Big Blades VS. Small Blades

[jdm61]

Don Hanson told me recently that he uses one of those to clean up damascus billets. I need to get one for that and see how it works for grinding the "tops" off of pressed ladder pattern. I have used normal hard grding pics on a 7 inch grinder.Tht is cheaper than Blaze belts, but they still wear out fairly quickly.

This wheel has lasted me years of grinding scale off of billets and blades.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/6-X-2-Grinding-Wheel-Type-11-A16-5-8-11-Bore/G7430

 

[jdm61]

James, I think that you avoid some of the big knife problems that others have because you use the rustic finish and appear to forge pretty close to final dimensions. Where it can really funky and costly (in belts,etc) is doing say a big twist blade where you want to basically stock remove from a flat bar to expose the center pattern. I don't envy people who stock remove big blades from the higher alloy steels.

It's a mix for me, but I prefer making bigger blades. I grew up chopping brush, and chopping is what comes to mind when I think of cutting.

It's actually easier for me to forge a large 12" blade than it is to forge a 4" blade. And I don't have a shortage of work waiting on me.

One of the great things about custom knives is that there are so many areas of interest and so many different approaches to building them, and fellows at opposite ends of the spectrum can appreciate good work from each other.

 

[Salem Straub]

Joe, those big cup stones are the best for grinding down ladder billets. Very aggressive! The masonry ones are often better than the "steel" ones, for grinding knife steels with scale on top. Harder abrasive...

The only thing better might be a belt converted auto surface grinder, which I'm going to try here very soon on a billet. I'll report back on that.

As far as blade size, I actually spend a fair amount of time, proportionally, on handles, a thing which does not really decrease when the blade gets smaller. Also, I really like hamon, damascus, and san mai- all etched finishes, that come out more showy and gratifying usually on a large canvas. So, I'm in the big blade camp I suppose.

 

[12345678910]

ARe you taking into account the administration overhead to sell two knives?

Photos, emails, emails, packing and so on
I think emails, questions posting photos and ads is a huge time suck.



Personally I like small knives.
Easier to carry, mostly do it all except chop.


I've seen a whole bambi field dressed, then quartered with a freshly sharpened Swiss army knife.

 

[Salem Straub]

Count, that's a huge deal for sure! More expensive knives (often larger ones, or at least ones with more labor) have proportionally less admin/advertising overhead. Also, less shipping time.

 

[Gossman Knives]

I don't envy people who stock remove big blades from the higher alloy steels.

You mean like making a Bladesports comp knife from 3/8" thick M4 steel?
Scott

 

[AVigil]

ARe you taking into account the administration overhead to sell two knives?

Photos, emails, emails, packing and so on
I think emails, questions posting photos and ads is a huge time suck.

2 large knives or 2 small knives? Pretty much the same.

I find with a smart phone all of that is much easier and can be done in down time from the shop.

 

[jdm61]

Yes. You might as well have a large German woman in leather flog you with a cat o' nine-tails while you grind one of those because you are a hardcore masochist.

You mean like making a Bladesports comp knife from 3/8" thick M4 steel?
Scott

 

[Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.]

Yes. You might as well have a large German woman in leather flog you with a cat o' nine-tails while you grind one of those because you are a hardcore masochist.

I ground this sword from 3/16th 3V post HT. The pain was real.

 

[Gossman Knives]

Yes. You might as well have a large German woman in leather flog you with a cat o' nine-tails while you grind one of those because you are a hardcore masochist.

haha, here's one in M4. Thickness is .380"

Here's the first one from .390" thick S7 steel.

Scott

 

[jdm61]

Hunter, I have only done smaller 3V blades,the longest being 6 inches. What I found curious is that 3V seems to heat up as quickly when grinding, if not more so, in soft state compared to hardened.

I ground this sword from 3/16th 3V post HT. The pain was real.