Shop Made Clicker Knife

[Ferg]

I guess it has been more than a year when a number of us drooled over some Italian Clicker knives among others.

Clicker knives were used many years ago in the shoe industry. Trimming edges and cutting heavy leather. There are You-Tube videos of name brand manufacturers using a clicker knife to cut parts for many different items.

I spoke to a good friend who makes fantastic knives about making at least two blades for me that would cut forever with nothing more than stropping. After several communications with my wishes and his knowledge I have two different blades.

I have made one handle. I will enclose photos.

I have made a number of wooden handles over the years and found that almost every human hand has something different about it when working with wood or leather and I am sure many other materials as well. Folks who make cutting knives for a living must try to make handles that will work for many different hand shapes etc.

This handle is two pieces of solid brass with Purple Heart wood to the same thickness as the knife blade. One strip of the wood has been glued even with the two long edges of the brass plus a "plug" at the butt end of the handle. Blade and handle is held together with three brass screws. Blade has two holes to accommodate screws.

You may note the handle is not exactly straight along the edges. I have found that the heavy brass and other metal handles need to "Cozy up" to your hand to be comfortable when working. I will probably do some further filing on this one as I use it.

Simply a view of the one edge of handle.

The business end. I wanted to show the blade entry into the end of handle not the blade itself.

Time to make the handle occupied about 4 hours. I split it up into three or four sessions so I could still move my fingers when finished.

I have no intentions of making any of these for sale. Am still thinking how I want to make the other handle.

Questions? Just let me know.

ferg

[Itch]

Nice work,I think it would just become an extension of your hand with a little practice.Good tools make working a pleasure..

[SouthernCross]

I just came across this post. Nice knife. But where in the world would one find a piece of brass like that?

[TinkerTailor]

I just came across this post. Nice knife. But where in the world would one find a piece of brass like that?

mcmaster-carr.

[Trox]

You could simply buy a finished knife from Blanchard http://www.fineleatherworking.com/leather-tools/indispensable-knife

Or https://www.rmleathersupply.com/collections/vergez-blanchard-tools/products/l-indispensible-brass-knife-2-blades

Or in Europe

http://www.vergez-blanchard.fr/boutique/liste_rayons.cfm

Tor

[Ferg]

Buying the brass is easy. There are companies selling small pieces of most any thickness you wish on the Net, just"Google"

The knives I made are very easily done. I have in my shop a small bench top belt sander I used to rough out the shape I wanted. I then used 600-1000 grit sanding medium and finished with polishing compound on a "Flap" wheel.

ferg

[zuludog]

They look similar to wood carving knives, except that the handles are brass instead of wood. But that means you could 'fine shape' the wooden handles easier to suit yourself

I started a thread about this a few months ago, with some references to suppliers

Small Clicker Knife by zuludog 11th November 2015 Leather Tools section

Edited January 25, 2016 by zuludog

[zuludog]

SOUTHERN CROSS - I Googled for 'brass bar USA' and found these suppliers. No doubt there are others, so get Surfing

http://www.onlinemetals.com

http://www.metalsdepot.com

Another method would be to shape & sharpen an old hacksaw blade, then fit a handle around it

But it has to be a single thickness blade, not bimetal

Edited January 25, 2016 by zuludog

[SouthernCross]

Thanks, zuludog. I found some "scraps" on ebay that will probably work.

[dikman]

Power hacksaw blades make pretty good knives (just don't overheat them if shaping with a grinder).

[TinkerTailor]

http://hydestore.com/knives-blades/industrial-hand-knives/blades

Already ground for under 10 bux.

[Ferg]

Tink,

I bought a couple of those blades to have as patterns. They aren't real great quality but they are cheap.

My knives have blades that were made with the shape of two of these.

ferg

[TinkerTailor]

Tink,

I bought a couple of those blades to have as patterns. They aren't real great quality but they are cheap.

My knives have blades that were made with the shape of two of these.

ferg

I have not used any modern hyde stuff, but i have a couple vintage fixed blades that are awesome. One that I use as my 'clicker' most everywhere with exception to tight inside curves i found in a set of tools dating back to at least the 60's but appears to have been an older set someone resurrected in the 60's. There are a couple things in there that really pre date the rest. This knife may be one. I like the handle size and the leverage i get. I can fist it and trim 20oz square no prob. The point is small enough to do complex patterns on chrome tanned holding it like a pencil, and the way the tip is ground you can use it to trim one layer without disturbing the under layer if you hold it vertically, and slide the knife along on the curved portion. This is nice for trimming linings. This knife needed a quick touch up on a stone initially and nothing but a strop or two before each use for a year or two now.

It appears to be a modified hyde bevel point like this:

http://hydestore.com/hyde-tools-61080-heavy-duty-bevel-point-bg268-2-x-1.html

It really is my favorite leather knife