- Joined
- May 17, 2006
- Messages
- 450
Every few days a newbie joins the site looking for info on how to make a knife and they ask the same questions about making a blade out of leaf springs, lawnmower blades, etc. The other day I read a thread by one of our resident gurus, Kevin Cashen, about using properly identifiable steels with known properties and histories. In other words steels that the majority of us get from a steel merchant in order to make blades with. I don't have any issue with the folks who are able to actually take "scrap" steels and make them into good knives but as a fairly new maker, I like to know what I have so that I know exactly what needs to be done to it to make a great blade. Mr. Cashen's thread inspired me to give one of those "newbies" a chance to make a blade out of actual knife quality steel so that their first blade can be one that they can actually get a proper heat treat on and maybe even become a knife that they can use. I am sympathetic to the newbies as I was one as well only a short time ago. I wanted to make a real knife but I didn't know where to start. Well, here's your chance. The give away is for two bars of HR 5160 1/4"x2"x12". You get two so if you royally screw up the first time, which I did, you get a second chance to try this great thing we call knifemaking. Here's how I'll run the give-away: Reply to this thread by saying "I wanna make knives" and you're entered in the contest. The contest will run until Monday night (1/12/09) at midnight at which point I'll have my three year old draw a name from a bucket. If your name is picked you get the two bars shipped free CONUS. Hopefully this will allow one newbie to save himself from trying to make a knife out of bedframe steel. Good luck!
PS: Because I enjoy the benefits of this site so much and I have been encouraged by so many of you, I'm going to add a bonus to this contest. If the winner of the steel follows through and makes a knife that I can tell a good amount of effort went into and contacts me to show me said effort, I'll do the contest again. So not only do you get free steel but you may even allow someone else the opportunity to win as well. Good luck....again!
Update: Some of the other knifemakers have offered there services as well so now not only do you get the steel, but you get a handle and pin materials, heat treating, and a sheath made for knife. That pretty much covers all of the bases. Now, all you need to do is the work. Thanks to all of the other makers who offered their services as well. If we didn't include you this time, hopefully the successful outcome of the winner will allow you to be involved next time. Good luck once again.
Another Update: Wow! You newbies really have to take the following seriously: This site is beyond what I ever imagined. Offers to help out with this give-away have been unbelievable! I knew that there were some great folks here but what I have seen in the last few days in my PM inbox is truly amazing. I'm not going to get all cushy-mushy but I kind of had to stand back and ponder just how many great guys/gals are a part of this knifemaking world.
With that said, the offer gets better. Now you also get two pieces of 1080 to add to your new collection of knifemaker's goodies. Another anonymous maker wanted to extend his willingness to bring another knifemaker into the fold so there it is. Again, thanks to all the makers who have offered services or materials.
PS: Because I enjoy the benefits of this site so much and I have been encouraged by so many of you, I'm going to add a bonus to this contest. If the winner of the steel follows through and makes a knife that I can tell a good amount of effort went into and contacts me to show me said effort, I'll do the contest again. So not only do you get free steel but you may even allow someone else the opportunity to win as well. Good luck....again!
Update: Some of the other knifemakers have offered there services as well so now not only do you get the steel, but you get a handle and pin materials, heat treating, and a sheath made for knife. That pretty much covers all of the bases. Now, all you need to do is the work. Thanks to all of the other makers who offered their services as well. If we didn't include you this time, hopefully the successful outcome of the winner will allow you to be involved next time. Good luck once again.
Another Update: Wow! You newbies really have to take the following seriously: This site is beyond what I ever imagined. Offers to help out with this give-away have been unbelievable! I knew that there were some great folks here but what I have seen in the last few days in my PM inbox is truly amazing. I'm not going to get all cushy-mushy but I kind of had to stand back and ponder just how many great guys/gals are a part of this knifemaking world.
With that said, the offer gets better. Now you also get two pieces of 1080 to add to your new collection of knifemaker's goodies. Another anonymous maker wanted to extend his willingness to bring another knifemaker into the fold so there it is. Again, thanks to all the makers who have offered services or materials.
Last edited:
Thanks for the awesome contest!
. very nice of you to help those who are just starting out.
