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Thread: 10 in Tramontina to Bowie Mod

  1. #1
    Senior Member Pict's Avatar
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    Default 10 in Tramontina to Bowie Mod

    This week I’ve been able to work on a project I’ve had kicking around in my head for a while. I have had this 10 inch Tramontina for about 10 years. It has been through several resurrections as it has alternately been left in car trunks and stored indifferently in my workshop for a year at a time as I have been away in the US. The blade had gotten to the stage of minor pitting at one point.

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    I wanted to turn it into a large Bowie, give it a wicked convex, and refinish with a vinegar forced patina. My goal was to produce a large Bowie that could ride easily in the trunk of my car for whatever duty a Bowie could be called upon to perform, you get the point. I think it turned out great.

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    Here’s a close-up of the patina and the clip point. I didn’t anneal this blade first, I just powered through it with a hacksaw. About 1/3 the way through I realized I wasn’t getting anywhere, checked to find no more teeth on the saw. That clip point cost me three saw blades so don’t let anyone tell you Tramontina’s have a poor heat treat.

    The blade length is just under 9.5 inches. I narrowed the false edge a bit but left it unsharpened and gave the edge a full length convex. I’m still undecided about the handle. I shaped it a bit which took off ten years of grime and left it sort of rustic looking. This is going to be a user and abuser. Mac
    The Colhane Channel TV for guys like me.


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    Looks cool. I like the simplicity of the grips on the Tramontinas.

  3. #3
    Very interesting... mcgyver's Avatar
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    Looks Great!
    Fantastic way to resurrect a retired machete.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Cool, I'm kind of a fan of the older looking, users.
    Good job.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Very nice! Are you going to flatten the spine the way you normally do your machetes? With the false edge unsharpened you could still get away with doing that couldn't you?
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    Senior Member Pict's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Very nice! Are you going to flatten the spine the way you normally do your machetes? With the false edge unsharpened you could still get away with doing that couldn't you?
    Yes,

    It's squared off.
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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Nice work.
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    The mods look real good. Did you have a good time making them?

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    Senior Member Pict's Avatar
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    I did. I've had this knife in my head a long time, it felt good to scratch that itch. Mac
    The Colhane Channel TV for guys like me.

  10. #10
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Did you also make the sheath?
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

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    Senior Member Pict's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Did you also make the sheath?
    No, that's a handmade sheath but not by me. All I did was the hot wax treatment. Mac
    The Colhane Channel TV for guys like me.

  12. #12

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    Nice work Pict!

    Looks like it would be a good camp knife as well?!

    The guy whom made that sheath did an great job as well!
    Everything I have posted is pure fantasy. I have not done any of the things that I have claimed to have done in my posts. I actually live in Detroit.

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    Senior Member Runs With Beer's Avatar
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    Me likey Very much

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    nice job it looks good
    Standingbear

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    Looks great Pict! I've got an old Tramontina lying around somewhere, I may have to see what I can do to it! Keep up the great work!

  16. #16
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    On Saturday we had a big Brazilian style cookout for about 30 people, meaning three grills running and a pile of meat. This was the main meat slicer blade for the duration and held up just fine, the other more conventional kitchen knives saw very little use.

    This past Monday we went with our church to a spectacular waterfall about 1.5 hours
    away. Since it was the start of Carnival the place was LOADED with people. It was a semi-decent hike to get back to the falls. I had this Bowie in my daypack and it really felt good to have it. A larger blade would have been impractical to have in the pack but this one was plenty big for that role.

    Mac
    The Colhane Channel TV for guys like me.

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