Making a railroad spike Bowie Knife and Sheath. FarmCraft101 DIY

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  • čas přidán 23. 12. 2017
  • Starting with a rusty old railroad spike, I forge it into a bowie knife shape, keeping the back in it's original spike shape. I make a handle from osage orange wood, and with some patience and various tricks I fit it to both the tang and the head of the spike. After epoxying, I file the handle to shape and then finish it with tung oil.
    Then I move on to the sheath, starting with tooling leather. I make a template out of paper and cut the leather to shape. I stamp a pattern to the leather, mark out the stitching lines, and dye the leather brown. I use various leather working tools to fold and stitch the leather, and then use water to help shape it to the knife.
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Komentáře • 582

  • @straightupparacord9377
    @straightupparacord9377 Před 5 lety +59

    I have to say, I came for the knife... I stayed for the sheath! That leather work really fascinated me! Well done all around!

    • @irishmuscle7352
      @irishmuscle7352 Před 5 lety +6

      Same here. I couldn’t believe it when he said he never worked with leather before. He knocked it out of the park

    • @ViperGTS737
      @ViperGTS737 Před 3 lety +2

      same here

  • @dannyb.9721
    @dannyb.9721 Před 5 lety +2

    Someone that can do the metal work, wood work and leather work....wow....impressive! Hard to imagine you've never done this before.

  • @az80311
    @az80311 Před 5 lety +12

    Hey, I agree with Danny Santos: "This knife has sexy all over it" The things you pointed out just give it character. This is one heck of a beautiful buuild man and I would love to have it. I loved your video too. Your sheath is just damn plain good looking. For a first time with leather, you did an excelent job on the sheath. Thank you for showing what an old spike can become....

  • @mesasavage
    @mesasavage Před 5 lety +20

    You've never worked with leather before? Looks like you're a natural.

  • @adamgipson6151
    @adamgipson6151 Před 5 lety +11

    I loved the craftsmanship in both. Would love a knife like that.

  • @az80311
    @az80311 Před 5 lety +2

    I have to agree with Joseph A. below. Your work is very good. The sheath is really good and the video is perfect. In time, every one in your extended family will want Grampa's beuatiful knife. Thank you for showing how you did everything.

  • @bobcostas5397
    @bobcostas5397 Před 6 lety

    I'm here because the channel 20 Sided Knight kept going on about you and you make cool stuff. They weren't wrong.

  • @MikeyJ686
    @MikeyJ686 Před 5 lety +4

    Yes I honestly love the small defects like the line in handle and the divot in blade. Humans are not machines we make mistakes and small errors but what we can create has feeling, meaning and character. That blade is truly special and 1 of a kind. U should pass that along as a family heirloom. I hope u keep that and dont sell it.

  • @glenpaul3606
    @glenpaul3606 Před rokem

    Your comments about making the sheath are right on. As a fairly new knife maker I had to learn leather craft to make sheaths for them as well. Making sheaths with leather is a lot more work and not so easy as one may think. It is very easy to mess up working with leather just like it is making a knife. Both take practice and experience and you learn from your mistakes. In the end doing both is very satisfying especially as you see the quality of your work improve over time. You did a very good job on your sheath.

  • @gregghrebenak5825
    @gregghrebenak5825 Před 5 lety +1

    Osage orange!!! I've never heard anyone speak of it besides my high school ag tree identification! Got one growing down the road. Beautiful brother!

  • @MikeyJ686
    @MikeyJ686 Před 5 lety +5

    Haha...yes..I liked how u used as many clamps as possible. Sweet blade+Sweet handle+Sweet sheath= a one of a kind amazing knife

  • @roseblite6449
    @roseblite6449 Před 4 lety

    Nicely done, both on the knife and the sheath. My mom did a purse once out of leather, took her a long time to do all the little hammerings using the same type of tools you did. So when you say it took as long to make the sheath as the knife, I believe it.

