First Blade Pic progress - Advice on pin placement?

[KaosX]

Here's the first blade I've made progress on from the steel Stan sent me. I just spent the last hour or so draw filing the flats and also used the same technique to true up the spine etc.

I *think* the next step that I'll do is hand sanding up to 400 or maybe a little less before heat treating. I picked a set of slabs out of the wood that Stan was also kind enough to send me (Thanks again Stan!) for this knife. I would like to aim to use two brass pins.

These pics are from my ipod touch, so not that great but does anyone have any advice from where I am in the process and on pin placement as well?

I also wanted to take a shot at filing in a distal taper...to me it looks pretty decent but I have an untrained eye

Thanks everyone!

 

[SBuzek]

Looks good so far,Just sand up to a clean 220 before H/T as your gonna have some decarb to remove after H/T anyway.
I would suggest useing 3 pins,1 about 3/4" from each end and center the third inbetween.
Keep up the good work
Stan

 

[lonepine]

In my amateur and oh so very humble opinion pin placement depends somewhat on where the front of the handle is and how it's shaped.

Remember to round over and shape the front of the handle before you glue and pin it on, and take that into account for the front pin placement. In general the front pin is approximately equidistant from the top, bottom and front of the handle unless it ends up where you need to remove a lot of material or the tang is particularly narrow and a pin hole could weaken the tang (like a finger notch perhaps), then I will put it where there is a little more steel and/or handle material.

The rear-most pin is approximately equidistant from the top, bottom and back of the handle, and if you want a third pin, it goes in the middle between the front and rear pin. I consider a lanyard hole with a metal tube liner as good as a pin.

(You can see most of the knives I've made, such as they are, here.)

- Paul Meske

 

[KaosX]

Thanks for the tips!

Went out at bought 120, 180, 220, 340, and 400 papers pack (3m was the only brand the store I went to had).
I tried to start the 120 on my HF grinder but messed up my flats some...so I just draw filed it back and will be doing sanding truly by hand.

My goal is to work from the bottom on the grits a couple days at a time and then figure out heat treat. Getting to the exciting part!

More progress updates to follow!

 

[KaosX]

Well - finished up hand sanding and drilling for pins etc. Went with 3 pins as recommended with the two end pins set an equal distance from where I plan on the handles ending and one smack in the middle of the two.

I *THINK* I'm ready to send it out for heat treat.

Anyone doing any batches of 1080 soon that wouldn't mind another coming along?

Thanks!