a new year and new plans

First finish the workshop I am working on now (doing the electrics at the moment, the part I like least)
Install a flat grinding plate on my 2x42" grinder
Make a lot of different knives, set myself up do do my own HT on carbon steel, being creative, enjoy it and find the types of knives I want to 'get in to'

Besides knives: getting a good result for my yearly blood checkup, get better at my German and keep enjoying being a father :)
 
Make better beef jerky
Get Ackelson to finally cut out my EERF grinder(great, cheap, horribly slow for small projects)
Build a PID controlled forge
Get an anvil (Yeah, never thought I'd say that)
Finish my Salvati inspired electric minibike in time for Ashokan
 
Well my new career plans start this year.
My wife and I have found a great property way out of town, so we're selling this place and buying that one. 10 acres, 2 are cleared the rest is alllllll bush. One of the previous owners has built a sweet work shop on the property. I plan on turning this into my knife making laboratory.....MuHaHaHa (que thunder and lightning)

I've never made Knives before, but how hard can it be? (I'm being funny here, I don't know enough about knifesmithing to say I don't know enough about knifesmithing)

My Dad was a steel worker most of his life and owned a steel working business, so I'm familiar with all the tooles. The rest is skill and/or tallent and undoubtedly allot of luck.
I was a cabinetmaker for 5 years so I have wood working skills. Back in the 70's my Dad hobbyed arround with leather working, He got rather good at it, and still has all the tooles. So he want's to give them to me and teach me to use them.

Plus with a list name like Grimshaw, I've dabbled in Scrimshaw. Hopefully in 5 years or so I can combine all this potential to become at least a passable knifesmith.
 
With my wife having 2 surgeries in the past 3 months. I plan on spending more time at home. If things get better for her I may, and I mean may, go back to learning the art of bladesmithing. That aside. I would like to take My NCCER test this year. Get my TWIC card and Sell my first Fully forged blade for more than "cost". We will see. Happy New Years everybody. Good luck with your plans.
 
gregncat said:
Back in the 70's my Dad hobbyed arround with leather working, He got rather good at it, and still has all the tooles. So he want's to give them to me and teach me to use them.
Click to expand...

Or maybe work as a father/son team?
 
yea i thought of that too, but old Dad isn't doing as well as he was in the 70's, got bad arthritis.
 
I wish you good luck with all your plans Butch.

For me it will be getting the few last things I need to make knives to sell. A kiln and a hardness tester. And maybe sell a few then, if people will buy them of course. :o But get better at the craft mainly.
 
i've been hangin around here for a couple years and still havent really made a knife. ive forged out a KSO and ground out a KSO or two but nothing i've been happy with.
my biggest obsticle has been my living situation and no place for aany kind of shop and using other peoples places has just not worked out.
so now we finally have our own place and have recently just purchased our own house so.

my goal is to just make a knife this year and to get myself set up to do so.
i need to redo my forge and i need to get set up with a grinder

jake
 
I think I will build a kiln. Make some tools for consistent knife making. Enclose a covered porch for warmer knife making instead of a cold barn for winter. It is like 8 degrees here.

"Make better beef jerky" Zaph1 - I don't really know why - but I laughed out loud! It is really fun and uplifting to be really good at somethings, I guess that is why we all are seeking better knives.

David
 
I not to plan too far in advance...
In 2011 I'd like to:
  • Pray more... so that I might be a better servant of God, husband to my lovely wife, father to my girls, friend to those around me, and employee at the office.
  • Buy a nice M4 clone... I like some of the Rock River Operator series.
  • Come up with a nice knife for my grandpa. I've drawn a hand-full of designs - and built a couple of them - but I'm not sure what'll end up going to grandpa this year.
  • Build some kitchen knives for my mother and grandmother.
  • Finish some sheaths. This is my least-favorite part of making knives... which is probably why I also have plans to...
  • ... finish some balisong projects. I've really enjoyed this direction in knifemaking, and I will be directing more energy in that direction. You'll probably see one or two prototypes pop-up in the next few months.
  • Try a razor... just for me. Butch has inspired me... and that thin hollow-grind seems like it will be a fun challenge.
  • Visit some makers in the area. I'd love to head back down Winlock to hang out with Nick again, but would also love to be a fly-on-the-wall in Bruce's shop in Walla Walla for a while.
  • Work on my photography skills. As my knife-making improves, I'd really love my photos to improve as well.
  • Celebrate my 10-year wedding anniversary in a way that makes my wifel feel loved and appreciated.

I also have a number of additions that I'd like to make to my shop... but we'll have to see how the finances turn out.

I'm sure that there's tons more that I can't think of off-hand... but like I said, I try not to plan too far in advance.

Here's praying for a blessed, safe and happy 2011 for all my BladeForums bros. :thumbup:

Erin Burke
 
i like what im seeing guys always plan on getting better always try to keep chalanging your self

one thing tho i did see is that wome planned on making knives faster
i have to say as i have always said "the only thing i make fast in my shop are mistakes"
also never look at a fail as a fail. you need to look at what you learned and look at the "fail" to see what other things it can teach you
 
David Metzger said:
I think I will build a kiln. Make some tools for consistent knife making. Enclose a covered porch for warmer knife making instead of a cold barn for winter. It is like 8 degrees here.

"Make better beef jerky" Zaph1 - I don't really know why - but I laughed out loud! It is really fun and uplifting to be really good at somethings, I guess that is why we all are seeking better knives.

David
Click to expand...

Zaph makes darn good beef jerkey

-Page
 
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