  • @davehanson381
    @davehanson381 Před 6 lety +2

    Incredible!... What a beautiful outcome from so simple a source! I am thoroughly impressed by your abilities in both steel and leather, sadly, these are disappearing arts in today's world. Great work, and please teach anyone who shows an interest in hand crafted tools or art, we need to keep this tradition alive!

  • @paulwharton3488
    @paulwharton3488 Před 6 lety +6

    Nicely done. The knife looks great and I appreciate that you used it in making the sheath.

  • @Theartfulldodger8
    @Theartfulldodger8 Před 2 lety

    I do leatherwork and I loved hearing you say how long it took! People alway gasp at what I charge to make their sheaths… I takes time and effort people!

  • @sundayduffer
    @sundayduffer Před 4 lety

    i actually like the off-centered line, makes it unique....and the sheath...wow...awesome work for being the first time. Bravo !!!

  • @Brian.Kleven
    @Brian.Kleven Před 6 lety +1

    This is insane. The craftsmanship is unbelievable

  • @general5104
    @general5104 Před 5 lety +1

    Thank you SO MUCH for making that video!! That is exactly the way I used to make my knives and sheaths. My forge was built out of an old water heater, using LINDSEY PUBLICATIONS. I had to quit because if carpul tunnel surgery...I lost all my grip, in my hands. I ended up teaching my best friend and then giving him my forge and anvil base. TANDY LEATHER in Texas has the tooling and various dyes and SUHNER ABRASIVES in Georgia has the rag wheels and buffing compounds. & no...I am not advertising for them...just saving y'all a lot of work!

  • @dannysantos1266
    @dannysantos1266 Před 6 lety +15

    The off center split and the aggressive hammer blow on the blade give the whole knife some solid character. It’s got sexy written all over it.

    • @electrorganix
      @electrorganix Před 5 lety +1

      I was gonna say the same thing, that knife has a lot of good character, cheers

  • @justinchristoph3725
    @justinchristoph3725 Před 6 lety +3

    I really admire what you did. You remind me of my father fixing something that he had little experience with. He methodically approached the task and figured it out on his own how he needed to do it. And although the finished product was not always pretty, they worked. He was a product of the Depression where paying someone to repair something or buying a new one to replace it was not an affordable option. I find fewer and fewer men like him now.

  • @anthonyhoult152
    @anthonyhoult152 Před rokem

    You should be proud of your skills 👍
    I can't believe that my daughter has just started high school within the uk at a school I went to (I went to many years ago😂) and they now longer teach woodwork, metalwork or cooker due to the safety reasons! The world has gone mad and I am not sure what we are going to do in another 10 or 20 years time, as whom will have practical skills to make things rather than buy rubbish items for the throwaway society we live in today.
    Keep up your amazing work and videos 👍👍👍

  • @newtubefag
    @newtubefag Před 6 lety +61

    Great build. Quick trick.. if you have to gap-fill keep some sawdust handy from your wood and add a touch in to your epoxy or filler to give it a good color match.

    • @greylandrum9164
      @greylandrum9164 Před 6 lety +5

      gotta remember this

    • @TruthIsTheNewHate84
      @TruthIsTheNewHate84 Před 5 lety +4

      I use that trick quite often. If the saw dust is mixed with wood glue it will even pick up some wood stain. Or you can stain the wood , then sand and used the stained saw dust as a filler.

  • @PsyllyCymon
    @PsyllyCymon Před 2 lety

    This is the video which made me fall in love with your channel. Probably the 5th or 6th time I've watched it and it gets better each time.

  • @theonlybuzz1969
    @theonlybuzz1969 Před 5 lety

    You did a really nice job there loved the reused railroad spike and turned into a Bowie blade, as for the leather that you said you have not dealt with before, as a experienced leather crafter you did everything text book, I had realised when you was embossing the half moons out and carrying on to what became the inside of the belt loop , should have swapped to the other side, apart from that it was really good, I personally wouldn’t have used the glue for all but one that’s similar to a PVA as the glue seeps into the fibres of the mating parts, again that’s only what I would have done, I’d recommend using your wood working shop to make a stitching horse if you want to continue in leather working. Again you did a great job and I am sure that everyone will agree on having that Bowie knife in their collection. Thanks for showing us this video and look forward to seeing some more of your future work. Phil. UK

  • @spawn007
    @spawn007 Před 5 lety +5

    Master in steal forge, wood and leather 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 love your work.

