blades like Capt. Bruce has are custom made and expensive. Go here to see some of the greatest blades that are currently being made (in my humble opinion): http://www.picturetrail.com/photos/vevans

[Capt Bruce]

My apology James, as I missed your post about the blades. The only one I have forged to date was waaaaay back in the late 60's for that black handled silver smithing project above. For the others I used both blades from Atlanta Cutlery and or stock removal as Mark W mentioned. I'm now a member of the Chattahoochee Cutlery Club in Atlanta and hope to keep learning more from my fellow members about making my own blades and making them better.

I'll probably never achieve the skills used to make these examples below but it's fun to keep pursuing the craft and to appreciate what others have done before you



The second blade is engraved with all the Black Watch Regiment campaigns where this Dirk was carried. The name Quatre Bras (4 roads) is the town name that later became known as the battle at Waterloo.

Are you also a knife maker James?