2nd knife

[porterb123]

This one is better than the first, but I see the flaws.
Stan has helped me by pointing out the areas that need to be looked at and done differently. Thank you Stan!
Longer ricasso area
Straighter grind lines by locking my hands to my body and moving my body, not my hands.
More tapering of the handles.
Hand sanding of the blade.
Take my time and quit grinding if it does not feel right.
Turn cheap steel into dust before using high dollar steel.
Practice, practice, practice.
Expect to make mistakes and alot of knife making is learning how to fix them!
Anyway, here'tis. Comments appreciated
Black linen micarta handles
Corby bolts
CPM D2 steel

 

[Patrickknives]

Great knife, does it cut?? Hang on to it, looking back will be great. All of the things you listed are needed if you plan to sell or give to more critical folks but really its a great knife and should serve you well for many years.

 

[porterb123]

Thank you. It cuts really well, almost too sharp for a paring knife.
I want to continue to improve, even if I never sell one. I like it when people ask " You made that!!?"

 

[VaughnT]

Looks great to me. I like the lines you were able to bring out on the micarta.

As for the ricasso, I'm of two opinions. I can see where some might like a bit more, but that seems more so you can have a place to stamp your name than anything else. On the other hand, it does seem to look better with at least 3/8" of ricasso on most knives. I guess that just because we're so used to seeing them like that.

My last blade, a re-grind, has a ricasso similar to yours, and it irks me. I have all the length I want in the edge, but it does look a bit off. I'll probably never use that knife, just because it isn't "perfect" to my eye.

 

[porterb123]

That's a problem for me, the perfect thing. I want anything I make to look perfect. But, I am not able yet to make a perfect knife and it is frustrating. I could have gone over the knife above and made it better, but decided that I and my knives are a work in progress. It could be that I would screw up the handle or blade trying to make the corrections. So next one, I will try to improve.
Anyone else ever perfectly happy with the knife when finished?

 

[Patrickknives]

The trick I use is make 3-4 or more at the same time, this way you can improve each one and give away the ones that are not really up to par. It takes practice and learning to get all the details correct, but they all cut.

As a side note, I was in the retail forum at another site and I was suprised how poor performing retail knives were tolerated, chipping and rolling edges, some they reprofile. I think we place too much value on the looks and not enough on how well a knife works. That knife looks fine as a tool, I would focus on how well it works, do some testing and using. The looks will come.

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

Of course we're perfectly happy. That doesn't mean it couldn't be better. It just means we take the mistakes as lessons and try to remember them on the next on. That's what seperates us from the monkeys. That, and well-done steaks!