Feedback and harsh criticism (WIP-done)

[Sandeggo]

Ok so after walking away from it last night and approaching the area this morning less fatigued, I'm slowly making progress on the trouble area.
Here's the area. The black spot is a low area that needs to be blended.

Mind you this is after I already did a bunch of blending last night. It was WAY worse, probably .010

And where we currently stand, I never thought that being a teacher would help my knife making but that's a jumbo binder clip as a blade guard. I got two fingers cut yesterday.

 

[Sandeggo]

Well this is quite tedious

 

[Sandeggo]

I've been working on the scales for a little while and got them shaped to fit my hand very nicely no matter which way I hold the knife.
Ignore the halo on the bolster pin.

This is up to 400 grit right now.

Yes I am also aware that my pins are not clocked right. I totally spaced it when I glued up.
I'm uncertain what finish I'm gonna do on the scales. Right now all I've ever done is Danish oil but I'm not sure if that will work good on this zebra wood or if it will muddy the grain.

 

[Sandeggo]

Did a coat of Danish, sanded, another coat, 400, another coat and while wet hit it with 600. Still have a ton left to do. I'd hate to think how many hours I have into this knife.

 

[Sandeggo]

Got the bolsters fixed up. Sanded all the parts of the tang, and resanded the scales starting at 220 working up to 1200. Currently oiling them with Danish oil.
Here's a pic of the fixed bolster.

How's the shape of these?

 

[Maelstrom78]

I think you are pulling it off mate. Things seem to fight back sometimes don't they?

 

[Sandeggo]

I think you are pulling it off mate. Things seem to fight back sometimes don't they?

Well this is all still a learning process for me so it fights the whole way lol.

 

[zhyla]

Wow, I'm really impressed at the progress. That tang looks awesome. I'd say more but I'm about to put some blades in the oven...

 

[Sandeggo]

I masked off the scales and gave a buff to the bolsters and blade.

Then I hit the blade with 600 grit in nice, straight, easy pulls. I put an edge on it to clean up areas where I got crazy with a file, slipped off the bolster and knocked the blade. Oh yeah and earlier today I dropped the knife and had to clean up the tip. So number 7 (I miscounted) is pretty much a done deal, hope you enjoyed the thread, there's way more views than replies so I don't know if you liked it or not.
Things to take away from this:
Make damn sure your bolster fits good.
Make sure you don't use 5 minute epoxy.
Make sure your drill bits are sharp.
If using mosaic pins, clock them before the 5 minute kicks off.
Get or build a good grinder.
Use good, sharp files.
Take a class on preening bolster pins so you don't have a halo around them.
Know your limitations and try to build knifes that exceed them or you won't have the opportunity to make my mistakes.



Now I gotta go by Tandy and try to make a sheath

 

[Fletch Helical]

Very well done sir personally I like a hand rubbed satin finish on blades over a buffed mirror finish on a blade but that's just me. Also be VERY careful with the buffer, it's the most dangerous tool in knifemaking, there's been many members who have had it grab the blade and whip the knife across the shop or worse, Many horror stories have come across this board involving a buffer. Much better shaping on the handle, very well done. The only critique I would add is the lanyard hole in the pic showing the spine with the tip down looks lopsided but that might be the pic. Almost like it was drilled crooked or the butt isn't symmetrical on both sides leaving it to look like that. Also there isn't much meat around the back of the hole and with very little scale there I'd wonder if that could possibly crack or break off at the butt of the handle.

FWIW once you have the blade basically where you want it I'd avoid using something like a metal binder clip on the blade as you can scratch your hard work on it. putting something metal on a finished or near finished blade screams scratches at me and gives me the Willies lol. What I like to do is wrap the blade in something like a paper towel then wrap the hell out of it in electrical tape (it's much cheaper than painters tape). I've had some blades start to rust a bit doing that when I let them sit for a while like that because I sometimes have a while between shop time and depending on the steel. What I actually learned I like doing better is get a bit of oil (I use Mobil 1 a quart goes a long way plus I use it for a satin finish when sanding). Wipe the blade down with a coat of oil and put a bit of it on the paper towel to so it's fairly damp with oil THEN wrap that sucker with electrical tape. Your blade is protected while you do any handle work, clamping, or whatever, and you can't cut yourself. Can't wait to see more of your work. :thumbup:

 

[Sandeggo]

Very well done sir personally I like a hand rubbed satin finish on blades over a buffed mirror finish on a blade but that's just me. Also be VERY careful with the buffer, it's the most dangerous tool in knifemaking, there's been many members who have had it grab the blade and whip the knife across the shop or worse, Many horror stories have come across this board involving a buffer. Much better shaping on the handle, very well done. The only critique I would add is the lanyard hole in the pic showing the spine with the tip down looks lopsided but that might be the pic. Almost like it was drilled crooked or the butt isn't symmetrical on both sides leaving it to look like that. Also there isn't much meat around the back of the hole and with very little scale there I'd wonder if that could possibly crack or break off at the butt of the handle.

