Finally started on my first knife

[Led Boots]

So, I finally got started working on my first knife. Aside from the everyday BS that keeps us distracted, the main delay was deciding on a pattern. I ended up drawing up four different patterns and choosing one from those.

I drew up a small skinner, a bigger skinner/harpoon style, a Kephart style bushcrafter, and a camp knife. I ended up choosing the camp knife pattern, for two reasons.

1) The pattern is styled after the Old Hickory 7" butcher knife, and I really dig that traditional look
2) Versatility - Using the same pattern I can make a 5.5" or 7.5" knife

Here is my pattern. As you can see, it is cut in half. I drew it up as a 5.5" model (5" handle). By cutting it in half, I can lay it out on my stock and adjust the blade length as I see fit.


Eventually I plan to do a set of 5.5" and 7.5". Here is my first so far - the 7.5"


Still have some filing to do, but it's getting there. I need to bring down the spine just a bit (not going all the way down to the line), and I need to get a smaller half round file to start the handle work. 5/32" O1 takes some serious filing. My neck and shoulders are killing me LOL

So, what do y'all think?

 

[S.Alexander]

looks like it will be a nice useful blade. The handle looks like it will be comfortable as well.

 

[Led Boots]

Thanks, SA.

As I hold it more, I'm starting to second guess my handle shape. The back/top seems to put a lot of pressure in the palm of my hand. Not sure if that will alleviate some once I get some scales on it for some width or not. Thinking about maybe narrowing it down some or going with individual finger grooves.

 

[Led Boots]

I finally tracked down a file to start working on my handle shaping. I was having a heck of a time tracking down a half round, for some reason. Found lots of small round files, lots of flat files, and lots of wood rasps...but no half rounds anywhere.

I generally try to avoid shopping at chain stores or big box store, instead giving my business to the few remaining family owned Hardware Stores around. I was thinking I might have to break down and go to Lowes or Wally World.

But alas, I finally tracked one down at a local store - a new 10" Nicholson Half Round Double Cut Bastard...last one they had

Now I can get back to work.

 

[SinePari]

I finally tracked down a file to start working on my handle shaping. I was having a heck of a time tracking down a half round, for some reason. Found lots of small round files, lots of flat files, and lots of wood rasps...but no half rounds anywhere.

I generally try to avoid shopping at chain stores or big box store, instead giving my business to the few remaining family owned Hardware Stores around. I was thinking I might have to break down and go to Lowes or Wally World.

But alas, I finally tracked one down at a local store - a new 10" Nicholson Half Round Double Cut Bastard...last one they had

Now I can get back to work.

Working with a file is actually quite a bit easier than I first assumed. You'll have great control and remove metal quickly with a double-cut, be sure to use a file card often, or even a small wire brush to keep the filings from loading up. Those filings can load up and eventually gouge the finish if you let them load up... A small SS welding brush will suffice for the short term... I actually hornswaggled a cat hairbrush my wife bought to get bur-hitchhikers off the dog... worked like a charm till she stole it back!

 

[J_Von]

Looks good, I like the design and handle shape. Where did you buy the O1 steel from?

 

[Led Boots]

Working with a file is actually quite a bit easier than I first assumed. You'll have great control and remove metal quickly with a double-cut, be sure to use a file card often, or even a small wire brush to keep the filings from loading up. Those filings can load up and eventually gouge the finish if you let them load up... A small SS welding brush will suffice for the short term... I actually hornswaggled a cat hairbrush my wife bought to get bur-hitchhikers off the dog... worked like a charm till she stole it back!

Thanks for the advice about keeping the file clean. I'll try to track down a good wire brush. I have been rubbing the file down with soap stone to try to keep filings from plugging it up.

Looks good, I like the design and handle shape. Where did you buy the O1 steel from?

A friend actually gave me the steel as a Christmas gift. She works in a machine shop and ordered it from MSC Industrial Supply I think. It's 5/32 O1 steel, 1 1/2" wide.

I got the handle shaped today. The first profile didn't feel very good in the palm, so I changed the design to individual finger grooves.


Well, that felt alright, and in theory I thought it would work out well. However, if you grabbed the knife, unconsciously, like you were just picking it up quickly to use it, the little and ring fingers would bunch together and felt uncomfortable with the defined separation between them.

So, I blended those two a bit. It feels much better now.


Still not sure if this is going to be the final design. I may have to fondle it for a few days to be sure LOL

At any rate, the project is coming along