  • @dwightcimino1040
    @dwightcimino1040 Před 5 lety +2

    I'm just a beginning metal worker, . . . getting my forge together now, . . . thank you for the lesson on the knife. It may very well become a project some time in the future.
    I do have a leather sewing machine (making holsters, belts, knife sheaths and the like), . . . so my sheath time will be much shorter (lol).
    I just hope my knife turns out 75% as good as yours did.
    May God bless...........

  • @I_must_get_a_van
    @I_must_get_a_van Před rokem

    To me that looks like a fairly professional knife and leather sheath make. Enjoyed watching. Well done.

  • @Traderjoe
    @Traderjoe Před 6 lety

    It came out great! Until you said you had not worked with leather, I would never have guessed! Both came out superb!

  • @MissLady-pq4hc
    @MissLady-pq4hc Před 5 lety +7

    Stop knocking your work it came out great. Plenty of people out there ready to pick everything apart.🙂👍🏼

  • @anthonykelpine9477
    @anthonykelpine9477 Před 5 lety +1

    Thank you so much for sharing your talents with us in CZcams. I don't know if you have sons or not but you definitely need to be teaching these crafts to the next generation. Whether it be at a night school or private instruction. You've got way too much knowledge to keep it to yourself.

  • @thickskinclothing1
    @thickskinclothing1 Před 4 lety

    Great job!!! For not being a knife maker or leather worker....& you made the knife from a railroad spike! Great job! ✊🏼🇺🇸

  • @jackpine1975
    @jackpine1975 Před 5 lety +2

    Great video! I've made a spike knife so I know what goes into it. A lot of work! Yours came out MUCH better. Try a hatchet with the spike's head as a wide sweeping blade or the tip as a shorter edged blade and the head as a hammer. I made one with the hammer head on it and it's a great camp axe with a tent-spike hammer built in. I'd love to make a brass hilt fitted to one with silver solder to seal the gap. Maybe melt and cast old gas torch tips?

  • @nanzcr44
    @nanzcr44 Před 5 lety +2

    Although I enjoyed the whole video, the sheath making left me breathless. Overall, absolutely amazing job!! Wow!

  • @m249sawgunr
    @m249sawgunr Před 6 lety +3

    Im not sure what im more impressed with...that beautiful knife...or the cool sheath....awesome.

  • @MrSmithChart
    @MrSmithChart Před 6 lety +1

    Love the forging divet. Thanks for capturing the process of making something out of nothing, to include the actual published vid. Knife and sheath are beautiful. I was surprised as well at the overall length. Reminded me of the pig iron "foundries" throughout the mountains of the south, making weapons for the civil war effort. Stay healthy and look fwd to checking out your other projects.

  • @billygross1597
    @billygross1597 Před 5 lety +3

    Brilliant!, my stepson is playing around with his homemade forge, I plan on showing him your video and let him decide if he wants to tackle the railroad spike knife, I'm so glad you left the hammer end of the spike on ; when all is done you not only have an exceptional blade you also have overcome a common problem, you eliminated the need for any kind of pommel on the handle, the only other thing I would add, as with any large knife being as sharp enough to shave hair I would have added a hand guard between the blade and handle,( speaking from experience, processing a deer, knives get EXTREMELY SLIPPERY FROM BLOOD& are hard to control ) just saying for future knives. I'm not a hater I enjoy your vids and am impressed by everyone of your projects , you never fail to keep me glued to the entire video ; that sheath was jaw dropping the time,effort,and details oh man !!! As I do,you must have done your homework, I research the shit out of any project,task, or anything that interest me ! Can you imagine if we would have had the internet when we were in school , say around 4th or 5th grade ! All I can say is thank GOD for wood shop, metal shop, auto shop, those were for me the only guaranteed A+ grades I ever received !! All the rest were C's.
    Keep up the good work and keep impressing all of us with your awesome skills !!!

