Chopper

[spareparts]

Amateur here, just looking for tips.

I have been fooling around with knife making on my patio for a few months. Here's my latest creation. 1095, hidden tang, green/black/tan micarta wrapped handle sanded to 600 grit, and an attempt at a mosaic center pin. Cutting edge is 6". The angled portion of the tip is also a false edge but doesn't show up well with my camera, neither do the layers in the micarta (now that we have a baby I may be able to talk her in to a new camera).

I live in a small apartment, the equipment I have is a 6" bench grinder, 1x30 belt sander, dremel, electric hand drill, some files, and a hacksaw.

Any tips appreciated.

 

[Wloch248]

Looks very utilitarian.

From your description it sounds like you have a minimal setup. Did you heat treat this knife?

 

[Salem Straub]

My tips to you: succeed in obtaining a new camera. Make more knives. Post pics of them. I'd tell you more, but would like to be able to see your work better.

Kudos to you for working hard and building knives with such a limited setup. I've been there, too.

 

[spareparts]

From your description it sounds like you have a minimal setup. Did you heat treat this knife?

I did. I made a small propane kiln using some of the refractory methods found here.

Yeah, very minimal set up. Wife and I will probably only be in our present location for another year so no point in buying pro quality equipment yet. Once we get settled I'll work on a better shop.

 

[lonepine]

Amateur here, just looking for tips.

The eternal quest...

I admire your determination and creativity while "working" under less than ideal or even adequate conditions.

I'm gonna talk like know something, but don't let that fool you. My work is mediocre at best and I've been making knives only since 2008. But I was an administrator before I retired so it's normal for me to shoot my mouth off even though I don't know what I'm talking about.

You certainly did make a chopper. What is it designed or intended to chop? How the handle relates to the cutting edge can make it more effective at some chopping chores over others.

How thick is the steel? I believe a chopper tends to have more of a chisel grind (which I interpret to mean a steeper angle to the bevel). Judging by how far up the side of the blade the grind goes it would seem that this is what you have, but the thickness of the blade makes a difference. Grinding the bevel so that it is flat, even on both sides, and at the proper angle is for me a major challenge that I've not mastered.


The handle looks comfortable to hold. Just me, but I would not run the front of the handle so far forward. It appears to me as if it gets wider right as it gets to the ricasso, kind of like a quasi finger guard sort of thing. Since it's not a stabber this probably isn't as important as a good grip that won't slip forward and out of your hand as you're swinging it.

I re-handled a machete and thought that I would be real smart by giving the handle four finger notches for a real secure grip. I attacked some brush with it and after an hour my hands were all blistered. I attributed this to the finger notches not my cushy soft life-style.

I like the effect of layers in the handle but for some reason I can't make them out very well.

You stated that this was your "latest" creation. What were some of your earlier creations?

Good luck,

- Paul Meske
Alias LonePine

 

[spareparts]

Thanks for the critique, gives me a bit to think about as I venture forward. At my level of beginner-ship I feel like a fourth grader talking auto-shop with pros.

The steel is .25"with a 6" cutting edge, and grinding is definitely my major challenge. I have no idea what angle it is ground to, mostly eyeballing at this stage. As I experiment with my limited tools I tend to start the grind with the bench grinder then move to the belt sander, once I've removed some stock I clamp the blade to a table and hand file.

The handle is made up of green, black, and tan linen micarta. As I stated my camera is not very good and doesn't show the contrast between the black and green very well. What I did was epoxy the pins in place, let the epoxy set, and then wrap the micarta until it was greatly oversized. Then I put the whole knife in a Foodsaver bag and vacuum sealed it to compress the fabric/resin. Prior to wrapping I tape a removable false plastic guard in place to form the guard/ricasso portion of the handle similar to a simple mold. After the resin sets I carve with a dremel and belt sand to shape, then finish by handsanding to 400-600 grit. Good point on the ricasso area, I'm sure I'll need to do a bit of chopping to find out what is comfortable in my hand.

Most of my earlier creations aren't all that noteworthy.

Thanks again for the pointers/questions, gives me more things to think about as I move forward.

Added some more pics:

 

[Salem Straub]

It's very resourceful that you wrapped that handle with your own mycarta. What did you use to vacuum seal the bag?

 

[spareparts]

It's very resourceful that you wrapped that handle with your own mycarta. What did you use to vacuum seal the bag?

I used the Foodsaver machine itself to vacuum seal. Disclaimer: if you try this at home make sure that you have no resin on the mouth of the bag so that you don't screw up your Foodsaver.

 

[lonepine]

Thanks for the critique, gives me a bit to think about as I venture forward. At my level of beginner-ship I feel like a fourth grader talking auto-shop with pros.

The steel is .25" with a 6" cutting edge, and grinding is definitely my major challenge. I have no idea what angle it is ground to, mostly eyeballing at this stage. As I experiment with my limited tools I tend to start the grind with the bench grinder then move to the belt sander, once I've removed some stock I clamp the blade to a table and hand file.

I'm thinking that perhaps it would help to bring the grind a little further up the blade (less of an angle). If you make a regular knife then definitely you would have to remove more steel. I'm constantly telling myself this because it is "work" and takes time and effort and I want immediate results not delayed gratification.

It looks like a convex grind, is it? Is this by design or is it just the way it turns out after all is said and done? It is more difficult to keep a grind flat than it would seem to need to be.

The handle is made up of green, black, and tan linen micarta. As I stated my camera is not very good and doesn't show the contrast between the black and green very well. What I did was epoxy the pins in place, let the epoxy set, and then wrap the micarta until it was greatly oversized. Then I put the whole knife in a Foodsaver bag and vacuum sealed it to compress the fabric/resin. Prior to wrapping I tape a removable false plastic guard in place to form the guard/ricasso portion of the handle similar to a simple mold. After the resin sets I carve with a dremel and belt sand to shape, then finish by handsanding to 400-600 grit. Good point on the ricasso area, I'm sure I'll need to do a bit of chopping to find out what is comfortable in my hand.

Ooooh..., Clever! That explains the lack of visible laminations in the handle. What were you aiming for visually? Did it turn out the way you wanted?

Most of my earlier creations aren't all that noteworthy.

I understand what you're saying. That's pretty much normal. It's a journey not a destination. What do you think your next project might be?

- Paul Meske

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

I like it. You tried several advanced techniques I have wanted to try myself. I like the way you wrapped the handle with cloth and resin, that should almost be indestructable.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[spareparts]

It looks like a convex grind, is it? Is this by design or is it just the way it turns out after all is said and done? It is more difficult to keep a grind flat than it would seem to need to be.



Ooooh..., Clever! That explains the lack of visible laminations in the handle. What were you aiming for visually? Did it turn out the way you wanted?

It is convexed. Just the way it turned out, still practicing of course. Trying to improve with what I've got to work with. But that's ok, cause this is fun. My wife asks me all the time why I put so much effort in to these little hobbies when I could just go out and buy a knife that's already properly made...like you said, it's the journey.

Handle more or less turned out how I had anticipated. I have a couple more knives in the works that have already been wrapped, but I'm on baby duty today so I don't know if I'll make any progress before the weekend is over.