CS 1075 Kiridashi

Moving along we have the third knife in my series of low-tech kiridashi-inspired knife builds. Just like before this one skips the specialized belt grinder and kiln in favor of files and propane! 

This time around, I wanted to use a synthetic material, specifically black canvas micarta. Admittedly, not the best choice. The fiberglass is messy when sanded and filed and I'm pretty sure I shortened the lifespan of my tools. The result, however, was better than expected. In the spirit of going super simple, this knife does not feature any polishes or high-grit finishes. The handle was sanded to 220 grit. That's it! The micarta was coated with a cellulose sanding sealer and then a thin layer of melted beeswax. A few minutes working it in with a paper towel resulted in a rugged yet comfortable and grippy finish. 

The 1075 steel was drenched in WAY too much Permablue, giving it a deep charcoal color before receiving several quick swipes of an ultra-fine Scotchbrite hand-pad, then a melted beeswax coating. The carbon steel pins even took a bath in the acid to darken them completely. 

If I had to redo any of oart of this knife, I would have darkened the steel near the handle transition first before gluing the handle on. Since I cold-blued the steel afterward, the thin line of epoxy at the transition protected the steel from the acid, leaving a shiny edge.