Forged Integral Not-Actually-Really-a-Chopper WIP

[G. Shahan]

Salem,

Thats COOL!!!

Greg

 

[richard j]

that is one sweet knife salem. good job :thumbup:

 

[melsdad]

This is amazing looking! I can't wait to see the final pictures.

 

[Burl Source]

I have been noticing a few of you younger makers (that means anyone younger than me) are making some really clean, ultra good fit and finish knives lately. I thought the young guys were supposed to make the wild stuff and the old guys the conservative stuff. What's up with that?

I am just teasing....sort of.

Seriously I have enjoyed seeing your knives you make. I admire your clean style and attention to detail. Not to be lumping you into a category, but knives by you, Wheeler and Quesenberry always catch my eye. Keep up the great work. I hope you get rich and famous someday soon.

 

[Southclaw]

Great work Salem! I have been concidering posting a WIP but after looking at your I am haveing second thought. lol I love the hamon work!

 

[Core Knife Co.]

Salem, that is over the top nice! I totally enjoyed watching this thread progress.

 

[Salem Straub]

Okay, the bolster, tang and handle are sanded and ready for a light buff, now I’m going to mark the blade. As I see it, I have only one option for placement. Good thing I got small stencils from Ernie Grospitch. Here we go.

The Crawford etcher I recently built. Mine is the “Etchtastic 3000” model, run at 12 v. (It actually tests at +/- 14V.)

Aaaannd… it looks OK. A little tune-up and sharpening, and it’s done.

Here’s some finished pics.

I'll post some more in a bit. Better pics to come. Thanks for looking, y'all.

 

[mtnfolk mike]

WOW... beautifully done Salem... that came out great..:thumbup:

 

[Salem Straub]

And here's a few more for you. The toughest part about this project may have been posting all of this on a dial up connection. 28.8 kbps, anyone?

I know that some of you "Eric Claptons and Jimmy Pages of the knife world" are probably looking at this. I appreciate any criticism, constructive or otherwise, anyone may have to offer.

That'll be all, folks. It's been a pleasure, thank you so much for sharing this experience with me. Whew! Now what?

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Salem,
Really nice job! The hamon came out incredible, it was nice to see how you did the clay on it too. The tapered tang and fit on the scales...

Yeah I like it.

 

[Railrider1920]

Very Very cool. That hamon is something else.

 

[Patrice Lemée]

Major hamon envy!

Can I ask where you got the pumice Salem?

 

[Salem Straub]

I'm sorry Patrice, I found this old box of pumice in the shop of my wife's grandfather who passed away. It must be from the 60's. Oddly, I found it right when I needed it. All I could say is to google it. I'll bet Veritas Tools up there in Canada has it, it's for rubbing varnish finishes in fine woodwork.

 

[Patrice Lemée]

Thanks, I'll give that a try.
Thanks again for sharing all this. Much appreciated.

 

[Salem Straub]

I have been noticing a few of you younger makers (that means anyone younger than me) are making some really clean, ultra good fit and finish knives lately. I thought the young guys were supposed to make the wild stuff and the old guys the conservative stuff. What's up with that?

I am just teasing....sort of.

Seriously I have enjoyed seeing your knives you make. I admire your clean style and attention to detail. Not to be lumping you into a category, but knives by you, Wheeler and Quesenberry always catch my eye. Keep up the great work. I hope you get rich and famous someday soon.

Mark, thank you. I personally don't mind being "lumped into a category" with those guys at all. Quite the contrary.
My wife hopes I get rich and famous someday soon, too.

The bar has been set so high by those who came before that if we don't strive for fit, finish, and refined aesthetics now we'll never reach it.

Thanks, everyone for the kind words. If I have motivated or inspired anyone, I'm happy. I look forward to seeing your work.

Good night.

 

[jonnymac44]

Salem, that finished product is so smooth and clean!! It was a pleasure watching this WIP and the knife is some serious eye candy:thumbup:

Bravo!

 

[Frank Niro]

Boy, that's a real picee of work Salem !!! I like it a lot !! It seems to be a real piece of class with lots of nice additions some of us really like !!! That's some temper line and the general finishing looks first class !!! I hope you get a good price on that one !!!It deserves it. Frank

 

[S.Grosvenor]

:thumbup: Everything a handmade knife should be.

 

[Mark Behnke]

Great knife and WIP

It's giving me hope that I can sand to a mirror polish on a little hunter. It's been days of going back, and going back, ready to give up, but your thread has kept me hanging in there.

Thanks, appreciate all the work that goes into your WIP.

 

[John White]

Salem,

I love this knife. That green canvas handle is a classic, and you've done a beautiful job on shape and fit. The whole knife is excellent!

John