Andy and Dylan made me do it.

chainring

chainring

Gold Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
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I was rockin' along, buying a knife now and then - nearly zero customs - when I happened onto a Nessmuk by Andy. Then I found Andy's forum here, bought a few of his knives and lurked obsessively, and the fairly well-suppressed desire to build my own knives began to elbow it's way to the front of my mind again. It's been there since I was a kid, but I didn't do anything about it. Then Dylan showed up and made it look so easy to spool up from enthusiast to knife-maker! Obviously, having a talent to begin with, AND a mentor like Andy is a rather miraculous alignment of planets - but I decided to try my hand! I started saving and bought the basic KMG package, a couple extra tooling arms, small wheel attachment, tooling arm tree (too sweet a design to pass up,) and baseplate and I scored a very slightly used rotary platen here on Bladeforums. Added 4 inch square tubing legs and 1/4 inch plate feet to the baseplate and had me a grinder stand - gotta love a wirefeed welder! And right about there is when the OCD took over! The KMG and stand were all "in the white" with no finish...and I love powdercoated finishes. So I broke it all down and took everything to the powdercoater. In my twisted mind, the obvious next step was button-head stainless steel hardware for the whole thing....right? :) Flipped the tooling arm receiver in case I ever wanted to try the MAP arm, and saved the KMG sticker so I could reapply it after the powdercoat, for that "factory" look. Still gotta sand a little of the powdercoat off the three tooling arms on the "tree" so they will fit into the receiver, clean the front of the platen off, and burnish and clear coat the drive shaft, but it's nearly ready.


Anyway, I'm sitting here with this showpiece of a KMG, but I still haven't saved enough for a 2 horse motor and VFD. I've even got some 01 tool steel in stock, handle/pin material, etc.! But no motor, yet. I'm a whole lot closer than I was a year ago! So I just give it a spin of the 10" wheel now and then and dream! Soon....real soon. :)


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Thanks to Andy and Dylan for the inspiration to "follow my dream!" :)
 
Nice! Man, go get the motor and pulleys and get to grinding.
 
WOW! I have grinder envy, I got a coote for my first grinder and it does not compare to that setup.
 
Thanks! It's the very first Snubnose, and a special Woodsman. I treasure them both, and my family has standing instructions to toss them in the pine box with me when the time comes! :) Might need 'em in Valhalla.
 
chainring said:
Thanks! It's the very first Snubnose, and a special Woodsman. I treasure them both, and my family has standing instructions to toss them in the pine box with me when the time comes! :) Might need 'em in Valhalla.
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Sweet set up!

I know the feeling, I don't think I like anyone enough to leave them my Bushfinger :)
 
Awesome dude! You know if you need any help to call us!


Wait a second! What the hell man? You're still going to buy our knives, right?
 
forget the motor, just buy the wife a treadmill with a burned out motor for Christmas and hook it up to the grinder. she gets a cardio workout, you get to make knives. win-win! :D
 
Dylside said:
Awesome dude! You know if you need any help to call us!


Wait a second! What the hell man? You're still going to buy our knives, right?
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Heck yeah! Andy had to talk me down off the A2 Bocote Bushfinger ledge just a few days ago! He knew I was saving up, and was the voice of reason when I lost it! :) And I'm digging your prototype Bush Op XL!

fixer said:
forget the motor, just buy the wife a treadmill with a burned out motor for Christmas and hook it up to the grinder. she gets a cardio workout, you get to make knives. win-win! :D
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You know, I've already mulled over the whole tandem-bike-frame-and the two-oldest-kids powerplant thing! I bet I could make it work with a ten-speed.
 
chainring said:
Heck yeah! Andy had to talk me down off the A2 Bocote Bushfinger ledge just a few days ago! He knew I was saving up, and was the voice of reason when I lost it! :)
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I feel slightly less guilty getting the bushfinger knowing you have those beauty's back up the thread:)
 
So YOU'RE the one that broke my heart!

Post pics when you get that bad boy....and lemme know if you ever decide to sell it! ;)
 
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