Persian Project...

[smcfalls13]

A few weeks back, I got it in my head that it would be a cool idea to take a page from Deacon's book and have a knife customized to my personal tastes. After much contemplation, an idea was conceived. After gathering the necessary materials and finding qualified people(because I am surely not) to do the hard work of modifying the knife, my Persian went out for surgery.

She's now almost done the first phase of her "reconstruction." After the rescaling, she'll be off to have a new clip fitted, and when she returns to me, the bolsters will be getting engraved, unless I change my mind between now and then.

The scales still have yet to be finished and polished, but you'll get the general idea of what the finished product will look like.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c43/smcfalls13/PIC00003.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c43/smcfalls13/Schemp.jpg
Enjoy.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c43/smcfalls13/Scott_sIronwoodPersianandcustomsout.jpg
***Editted to add the second set of pics***
***Editted yet again to add third set of pics***

[ront]

WOW Scott,
That is pretty cool!! That is going to be really pretty. How much does spmething like that cost if you don't mind sharing. Very nice.

Ron

[Outlaw]

Very Cool!
Please keep us posted on the progress.

[greencobra]

Love seeing this stuff done to my favorite knife. Looking good! And do keep us posted on this project.

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: nice palm swell! :spyder:

[smcfalls13]

Ron - check your PMs, I sent you a breakdown of what this project will cost me when all is said and done.

Greencobra and Outlaw - I'll happily keep you guys posted. :cool: STR is doing the clip for me, so maybe if I ask really nicely, he'll send me some pics of it that I can post here when that phase is done.

Michael - I like the palm swell, but I'm having it thinned out the slightest bit, so it's not as bulky in the pocket.

[zenheretic]

Hard to say but engraving might "overdo" the piece. Great wood though!

[spyderknut]

I think this is gonna be awesome. I absolutely think the bolsters should be engraved. Mirror finish polish the blade. Filework and filagree would be too much. ;)

[smcfalls13]

Hard to say but engraving might "overdo" the piece.

I'm still on the fence about it. Not sure if I want to do it or not. I think you're right about it being overkill.

[donutsrule]

That is really, really, really, really COOL!

The wood handle is beautiful on that; it just transforms the knife. Too much engraving on the bolsters might be like wearing a striped shirt and different pattern striped pants. I think the contrast between the wood and the monolithic appearance of the bolsters is nice the way it is now.

[DAYWALKER]

Aloha Scott!

Cripes! What an intro into the new year for me! :eek: Can't wait to see the finished product! Uh...you keeping a lanyard hole or no? :confused:

Awesome Scott! PLEASE keep us posted on Operation Persian! :)

God bless and it's good to be "home"! :cool:

[224477]

WooHoo :eek:
Good job, very nice wood! How about getting some real file work on the baby, and you´ll have a GREAT custom! :D

[The Deacon]

Outstanding Scott! What type of wood is that, and is it stabilized? I think engraving would set it off very nicely, it is almost rare to see engraved bolsters on a knife where the handle material itself does not have some "character" of its own. Think the style of engraving done by the gentleman (Bill Bates) who has engraved a number of A.T. Barr's knives would look superb on the Persian.

http://customknives.com/gallery.htm

[pjrocco]

That looks great! I am also curious on what type of wood that is.

I bet that extra bubble in the wood makes the handle fit your hand like a dream. :)

[Piet.S]

Seems you have found a good craftsman to do the job. Fitting scales to this type of bolsters is not easy. The Persian is allready a great knife but this is real cool. Congrats on a well done custom job.

[Tim8557]

A most beautiful knife. I have two new Persians and this has me thinkin'. Are the wood scales glued on? I don't see any screws or rivets.

[STR]

My friend and partner Dirk did that. You can find more of his work on the link in my profile to my homepage.

The rivets/pins are all there Tim. Dirk used them for retention hidden underneath the wood scales in conjunction with epoxy resin. You coudn't pull them off with a small crane now.

Dirk, also known as Oupa, does great work. This is just another of a long line of fine craftsmanship coming out of his humble shop down under. He is a long time friend of mine and very much into embellishing, and the same kind of work I do only he specializes in other aspects of it that aren't really my cup of tea. When we met we found that we complimented each other quite well. We've been doing projects together and referring to each other for a good while now. He is an honorable man and you can be assured of quality and complete trust if you use him.

You should see some of the Swiss Army knives he has breathed new life into.

I got pictures of this finished Persian last evening; as it is now on its way to me to do a clip for. If you like the pics now you should see the finished ones.

STR

[BlackNinja]

Looks great Scott!!! Definetly keep us posted on this one, please!

STR, that's some fine artwork done to that Persian! Does it have a clip? Looks like no!

[ront]

This whole knife business is still pretty new to me. I am constantly amazed of what can be done. That is going to be a real keeper :D.

