1 year knife making anniversary: starting to get it

Robert_Phelps

Robert_Phelps

Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Messages
475
I've been making knives now for about a year (Best year of my life, I'd say), and I just finished a knife for my grandfather. (His birthday was back in march... :o ) It's nothing spectacular, but I think I am making some steps, and have the basics down pretty good.
1/8" 1095, finished to 600 grit, black/silver dymondwood scales (Hopefully some of the last dymondwood I'll use. Looking to upgrade some more and start using burl, etc, this Christmas)
MelvinsKnife_f.jpg

MelvinsKnife_s.jpg

...scales were supposed to sweep up into the ricasso, but Murphy's law kicked in.


thanks for looking (and for helping a beginner out)
 
BD, Keep going. You are on the right track and looking good. I agree with the Diamond Wood decision. A good burl or highly figured wood always gets me going.

Chuck
 
Looking good so far. I would suggest you leave a little more wood on the scales. They seem a bit thin. Otherwise, nice job.
Stacy
 
Oh, I do. Those scales were kind-of a series of mistakes. I had a 3/8" dymondwood block I cut in half (frugality and excess material), leaving one good set, and one set that I did my best to salvage. By the time they were straight and flat and had no visable chips or anything, there wasn't much left.
 
BD.
Most of us have been in that position. Learn from our mistakes and then yours. If you find yourself in that situation again do not settle for what you have left. Make a new set of scales and do the scales right. I know it is hard to throw out a set of scales. You could save them for a smaller blade. In the long run you will be better off and I think you will learn more. It makes you more careful.

Keep on Grindin
Chuck
 
If I was selling it, it would have gotten scraped for sure. In the beginning it had a lot wrong, and it really took a lot of polishing to get it to look ok.. I wanted the polishing practice.
I'm finally beginning to have people interested in buying my knives, and coincidentally, I've just gotten my knives to the point I'd be comfortable selling them. (Only for cost+ like $1/hr, till I'm *really* nailing some clean looking, great cutting knives. I don't want to sell anyone a bad knife) Now that I'll have the aforementioned cost covered, I won't have to be frugal on the materials.
 
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