Critique on first knife + question

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DukeHarley

Joined
Apr 11, 2014
Messages
644
Hey guys I finally finished my first real knife (well Kiridashi was my first) with scales and hardware. Its 1/8" O1 with home HT taking it to non magnetic in my firebrick forge and quenched in canola oil heated to 120 degrees with (2) 2 hour 400-420 degree tempering cycles. Bevels filed on homemade filing jig. Cocobolo scales, red fiber liners, and nickel silver hardware.

Just looking for some critique and positive criticism. This build was so much fun and a lot of my success is attributed to the wonderfully helpful guys on this site. Could not have done it without all the help you guys so willingly give.

I also have 1 question not sure if you can see it in the scales but the grain in this Cocobolo has small hairline voids in the grain. Now all I did for a finish was to sand to 600 and then I applied some wax. Is there something that I can use to fill these small voids in the grain.

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That looks great ,For a knife done with files its outstanding. Keep up the good work.
Cheers vice
 
I think overall, you've done really well. The fit and finish looks pretty good from what I can tell. One minor thing I don't care for is the handle profile. I generally shy away from designing or using knives that force an indexing of all four fingers like that, but that is completely personal taste. The handle shaping looks pretty good though. The only thing it needs is a tapered tang to really set it off. And if it were me, I wouldn't worry much about the small voids in the Cocobolo. It's part of the charm of using that particular wood.
 
I agree with being tied into that type of profile with finger grooves but when I was looking for what type of knife I wanted to make for my first I finally thought why not get inspiration from my favorite knife I have and use all the time. That knife was my Dozier slim outdoorsman. I made this a bit taller, longer and the finger grooves a tad more defined. I mostly wanted something challenging. Probably wont have this handle profile in my next knives. Basically just wanted to see if I could do it. I also will be adding a tapered tang on my next knives. I love the looks if a tapered tang also.

Thanks for the replies so far guys!!!

Jay
 
If you want to get rid of the voids in the scales you could remove all of the wax, then wet sand the scales with a finishing oil. One type of oil you could use is danish oil. The fine dust from sanding, mixes with the oil and fills the little voids that you are seeing. It will cure later and you will have a nice smooth handle. There are a few tutorials posted on the site if you search for them.

Your knife looks very good for a first effort. The finger grooves are a matter of preference, not my thing, but they look well executed.
 
Very good work and for your first, super. It looks like you have used some of that old type of liner that's sort of a fibre> it is terrible stuff when it gets wet. Alpha Knife Supply sells G - 10 that does the job well. Frank
 
Frank, I was kinda wondering about that after I had already attached the liners to the scales. Oh well.......live and learn. Thanks for the comment and critique. Something I will surely change in the next design.

Jay
 
That is an awesome first knife.
I agree with the previous posts on how to get rid of the voids, but also like them as character. If there are larger/more concerning ones, you can use super glue and re-finish. Burt Foster gave me the tip of putting super glue in them as you find them during the last stages of handle shaping/finishing. This makes for a more uniform final finish.
 
Very nice looking knife you got there. For filling the grains... there are many options available. Tung or danish oil will work decently to fill in the grains. Normally what I will do is apply a coat of danish oil and wet sand with the danish oil on the handles. The handle is soaking up danish oil and the sanded wood into the handles filling in little grains / imperfections. Believe this method was mentioned above as well. You can also use super glue then buff to a shine.
 
Fill the pores or not, but I'd handsand the handle finer then 600
Take her to 2500 and be amazed how intens the wood gets!
The finer the sandpaper, the easier and quicker it goes

Well made knife
 
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