Biggest knife making problem

Keith_H

Keith_H

Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
3,121
I've been working on my first knife for a while now and it looks nice but I cant seem to get in the shop and finish it. I may have to lock myself in there with food and a bed till i finish it.

So my question is for amateur knife makers is-how do you get yourself to finish knives and get off the computer?
 
The non-amateur answer is to hit the "OFF" button.
I spend way too much time on the computer,myself. But, when I have knives to finish,I decide that I am going to work on them Saturday morning (for example) and when I get up Saturday, that is what I do. It is called discipline and self control. It is one of the hardest habits to form and one of the easiest to stick to once well established. As a student you would do yourself a big favor and establish times and routines that you stick to. If you are playing games on the computer.....STOP. It is an addiction that ruins many students.
Time in the shop is mental time. It develops hand eye coordination,and process development.It also helps relieve stress and clears the mind for other things.
Stacy
 
Perhaps the motivation of possible $$$$$$$$$$$$ gets makers off their butts or the fact that maybe they need money to pay bills and that gets them moving off the computer. It always helps me when I know i'm about to get paid by a customer for the blade if i get up and finish it off! Some people are still not that motivated :D
 
I know if i just clean my shop (well my dads shop) because i shaped the entire blade with files in my garage where there is a vise on a small bench beside a van. and in my basement where my dad's drill press and table saw are is quite cluttered. And yes Stacy I would be a lot better student if I had more self-discipline and a scheduled work time. Thanks guys. I can't wait to finish it- all i have to do is put the scales on, make a sheath and sand the whole thing. Oh and while im here, is there an easy way to make a permanent signature on the blade? because I don't have a custom die and won't it be hard to see an acid etch after years of tomato cutting? (steel is O1)
 
Stacy is on the right track. What I've done is to force myself to get up early and work in the shop for two hours (5-7AM) before I get ready for work. When life doesn't get in the way (can't do that as easily when my wife is out of town due to taking care of pets, I was just out of town for 2 weeks, etc) I tend to be very productive. I find that I get more done in the morning because I don't have the weight of the day on my shoulders when I'm working.

-d
 
My schedule is every Sat and Sunday morning unless were going to Church. Then when I can I slip in 1 night after work. I also make sure and start more knives than I want to finish.....that sort of forces me to complete more down the road if I have several in stages other than the 1st step:thumbup:
 
Thanks guys Maybe Ill try getting up early before school. 5-7 would work nicely. I better start now!
 
As an amateur knifemaker and long-time hack, I can say my biggest obstacle is fearing the rotten fruits of my own incompetence and hamfistedness.
 
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