3 fighters with walnut

SBranson

SBranson

Joined
Oct 29, 2006
Messages
2,912
I did these blades a few weeks ago around the same time I did the integral blade. I initially heat treated them but only 2 of the 3 were "acceptable" in the hamon. I redid the 3rd hamon 2 more times and with some help and advice from Karl Andersen, I finally got some results I was looking for. So I re-heat treated the other 2 and I like them much better now. 8 heat treats for 3 blades. That's a lot of claying time. :p
The second hamon is more subdued as that's what the guy likes.

So a marathon week and I got these 3 polished and handles installed.

The first and second one are in W1 and the third is 1095.
The 1095 is the shortest blade at just under 5 7/8" whereas the other 2 blades are about 6 1/4". They are all very comfy in the hand.

Thanks for looking.

Stuart

walnutfighters_1.jpg


walnutfighters_2.jpg


walnutfighters_3.jpg


And all three together. My daughter thought the photo needed lots of arbutus berries. :p

walnutfighters_4.jpg
 
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Excellent!!

When can we start seeing some of your work in the for-sale section? :D
 
Looking REALLY good Stuart. What are the woods used, top to bottom, in the last pic?

Roger
 
They all look fantastic! What method are you using to finish the handles? The luster they have is gorgeous...

...and your daughter was right, the berries add a nice accent. ; )
 
Beautiful knives! I can't believe you made those using a walnut (see post title :D). Seriously, true art!
 
Thanks guys.

@ Petah.. kinda making to order at the moment but sometimes I make one in between.

@ Roger. The top one is a gorgeous piece of figured black walnut I salvaged from a scrap at work. The middle is a block of feathered crotch walnut from Burl Source and the bottom is from the arch of the crotch walnut.

For finishing I've been experimenting with different things. They are all hand sanded to 600 grit with some Tru-oil applied after 320, 400 and 600. Then I put some polymerized tung oil sealer and then buffed with tripoli then again with carnauba wax. I skip the white diamond buff as it tends to leave white stuff in the pores.
It's a buffing system from Lee Valley tools. Does a nice job.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=46880&cat=1,190,43040
 
That's quite a tio, Stuart. Are they all flat grinds? The the second one almost looks like it has a slight hollow. Man, they look good.
 
those are lookin GOOD!!!
 
It looks like you have mastered the finishing of walnut and now killer hamons.
Great looking knives!.....all of them.
 
Stuart,
:thumbup: i have been watching these forums for 15 years maybe. In that time i cannot remember ever seeing a new maker's knives that have made a more immediate impression- your ideas of composition and proportion are something special. Keep it up! :)
David
 
Thanks very much everyone. I really appreciate the feedback.

That middle one is flat ground, I'm not sure why the photo makes it look a little hollow.

It's all about line and proportion to me. I spend more time staring than I do working I think. :p There's something in each I like more than the others.
 
All three knives are beautiful, although my preference would be the top one in the three pix. Anyone of them I would be proud to own, my type of knives!!!
 
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