Yeah the lanyard hole is off a little. Drill bit walked after I had center drilled. It is also too close to the butt. The bolster on one side is also a little thicker. There's lots I don't like, and stuff I'm not happy with but I learned a lot with this knife so it's a positive. I use really really light pressure with the buffer and respect that tool more than I care to admit. It's probably the least dangerous tool in my shop. I cringe when I have to drill a knife with bevels ground. I am ordering a Jacobs chuck to go in my mill so I won't have canted holes anymore. Oh the blade is satin. It doesn't come through in the pics too well but I buffed the blade and then rubbed it with 600. Thanks for the kind words

 

[S.Alexander]

Well after work I went to the hardwood store by my house as they have some exotics. Normally I just check out the scrap/cutoff bin but today I asked them if they'll sell cuts from the boards they have. Yes they do! So I picked up a foot of zebrawood for roughly $12. Plenty to do multiple knives. I decided to spend $12 cause I found out I'll be getting a minimum 1200 per month raise at work next month. So all in all today was a good day!

I wasted no time cutting a chunk out big enough for the scales then ripped it down the center to get a book match. The wood is .93 so plenty of meat on the bone. Drilled the holes. This time I didn't care if it tore out on the holes because I'll be sanding it down anyways. I'm really liking the grain along the spine and the rest of the scale. It's matching up pretty well and it makes me happy after yesterday's debacle.

And then I started to bevel the blade, no I'm not doing it with the scales on.

I don't want to give harsh criticism as you requested... You have done a very good job here.

However, on the pictures that are in the quote above, look at how the bolsters and the scales are butted up against each other. They are not flush with one another. On your next knife I would suggest taking your time with getting the surfaces squared with each other before you commit to drilling the pin holes.

I REALLY like the file work on the spine. That takes a lot of patience.

You clearly have that perfectionist gene that makes a good knife maker. Keep at it and keep showing us your work :thumbup:

 

[Sandeggo]

I don't want to give harsh criticism as you requested... You have done a very good job here.

However, on the pictures that are in the quote above, look at how the bolsters and the scales are butted up against each other. They are not flush with one another. On your next knife I would suggest taking your time with getting the surfaces squared with each other before you commit to drilling the pin holes.

I REALLY like the file work on the spine. That takes a lot of patience.

You clearly have that perfectionist gene that makes a good knife maker. Keep at it and keep showing us your work :thumbup:

Hey I need harsh criticism so I can see where it's not right.
In that pic they aren't epoxied yet. I had them on and off no less than 50 times trying out the fit. Filing the leading surface of the scales getting the to fit correctly and square. I use sandpaper that is adhesive on the back stuck to my granite block to flatten and square my scales. One trick I read that greatly improved this knife was to oversize the pin holes in the spine. Prior to reading this I used to have to press fit the pins and it would fight me the whole way (thanks Stacy). Even with the oversize holes my joints still aren't as tight as they should be.
Thanks for the compliment on the filework. If I could take it back I would. I watched muehlhausen on YouTube do some filework and it was way nicer the way he did it. One day I'll get there. This is my 3rd knife doing filework and I wish it was cleaner. The next one will be. With all my knifes that I've created I try new techniques so that I can be well versed as I progress. I don't have any customers and haven't even created a giveaway so I can build these with new stuff every time. It's kind of embarrassing to post but here's my 7 knives so far. I'd like to think I'm getting better. It's much nicer to make them out of regular steel instead of files. I started my first shank on November 8th. It will be a while for my next one as I am out of blade steel and I'm starting my 2x72 build.

 

[Augus7us]

I don't have much to add to what you or the other commenters have pointed out. Scrap the five minute epoxy all together if you weren't planning to already. As noted be careful on the buffer, a gentleman was killed by his while buffing a knife a month or so ago!

If I had one critique I would say the profile shape of your handle needs something. Looks too long and straight to me. Looks good from the top though. And I'm not seeing a mirror finish on the blade personally, the bolster maybe.

All in all I like it and look forward to your next one.