Best Christmas Ever (Related to many upcoming questions...)

Thanks, guys! I'm planning on compiling all the things people have said about the gift and giving it to my stepdad.

I'll be seeing you around for sure!
 
Great gift. Is there any indication about what kind of steel the blades are - and what stage of heat treat they are at? I get the impression most of this did not come from TKS. Nice haul!

Rob!
 
The Marble knives feel certainly like carbon, and have been treated. There is still coloration from it, in fact, on the tang. Several of the others are stainless, probably 440 from comparison to others of known origin. I believe most of these were gathered from ebay and from the basement of Smokey Mountain Knife Works in TN. I'd like to go there sometime soon to check out what else they have.

A couple of the blades aren't my first pick in grind/steel, but they should make great knives to learn on, and to give to family members who will use them.
 
The question about heat treat is a great question, since the heat treatment is the "soul" of the knife. Without a good or better heat treatment, a knife is really no more than a letter opener. If in doubt about whether the knife is heat treated properly (including hardening and tempering), I would suggest getting the blades that are suspect of not being properly heat treated redone. It will only add to your learning experience! To learn about the heat treatment and how to test the edges for proper hardening and tempering, I would suggest Wayne Goddards book, "$50 knife shop". This book is a must read for every aspiring knifemaker!
 
Thanks for the recommendation, Scottickes! That book, by title alone, sounds like just what I need. There are a lot of gaps in my knowledge of things from start to finish, and I need something that will offer both a generalized perspective, and the specifics of taking care of certain steps. Learning to heat treat and work from stock is a step or two away, but not too far! I just picked up a small 1"x30" belt sander and a vice/anvil, so I'm going to try and practice getting handles first. After that, I'd like to get a grinder and work from some real steel.

Thanks for the advice!!
 
When getting a grinder, I suggest you save up and get a good one right from the beginning. I personally have tried a lot of grinders and eventually got one (a KMG made by Beaumont Metal Works) and love it. I would not suggest getting a grinder from Lowes, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, etc.! I have two of those sanders and I rarely use them anymore. They are underpowered and the belts won't last long, so they are very expensive to run as far as belt costs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top