Ron

[STR]

Its gonna have a custom titanium bead blasted left hand tip up carry pocket clip just as soon as it arrives to my shop. Then I get to carry it for a few hours to make sure it is all as it should be and if it all goes as planned it will be on its way back to Scott to find its final resting place in his pocket or his safe whichever he prefers.

STR

[Wali]

That sure is nice :D I can't wait to see the final prouduct :cool:

[TheKnifeCollector]

THAT is simply amazing!! WOW!

[5150]

absolutely the nicest persian i have seen yet. damn near perfect! :cool:

[Axlis]

WOW WOW WOW!!! I really like it! :D :cool:

I believe the engraving could set it off nicely, if it isn't too busy of a design.
Thanks for sharing these pics with us, it's a pretty one :spyder:.

[smcfalls13]

For your viewing pleasure. The finished knife. It's on it's way to STR for a new clip. :D

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c43/smcfalls13/schempp.jpg

After this I'll back and try and answer all the questions.

[smcfalls13]

if it all goes as planned it will be on its way back to Scott to find its final resting place in his pocket or his safe whichever he prefers.

Definitely going in my pocket. It would be a travesty to have you and Dirk do such great work, only to let the knife languish in the safe.

It will most definitely be carried. :D

[smcfalls13]

Aloha Scott!

Cripes! What an intro into the new year for me! :eek: Can't wait to see the finished product! Uh...you keeping a lanyard hole or no? :confused:

Awesome Scott! PLEASE keep us posted on Operation Persian! :)

God bless and it's good to be "home"! :cool:

Welcome back Chad, I was beginning to wonder if you were ever gonna get a day off ;) No the lanyard hole I opted not to keep, because I never use one. The Persian is easy enough to extract from a pocket without it. I use lanyards on smaller knives.

[smcfalls13]

[QUOTE=The Deacon]Outstanding Scott! What type of wood is that, and is it stabilized?QUOTE]

Desert Ironwood. By far my favorite handle material for countless reasons.

By nature of the desert climate it grows in, it's easy to stabilize, and usually has an extremely low water content, which keeps it from warping or shrinking. Not to mention the stuff is d*** near indestructible. It's extremely dense and heavy, wears well, and as you can see, it finishes VERY well.

The only thing difficult about Ironwood is that it can be expensive for the better looking samples. Fortunately knife scales are small ;) I have several more pieces of wood sitting in the house waiting for another project.

[Outlaw]

One word... awesome! :cool:

[silverback]

That's great.
I agree that simple, clear engraving would look very nice. How about the :spyder: logo or a web design (or both)?
Beautiful wood, I wonder if it should have a clip? :rolleyes:
We need pictures! :)

[jaislandboy]

Sweeeeett! Can't wait to see the final finished version...thanks for sharing Scott! :cool:

[smcfalls13]

Courtesy of STR, the "almost" finished Persian, which now has a clip :D

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c43/smcfalls13/Scott_sIronwoodPersianandcustomsout.jpg

Only thing left is the bolster engraving, for which I have an idea of what I want. Something simple, that won't be overkill, but appropriate.

Enjoy.

[STR]

I like the knife a lot Scott. Dirk did a great job on it. It looks much better in person than in pictures.

STR

[smcfalls13]

I like the knife a lot Scott. Dirk did a great job on it. It looks much better in person than in pictures.

STR

So did you, that clip is perfect for it. I can't wait to get her home. :cool:

[STR]

Thanks. I wish I could have polished the clip to look more like the bolsters but I knew you were going to be working on them. Even still, taping off the wood and the blade to protect them and then bead blasting the bolsters would match everything up pretty darn good. Personally the brushed look of the blade goes better with a bead blasted finish than a high polish but it looks fine both ways really. Perhaps the engraver can carve some on the clip to match both better when you take it to the next level. Either way it has turned into a one of a kind beauty for sure.

Steve

[ghostrider]

That is one beuatiful knife Scott. Congrats on such a nice piece.

[The Deacon]

Very, very nice Scott!

[dialex]

Hi Scott, congrats on your unique Persian. Neat work and very good looking too. :)

[224477]

Pretty awesome modification!
I simply LOVE the LH clip!

[greencobra]

Super nice! Great mods tastefully done. Enjoy.

[swissknife]

beautiful knive!!! WOW, what a babe..

must be some kind of root-wood, isnt'it? rose?

i would get it engraved, as the wood gives such a "rich" look to the knive that if it wasnt engraved, for me it would not look like finished.

great custom!!

[Rob]

Just opened the thread out of curiosity and WOW!!! :eek: What a knife! I usually so not like wood as handle material but this looks just awesome!

Great job!

Cheers, Rob

[smcfalls13]

must be some kind of root-wood, isnt'it? rose?


Desert ironwood :cool:

Thanks for the comments guys, hopefully I'll have it in hand by this weekend, so I can take it to the engraver.

[5150]

UNREAL :cool:

[ront]

That is so pretty Scott. I would no problem at all owning one just like it!!

Ron

[spydutch]

Simply awesome :cool: