First Custom Knife Order

Dave Kelly

Dave Kelly

Joined
Dec 17, 2003
Messages
597
A friend of mines wife called Friday evening and asked if I could make a knife for his birthday but she needed it by today Sunday. She picked out the style, handle material and blade steel. She just picked it up but I sure wish I had more time to work on it. Now I know what it's like to do a custom knife and have a deadline, o.k. so it was no charge but I still got the experience.

3" carbon pattern welded blade
Ironwood burl with ironwood burl overlay
7" o.a.l.

Thanks for looking and ANY comments welcome, Dave

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Seeing as your giving them away my birthday is on Thursday, I'd like one just like that one, can you make in time (that gives you a whole extra day).

Kidding.

That is a truly gorgeous knife, what a gift to give someone. They must have been blown away.

Awesome workmanship.

Sean
 
Very, very nice work. I like your idea of using the ironwood on ironwood overlay. That certainly gives it a unique and eye-catching appearance. ;)
 
Phillip, :)

Sean, I was just getting ready to start your knife when I saw that you were just kidding so I stopped ;) Thanks for the nice comments

Dando, This is the first time that I've made a knife start to finish without days or longer in between steps so I had no idea how long it really took to make a knife like this. I do wish that I had more time, I'm not real happy with the blade, my last tempering wasn't done until Saturday evening and I still had to grind, etch and finish it. I didn't have time to jewel the liners or filework the backspacer I barely had time to anodize and get the whole thing polished up. I made a promise that it would be done by Sunday and I take my promises very seriously. Thanks

trane fan, Thank you

Dave
 
Oh man, that is a gorgeous knife. I love the contrasting ironwood on ironwood. Great looking ironwood too. Love the decorative pivot pin too. I am going to keep my eyes out for your work for sure.
 
That's one of the most refreshing knives I've seen in some time....That pivot pin head treatment is the bomb! lazza
 
Thank you very much for the encouraging comments!

There's a post in the Blade discussion forum about Too many knife compliments on the forums..... so now tell me what you really think about this knife :)
 
Dakcon said:
....There's a post in the Blade discussion forum about Too many knife compliments on the forums..... so now tell me what you really think about this knife :)
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LOL! :D

I was just going to mention that, but ya beat me to it!

Well, now that I've had a better look at your knife and read some of the pros and cons about posting "too many compliments" -- STILL gorgeous! :cool:

(and I send my order WHERE???)
 
Beautiful...I never would've thought of doing an ironwood on ironwood, but it looks fantastic. I really like the lines of this one and as mentioned before that pivot is outstanding. And the damascus pattern blends really well with the ironwood.
 
Two days?
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I'm in shock. Not much I could think of that would be better, except maybe to find a way to fasten the scales on with hidden screws. It would really add to the clean look of your knives (the thing I like the most about them). So there, some constructive criticism for you! I'll be happy to take any other substandard examples off your hands so they don't escape into the mainstream and bring down your reputation. :p :D JK, they really don't get much better than that. You have the eye of an artist.
 
Thanks again !!


Two days?
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I was a machine, I didn't even think about it everything just fell into place, I just started a new one and wanted it to be extra special and nothings going right everytime I do something I regret it, just about trashed it a few times but I'm going to finish it and put it in my pocket and try it again.


except maybe to find a way to fasten the scales on with hidden screws.
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There's just no pleasing some people, another person you can't please is that cockroach guy, he's over there critizing that beautiful knife by Pontiaker :p :)
I'm a little nervous about blind screwing into wood so I'm trying to find some small screw bushings with the course outer thread for the wood and the fine inner thread for the machine screw. With the type of frame construction that I do, I could only blind screw the makers side.

Dave
 
Very nice work. It's probably a good thing you didn't have time to do file work and jewel the liners. Sometimes it's just too much embellishment. I think it would have taken away from the beautiful wood and steel that you used.
I do think a bevel/cutout for the thumb would make it easier to use the stud.
That knife in 2 days is amazing!
 
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