First completed forged blade

M

Matlock

Joined
Jun 26, 2002
Messages
125
Howdy Everyone,
I have lurked here for years and only posted a few times, I finaly have some pictures available to post of my first forged knife and my 4th overall (not counting rr spike knives and a leather working tool.) It is a full tang with black canvas micarta handle and mosaic pins. The blade is 52100, 2 7/8" long with a full convex grind, 6 3/4" OAL.
257405.JPG


spine view,
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Here is a picture of most of the other knives I have made. The big one is 440v and came back from heat treat sevearly pitted and very hard so I bead blasted it and left the pitting in. Kinda ugly but .... what ya going to do.
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Thanks for looking, and any constructive criticisem is welcome.

Matt Matlock
 
Nice knife Matt! I like all of em actually. On your most recent, I'd suggest a bit more contour on the handle, maybe sliming it down and leaving a bit of palm swell. Just my .02, for what that's worth. :) Thanks for sharing and I hope to see a lot more of your work.
 
Nice looking knife. Profile, finish,handle and those pins are lovely. Someone might say the handle looks pretty fat, but I'm sure it is comfortable. Most small knives have handles very thin, but what's the use, if you want to hold a small knife as a large one then the thin handle is useless. Nice first.
By the way, your ugly big one is my favorite. The handle shape and the pattern is lovely...
Keep going, keep hammerin'.

best wishes...
Emre KIPMEN
 
I thought it looked fat and blocky too from the top but the guy who is getting it realy likes the way it fits in his hand. Mabe I will make a pine mockup of it with tapered ends and a palm swell to see if he likes in any better.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

Matt Matlock
 
Ragweedforge sells a norwegian fishermans knife like that . Short blade, thick handle but it would come in handy with cold stiff wet hands .People with other problems like arthritis like big handles too !
 
Heck I've yet to even try any of that stuff!! Very nice little knife! Nice convex grind or so it appears. :)

regards, mitch
 
Cool! I even like the big ugly one! On the latest one, the only thing I'd prefer is a much slimmer handle. For me, personally, handle materials over 1/8" thick (each scale) are overkill. But, each hand is different! Really cool knife and a nice useful shape!
 
Mitch, You can thank Mr. Ed Fowler for my choice of steel. I'm not much of an "artist" I just enjoy working with metal and the idea of a "high performance blade" struck a chord with me.

Blinker, I found it on the end of a bar of 3/4" round bar that I had just ran through the 50# trip hammer :D . After trying to forge a John Deere load shaft by hand I decided I needed a little help and found a non functioning Mayer Brothers hammer. I got it for $250 and put about 6 Mo. of work into it and another $250 and got it running. I sold off 50 oz. of silver to buy it and figure it was a good trade for 19,000 oz. of cast iron. :)

Chiro75, I like thiner handled knives too, especially the ones that Terry Primos turns out. I will have to give something thinner a try soon.

Thanks again for all of your comments

Matt Matlock
 
Matt:
Your knives make a lot of sense, and are a whole lot better than my first knives. Working knives make for good times. I encourage you to stick with it and if you have a chance stop by the Willow Bow and we will play knife stuff.
Take Care
 
Looking good! What are you using to shape the handle material with? You will be surprised what a 3" wheel will do to create those swells. Try it on a mock up.
 
Thanks for the comments and invite Ed. I would love to visit your shop and learn from you. If I ever get a chance, your phone will be ringing off the hook!

Brian, for the handles I'm using a sears 2" x 42" grinder with a 1" belt. for the finger grove I have one of those 1" dia rubber mandrles with the sanding disk on it stuck in my bench drill press. I know I'm going to smoke the bearings in that press using it like this but it'll have to do until my dreams of a KMG with small wheel attachment come true :)

Matt Matlock
 
MAtt,
I know what you mean. I didnt shape my handles so much untill I got the KMG with the small wheels. TRy using wood instead of micarta. It will be easier to shape as I am sure you know :D
 
Cool Mat
and
I like that 2nd one down too.
can I ask who did the H/T on it?
it should have had no pitting at all on it :( ..
 
Dan, I sent it and a small D2 knife (no. 2 not pictured) out to have it done. It came back pitted but the D2 only had minor discoloration. I was bummed so I let it lay around the house for about 4 years. I talked to the place that did it while I was at the Spirit of Steel show in '03 and they said send it to them and they would make it right, but I just could not let it go after all the time I had in it so I just bead blasted it and finished it. I think it was a fluke so I would rather not say who did it. I don't want to bad mouth them, especialy since they said they would make it right.

Matt Matlock
 
Matlock said:
Dan, I sent it and a small D2 knife (no. 2 not pictured) out to have it done. It came back pitted but the D2 only had minor discoloration. I was bummed so I let it lay around the house for about 4 years. I talked to the place that did it while I was at the Spirit of Steel show in '03 and they said send it to them and they would make it right, but I just could not let it go after all the time I had in it so I just bead blasted it and finished it. I think it was a fluke so I would rather not say who did it. I don't want to bad mouth them, especialy since they said they would make it right.

Matt Matlock
Click to expand...

that's Cool Mat
in that amount of time I'm sure they have made some changes if still in it..
it's nice to know and it keeps them accountable too.
not to bad mouth but just to keep them on their toes..
 
I think you are doing some really good work, Matt. You put working handles on your knives, nothin' wrong with that. And, maybe offering your customer some different feels on some handles is a good idea, but I am not critisizing your work.
 
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