I have an update coming - I worked on the blade that’s left me stumped for quite some time. I figured it didn’t matter what happened, it was better to work to finish it and it is after all my first knife.
After re-reading I should have dyed the blade and taken it horizontally to my flat planten to work out the high spots (also a good use for a disc sander - I know what Santa is bringing for Christmas).
Instead I ground towards the spine and took material off til it was fatter all around. I burnt the tip when doing this - forgot to dip in between passes because I’m a idiot, so I reshaped the front of the knife (it’s now like a big barbecue knife). After that I went to working on the areas I could eye that were thicker (again, should have dyed the blade and worked through the high spots on the flat platten - or disk sander). This worked tremendously though, and I started hand sanding. What. A. Task. Jesus, I know why people don’t do it. I tried both sets of stones and definitely prefer the Gessweins. I developed some key techniques and used Nick Wheelers method of alternating directions to clear ALL scratches. I stoned and then used paper to make it clear. I think I can just use the stones to my final grit but paper really made it clear if all the previous scratches were out. Also messed with etching my first blade, and finishing. I still have to sand (after two days I’m not complete). Slow work as I figured out all of the methods. I need to make some of those sanding sticks to make it easier, which will be my project for the weekend (honestly wish someone made these so I could just buy it). I was like Bambi learning to walk - I do have a sanding block from Jeremy @ simplelittlelife (plug lol) and it TRULY made everything a lot easier (at least on the paper front). Again though, another excuse to get a disk sander - I can instantly see how it would make this job, especially on knives so much easier.
I thought that I had finished the show side in the picture I was going to post, after two days of sanding I was supremely excited. Reviewed it in multiple angles to check to ensure I got everything. Cleaned it off, took it inside full of pride of my work, only to see micro scratches in yellow light that I had missed (big sad bummer). You can lie and cheat yourself too, because at almost every angle it looks perfect - but it isn’t. So I think I’m going to move up to 800 - get everything - then drop to 600 for final passes (should make it easier to get everything out on my final passes as I won’t have to do a million of them). I was doing final passes at 600 - with 600 inconsistencies, and I can already see how 15 minutes on final passes could easily turn into 50-1:30 if I don’t do that 800 step.
Overall - knife isn’t perfect - no where close, but it’s allowing me to practice every step of the process and develop my techniques. I’m excited to finish the blade - so I can move onto handles and develop my techniques there (handles seems like ANOTHER PLACE, that a disk sander would be used, especially for the WA handle I plan to make). I will say - after this sanding regime, I feel confident if I work with a smaller blade (a petty, which I plan to do for the kith), I think I can produce something that is above average, and that makes me super excited.
I plan to post more here, and the completed knife in the shop progress thread. Stay tuned - thanks for the support and help.
