a different sgian

[JS Sanders]

I created this sgian with Sculpey polymer clay – ‘coffee bean’.

The blade is of plain steel purchased from Atlanta Cutlery.

I rolled four roughly equivalent lengths of clay and braided them several inches. Not really pleased with the results, I shifted some of the lengths around so it didn’t appear so uniform. The guard was mixed from two clays for a contrasting color. I flattened it and shoved it against the handle portion. This stuff sticks to itself rather well.

If you’re unfamiliar with polymer clays, their unique feature is that they are ‘fired’ at low temperatures, 275 F in fact, for 25-30 minutes. The product is certainly plastic with a hardness that approximates the well-known soldiers we Y-chromosomers played with as children. After ‘firing’, the sculpture can be physically manipulated with carving, sanding, dremel tool, etc.

I shaped & squared up the guard and flattened the back of the handle with a belt sander so it would rest against my leg comfortably.

A hole was drilled to accommodate the blade’s tang, a little epoxy added, and I shoved it in and allowed to cure. Because the material is not as hard as wood or denser plastics, the tang adds rigidity.

A quick stitching of leather and a sheath was sewn.

Wee wifie compared the outcome to chocolate. Black clay may’ve looked better, perhaps mixed with the coffee bean to achieve an ebony-like appearance.

A search for ‘Sculpey’ or ‘polymer clay’ will provide a vast number of websites. This stuff comes in a variety of colors, and even those that resemble granite. Combining colors yields an even greater palette from which to create.

I don't see why cap badges, brooches, kilt pins, ad inf. couldn't be fashioned from this medium. Creating an appropriate mold from them and you could then cast in pewter.

Slainte yall,
steve

[Arlen]

That's actually pretty cool. It looks really good. Nice idea!

[MonsterDon]

Nice work.

I'm actually working on a couple of kilt pin designs using Sculpey. The stuff works great for creating a template design for casting. The funds I had allocated for pewter and casting supplies was re-allocated to air condition repair. (Can't live with out that in south Texas) Hopefully I will be able to finish it this month.

Link to thread

[JS Sanders]

MD,
I've been researching pewter casting, slicone molds, etc. Probably only know enough to be dangerous.

My plans are to stumble across a fresh road-killed snake, who's hopefully not terribly mangled. I want to resin cast a sgian handled with the business end of a snake, preferably one of the venomous found 'round here. Either in solid color resin, or perhaps cold-cast bronze.

All I need right now is a snake. No road kills whenever you begin watching for them.

And please yall... I'll wait for something local and fresh.

Slainte,
steve

[Standard]

A very unique design. I've not seen a knife handle of that pattern before, but it reminds me of some carvings we did as scouts years ago. How does this material hold up in the long run?

[JS Sanders]

<< How does this material hold up in the long run? >>

Dunno. I wore it to a funeral gig this morning. That's all the field testing I've done thus far.

I'd speculate it'll hold up just fine.

Slainte yall,
steve

[svc40bt]

Sgian looks good. I was wondering about the Atlanta Cutlery blade. Is it a threaded tang? Do they hold a good edge? I was thinking of picking up a small block of some exotic burl from the local hardwood store to make the handle, but I need a decent blade.

[JS Sanders]

These blades do have a threaded tang and seem to hold a decent edge, at least they do for my purposes. And they're shipped unsharpened.

Slainte,
steve

[ChattanCat]

Beautiful work.

[Piper]

I was wondering about the Atlanta Cutlery blade. Do they hold a good edge?

I've used the Atlanta Cutlery (actually, Windlass Steelcraft, from India) blades on several knives. They will take a decent edge, but I don't know how long they will hold it under regular use. The knives I've made with them aren't subject to daily use. I've recenty aquired a small forge, and I'm about to try my hand at forging my own blades.
I've been meaning to try Sculpey for making pewter molds. I have some silicon molds ( one of which casts a piper, conveniently enough) and I use lead-free pewter to cast bolsters and pommels on some of the knives I make.
My son (a Marine Warrant Officer) picked up a "Marine Warrior" cap badge a few years back, and I'm trying to make some copies of it for him to give to some of his friends.