Planer blade knife (lots of pics)

[FlintWalker]

I don't know where this planer blade came from but it's been laying around the mill where I work for years and I decided to put it to use.
 I cut out the blade last week with an air grinder and a cut off wheel and shaped it up with a hand grinder and sanding pads.
The handle is an elk tine and the guard is a piece of brass from an old fuse.
 I tapered the tang and drilled holes almost through the brass and drove it down on the tang forming a perfect fit against the back of the blade. Once I got it fitted, I cut some slots in the tang for the 2-ton epoxy to grab onto.

[rover brewer]

looking good so far,planer blades used to be made of d2 a great steal for knives.

[FlintWalker]

After drilling out the antler and test fitting things, I trimmed up the brass a little and set it all in place with 2- ton epoxy.
 I coated the end of the antler with bees wax to keep the epoxy from sticking to the sides of the antler and let it sit all night. This morning I cleaned it all up and polished out the brass.
 It feels good in the hand and should make a good skinner.
 Rover, I'd say you're right about the steel. A new file will barely scratch it, but it's not so hard as to be brittle. The blade is .125" thick, so it's pretty stiff. After polishing the blade a little, just a few strokes down a ceramic and it will make hairs jump off at the slightest touch.
 I'm not sure what I'll do with the back of the handle. I can't decide to cap it off with more antler, bone, wood, brass or just leave it bare.

[FlintWalker]

Here's a couple more views.

[nugget]

Looks good

[swamp yeti]

Beautiful blade,looks like it would make a good skinner.

[Timo]

I'm guessin that those pics don't do that knife justice? Probly more outstanding craftsmanship that the puter monitor will show. 

[hedgeapple]

nice knife Shannon.

[cowboy]

I swear Shannon - there seems to be nothing you can't build and make it look perfect .

[FlintWalker]

Nah Tim, it ain't nothin special, just a solid built knife. Glad ya'll like it.

[rover brewer]

very nice finish, thanks for the finishing pictures.being D2 it should be somewhat resistance to rust.

[mullet]

Wow, Shannon, that's a pretty one.

[jeffhalfrack]

  That's  cool   that would  be  the  type  I'd  buy  for  my  self   do  that  again!!!  I'd  allmost  try  and  barter  for  that   JEFFW

[stickbender]

     Dang boy, that is a nice knife!  
     Now you have get down here with Mullet and go get a hog to break it in.

                                                Wayne

[El Destructo]

Nothing more than I would have expected from a perfectionist like You....Sweet Blade Shannon...and I think I would just round the Hilt over a bit...and leave it Bare...looks great the way it is!