  • @MikeyJ686
    @MikeyJ686 Před 5 lety +2

    Done like a real Smith. By hand and hammer. Very nice sir, well done. I really can appreciate the entire process and love the time u took on the handle and sheath. I actually learned alot just from watching. THANKS. New subscriber here

    • @nevadajim775
      @nevadajim775 Před 5 lety

      Likewise for me. A well built and beautiful knife and sheath

  • @radiotests
    @radiotests Před 3 lety

    Great choice in materials. I'm glad you kept the tools, techniques and time realistic for the average shop guy at home. It's so frustrating watching a knife video on a blade of interest only to be treated to advanced metalurgy and a shop with a couple hundred grand in gear. Great job!

  • @Mr.frag-out
    @Mr.frag-out Před rokem

    You are very skilled at everything you take on. A pleasure to watch and learn thank you.

  • @KENNEY1023
    @KENNEY1023 Před 6 lety

    Nice, when you were forging the knife I thought it would be thin but looks great. I like that you left the head on and incorporated it into the handle.

  • @patrickroach7289
    @patrickroach7289 Před 5 lety +4

    Amazing craftsman. I like the quiet video. Thanks for sharing.

  • @DanielKezar
    @DanielKezar Před 6 lety

    Says he has never worked with leather. Makes the best sheath I have ever seen.

  • @maxmoody3187
    @maxmoody3187 Před 3 lety +2

    This man can really do everything

  • @BigLewie
    @BigLewie Před 6 lety +29

    Absolutely beautiful! I enjoyed the sheath making as much as the knife. I wish I could buy this!

  • @aitf99
    @aitf99 Před 6 lety +28

    I am drooling over that anvil. Only in my dreams....

    • @FarmCraft101
      @FarmCraft101  Před 6 lety +5

      Got it for $500 used. A pretty good price for one actually. They don't come cheap. But so nice to have. Thanks for watching!

    • @shotgunlobotomies2352
      @shotgunlobotomies2352 Před 5 lety

      Same I have a rock I flattened by hand for an anvil i heaved really forge anything yet though I just use a hole in the ground for a forge but it would work if I ever need to fogged some thing

  • @2541968joey
    @2541968joey Před 5 lety

    Impressive work for sure, glad you left that hammer mark in the blade. Sometimes mixing sawdust from the sanding into the epoxy/glue will help to hide lines or be more of a finished piece. Got that experience when I refinished the wood steering wheel in my Jag. Really enjoyed your video, thanks.

  • @crosscountryoutdoors2472
    @crosscountryoutdoors2472 Před 5 lety +2

    How could anyone give a thumbs down on home made anything! I can’t stand elitist. I guess they are exercising their rights to be *hated. Good looking and functional tool!!! A better word would be
    *pitied

    • @jacobcrown7707
      @jacobcrown7707 Před 5 lety

      Issue is the und\sealed insulator he put over the forge fire which will allow the fibers to get airborne and is very dangerous.

  • @Stoney327
    @Stoney327 Před 6 lety

    Hello
    As a knife maker since 1966 and a leather worker for quite a few years, I can tell you, people underestimate how much work goes into a sheath. Overall...very nice job.
    Stoney
    Pappy Dave's Knives
    Pennsylvania

  • @DanKoning777
    @DanKoning777 Před 6 lety +10

    If this is your 1st knife & sheath, I'd keep at it, hobby or otherwise. It only would it be more satisfying as your skills progressed. Maybe you could even sell a few along the way. Great job.

  • @biggpoppa8573
    @biggpoppa8573 Před 6 lety

    If thats the first time u have done anything with leather, boys watch out, both are bad ass bro

  • @billiam3285
    @billiam3285 Před 5 lety

    i like how you kept the end of the railroad spike so you know where the metal came from.

  • @hudson5344
    @hudson5344 Před 5 lety +1

    Regardless of what you think, the knife came out absolute terrific. You did an awesome job. Kudos to you.

