Fire Etched Knife

[Swamp Yankee]

I got a new patch knife this week. It is fire etched, I have never seen a finish like this before so I had to buy it. It is a 1095 hi-carbon steel tempered to Rockwell 56. It's got curly maple handles too. It was just one of those have to have knives..............Jim

[Joel]

I think I know what you mean, but you might like to explain fire etched if you can.  Is the blade multi-coloured like it's been casehardened?

[Swamp Yankee]

Joel,
The only way I can describe it , is it looks like a knife that was left outdoors for a while and  got rusty and you tried to clean it with steel wool. If you have a Track of the Wolf catalog you would find it on page 83 under hand forged neck knives. Track of the Wolf must have about 20 pages of knife and ax parts for the do it yourselfers. They have Solingen and Russell Green River Works blades with any combination of handles, tangs, hilts and other knife maker's supplys along with how to books. I think that I'd like to try and make one.
Have a good Christmas,    Jim

[Joel]

Went over a looked at the knife in the catalog.  They've some interesting stuff there.  Those Green River knives are easy to make, and the steel holds an edge for freaking ever.  I've made the one that catalog calls the "classic" sheath knife....also known as the Danby knife.  All it takes is some wood scales and 1/8"  pins.  Some sandpaper etc.   Had to gussy mine up a little by adding a copper bolster with silver pins.  Meant I had to drill two new holes with a CARBIDE drill.  Used a so-so piece of curly maple on it..turned out nice.  You go to a rendezous and guys are charging an arm -an-a-leg for them.......... for about an hour's work( not counting the sheath). Been meaning to build a few more just for the fun of it(no blade grinding!!!), just haven't gotten to them.  Merry Christmas to you and yours also.........Joel

[Swamp Yankee]

Joel,
here are a couple of pictures of that knife. My daughter is helping me post them..........Jim

[Joel]

That is a nice little palm knife.  I was pretty sure that's what you meant.  The reason I had asked was because there's someone who builds colonial style knives with blades like that.  I used to see them offered in various catalogs.  They look pretty much like what you have.