Dave Coles work

[KidTerico]

Heres a blade that Dave put a handle on for me. Had a plastic handle before and had to be tempered. Beautiful work. KT

[Arizona Cattleman]

Beautifull knife KT, wonderfull handle work.  Dave is a true craftsman.

AC

[Ned Buckshot]

I can't believe thaat someone would put a plastic handle on that beautiful piece of steel!

Great job Dave!

Your gathering some nice ones Terry!

Ned

[Gun Butcher]

 dave is a quality maker. It shows in everything he does.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Kid,

I used to live in Northern Spain, and was in Toledo several times ... (about now I'm sure you are thinking, where is he going with this?).

Toledo was the center of Damascus-style steel during the heighth of Spain's supremacy, making some of the finest rapiers in the world.

As such, I have a special affection for Damascus steel projects ... and in yours, the blade would hold its own; but with those scales, it is so lovely ... one of the best knives I (to my tastes) I have seen on here ....

So if you ever want to sell it, well PM me first!

P.S. Here is a very opinionated (but fairly well investigated article on Toledo/Damscus/Wootz steel that I ran accross ...

http://www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/def_en/kap_5/advanced/t5_1_1.html

What a lovely piece!

[KidTerico]

WWL Thank you very much. Comming from you it means a lot. KT

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  Kid that's a nice one, Dave did another wonderful job on it, the handle looks great, the spots add something special, and that blade is beautiful, now you need to make a sheath for it.

     tEN wOLVES 

[KidTerico]

TW heres the sheath its going in. KT

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  That sheath is awesome Terry, and the spots will blend in well with the knife, is that one of Chuck Burrows Sheaths? if so he did a great job, it looks like it came from 150 years ago.


        tEN wOLVES 

[KidTerico]

No its one of JOHN Cohea's .KT

[Gun Butcher]

great looking sheath Kid, better than anything I have seen in quite a while.

[Gun Butcher]

Oh yeah, I like it Terry. A good quality makers work is almost a signature and John's name is all over that one.
Beautiful sheath.

[JD Alan]

This is one of those WOW threads!

[Dave Cole]

Thanks everyone,and thanks KT for letting me play a bit.The knife actually didn't look too bad when I got it, but KT wanted it stripped and modded.It had some nice damascus bolsters,finger grooves and handle.When trying to remove the handle scales they poped right off (no epoxy) then I knocked the bolsters right off(again no epoxy,no really necessary here but I like it to keep moisture out). When I started to gring the finger grooves off I noticed the steel seemed way softer than it should.After grinding the handle to where I wanted it and drilling the handle holes ,I checked the hardness with a file and it was dead soft. So it was sent out unhardened.I then heat-treated the blade and started the finish work. I am glad it's going with John's sheath,he is one of the best with rawhide and one of my best friends. Besides I am a pure rookie at rawhide.Again thanks everyone.Dave

[John M Cohea]

Kid That's another awesome knife, and Dave, you done good,REAL good!Made that old oak look great! And thanks for the kind words about the sheath ya'll! This knife will suit that old sheath perfectly Kid!!And BTW Dave,I'm proud to call both you and Kid my friends!

[cowboywc]

That is for sure a WOW.
WC

[Johnny McCrae]

Awesome work! Many thanks for sharing this with us.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

My vote goes with WOW, too. Very nice!

[GunClick Rick]

That is gonna make a great set! Amasing what some guys can do with an old piece of wood :-\Bueatiful pattern in that knife KT~~~Johnny C. that sheath is narly to the bone!

[KidTerico]

Thanks to every one for the nice comments..and you to Rick.  KT