  • @patv1271
    @patv1271 Před 5 lety +3

    Great work and great video. That knife is terrific but the sheath is really impressive. Thanks!

  • @craiglsu72
    @craiglsu72 Před 5 lety

    Everything about this video was bad ass! Great job all the way around!

  • @hernandovillamarinbuenaven7476

    Never mind the tiny divot, just adds character and enhances your dedicated and skillfull craftsmanship. Many thanks for saring & God Bless!!🙏

  • @jdubbfam37
    @jdubbfam37 Před 5 lety

    Verry enjoyable watching you work this spike into a nice piece of personal art . It looks verry functional. Nice and shiny

  • @anthonyelias2030
    @anthonyelias2030 Před 5 lety +1

    Beautiful work. What a joy to watch. A true craftsman!

  • @matt-bs4bm
    @matt-bs4bm Před 5 lety +2

    Wow I didn't know that that little nail had that much material in it!👍👍

  • @srvfan454
    @srvfan454 Před 4 lety

    Beautiful job brother! I especially like the way you left the bottom part rough like the original spike! You could drive nails with that handle.

  • @enyaw1948
    @enyaw1948 Před 5 lety +4

    Really like your setup, great anvil tie down ! Oh and great work!
    Talented man!

  • @kimcurtis9366
    @kimcurtis9366 Před 5 lety +2

    You did a fine job on bothe the knife and the sheath!
    I've done a lot of Blacksmithing, some knife work and a lot of leatherwork! You did well!

  • @chrislettenmaier6822
    @chrislettenmaier6822 Před 5 lety +1

    Great work on both the knife and sheath as with any handmade items they will have character points. I work with leather and you never know how long it will take until it’s done. As with working with metal you don’t know how long it will be until it’s done.

  • @Cxste11xn
    @Cxste11xn Před 6 lety

    God she's a gorgeous blade. Well done, good sir.

  • @joshwood5784
    @joshwood5784 Před 6 lety

    This video gave you a new subscriber well done wish my generation was capable of things like this.

    • @FarmCraft101
      @FarmCraft101  Před 6 lety +1

      Thanks for watching! Get out there and build something. The more you do it, the better you'll get at it!

  • @garymccoy2888
    @garymccoy2888 Před 6 lety

    My wife keeps telling me to stop pointing out my mistakes. No one else would even notice. Nice work.

  • @waynej4962
    @waynej4962 Před 6 lety

    Great job. I like the slight imperfections, makes sense of where it started life. Thanks for the video

  • @jpnoll1781
    @jpnoll1781 Před 6 lety +1

    What a wonderful knife! Those 173 people who thumbs downed you don't realize that you create something wonderful from a used nothing. And that it takes a LOT of effort to do this! VERY WELL DONE!!! Keep up the great work and don't let ANYONE tell you that you are not a knife maker, YOU ARE!! ;)

    • @donedeal8385
      @donedeal8385 Před 5 lety +1

      The downvotes are probably people that know a little something about metallurgy. Rr spikes aren't suitable knife steel. It's a shame to see good effort tossed away.

    • @willbagley2409
      @willbagley2409 Před 5 lety

      @@donedeal8385 precisely

  • @davidschmidt6013
    @davidschmidt6013 Před 5 lety

    Like you say, there's a lot of steel in a RR spike. Surprising, because at the start it doesn't look like there will be enough for a blade that size, but it came out well. Kudos!

  • @yourselfdotcom
    @yourselfdotcom Před 5 lety

    Gorgeous craftsmen ship. Being a railway worker I really enjoy the spike knife. 👍

  • @sigspearthumb2313
    @sigspearthumb2313 Před 6 lety +1

    One day I hope to achieve this level of craftsmanship.

  • @jldonnell1
    @jldonnell1 Před 6 lety

    Splendid! Jim Bowie would be proud!

  • @random-person1
    @random-person1 Před 5 lety +1

    i have watched a ton of your vids and am still surprised at how much you can do

  • @death2all79zx
    @death2all79zx Před 6 lety

    Dont know what I'm more impressed with, the metal work or the leather work.

  • @Maggi4.7
    @Maggi4.7 Před 3 lety

    Great job with the leather 👍

  • @jayque300
    @jayque300 Před 6 lety +1

    That thing is impressive for not being a knife maker. Great job sir!

  • @grayb8954
    @grayb8954 Před 6 lety

    Wow, never worked with leather.
    Great work
    Nice spike knife

  • @d25usonny
    @d25usonny Před 5 lety +1

    Thank you for sharing, the hedge looks good on the handle! Fine job

  • @artfan101
    @artfan101 Před 6 lety

    i like the knife and really love the sheath. Nice job all around.

  • @Barribt
    @Barribt Před 5 lety +1

    What a beautiful piece of work your truly gifted enjoyed the video very much

  • @jbuchan8114
    @jbuchan8114 Před 2 lety

    Looks great John

  • @MADsawgunner
    @MADsawgunner Před 5 lety

    that handle is a beautiful color.

  • @k1u9r6t8
    @k1u9r6t8 Před 5 lety

    The knife and sheath look perfect. You do astounding work.

  • @ICU2B4UDO
    @ICU2B4UDO Před 6 lety +1

    Damn fine piece of work...And you never worked with leather before? Something you and your boy (or girl!) can be proud of passing down to the next generation...Kudos chief!

  • @mrbyte2k
    @mrbyte2k Před 2 lety

    I appreciate the use of Osage Orange (more commonly called Bois d'arc or Bodark where I live). A tree originally native to Texas.

  • @fabiolacruz6565
    @fabiolacruz6565 Před 6 lety

    Art. This is art, man.

  • @leedawson8301
    @leedawson8301 Před 4 lety

    Really nice knife and sheath. I'd love to own one like that

  • @ericriddle467
    @ericriddle467 Před 6 lety

    Great job I like the hammer blow on the blade it's handmade and that just shows it

  • @urhuckfinn
    @urhuckfinn Před 5 lety

    That was some good work. Knife is beautiful, and has personality as well.

  • @JM-yl8md
    @JM-yl8md Před 5 lety +1

    Oooooooh, your not a “knife maker”....
    I beg to differ, what an awesome job....from a RR spike no less!!! Love the divot, the “rough” handle end is the bomb, and the sheath just finishes it off😁
    Great job!!!

  • @josephwinkler4863
    @josephwinkler4863 Před 5 lety +2

    You did a beautiful job on the both of them You could always take a razor blade and scratch a false seem right beside that one just to make it look even

  • @Prairiedrifter1
    @Prairiedrifter1 Před 6 lety +9

    You’re a master craftsman

  • @TheTahoeJohn
    @TheTahoeJohn Před 6 lety

    Amazing job on this, I would have never known it was first time working with leather. Thanks for sharing

  • @DepidPGT
    @DepidPGT Před 5 lety

    Let me tell you, your work on leder was a complete amazing!
    I have never seen such a Work!
    Congratulations!

  • @Starie78
    @Starie78 Před 6 lety

    Wow! I can't believe you aren't really experienced in working with leather - it might have taken you awhile but you made it look easy. You showed a lot of skill in making the knife too, a quality tool.

  • @thoughtthru1848
    @thoughtthru1848 Před 5 lety

    I totally want this more than any normal knife I can buy.

  • @martuni1539
    @martuni1539 Před 5 lety

    That sheath especially is pure class

  • @timothycombs688
    @timothycombs688 Před 5 lety

    it's beautiful worksman ship i loved it great job buddy

  • @brokenspine66
    @brokenspine66 Před 6 lety

    Oh boy! Is there something you can't do? I'm impressed and kind of yealous at the same time.

  • @_glanzriese9879
    @_glanzriese9879 Před 6 lety +1

    Wow! What a skilled man!!

  • @frankellis2846
    @frankellis2846 Před 6 lety +1

    Amazing work on knife and sheath---they are beautiful. Next project? :-)