Gratuitous 1K-ish post Giveaway "Good Times Bad Times"

[Fletch Helical]

[youtube]F5Y3n4PO1ps[/youtube]

First off I can't do a good times bad times giveaway without paying homage to the greatest musical band to ever compose music. So first requirement is to enjoy the magic of rock!!


Since I've been on here I've gotten a TON of help from other makers on here from all different points of their journey in the craft. From seasoned vets to noobs like me. And for that I would like to thank everyone here who takes their time to share their knowledge with other members here. Hats off to all you guys :thumbup:

Now on to the rules and regulations of this particular venture . In order to be eligible for this contest post up what you believe to your best and worst of knife making..... Preferably a knife you feel is some of your best work, and what you feel is your worst. (I know most don't take pics of their bombs but post em if you got em). Otherwise a brief description of how bad you bombed something in knife making will do. Also acceptable are stories and/or pics of something you enjoyed the most making and again your most aggravating, hear breaking, etc experience (staying with the good/bad times theme) Fine print: inclusion of pictures will not increase chance of winning but would be appreciated for all our readers

Again pictures are greatly appreciated but, as the saying goes "Pics or it didn't happen".

Now lets say you're sitting there saying "But I'm just getting started at this and I don't have any experience so no "good times/bad times" for me . FEAR NOT noobs!! You can still enter, but if you're serious about this you should have some ideas of what you want to make, if so you should have some sketches. Post up what you feel is your best and worst design, that will do just fine.

Your post is your entry, Should you want to comment about someones work feel free however only posts that meet the requirements of the contest will count as an entry. So should a post get picked that is just someone commenting about something, I'll just draw again. The first post that is an official entry will be the winner.

Contest will run from time of post to midnight EST of 8/29. Winner will be chosen by putting the total number of posts in this thread into random.org and picking a number. Alright I know you're thinking "yeah yeah, whadda I win?"

I'm offering up for this particular contest 2 pieces of Claro Walnut (Burls Source's stuff so it's good) and a piece of Jade G11 to the winner.

Smaller block measures: 1 5/8"w x 5 1/4"L x 1 1/16" thick
Larger block measures: 2"w x 5 1/2"L x 1 5/8" thick
G11 measures 2 5/8" at its narrowest point ( I believe it's somewhere around 2 3/4" at it's wider edge) x 10 5/8"L x 3/4" thick

Hot dog!!!! The contest is officially underway..... Speaking of hot dog a little thinking music for you guys.

[youtube]4p2PDFm2qMs[/youtube]

 

[Wloch248]

Been thinking about this design recently. 8 1/4" OAL, blade 3 3/4"

If anyone has any input let me know top middle or bottom. I will use the give away wood if I win.

Thanks Fletch!

 

[Fletch Helical]

So far Wloch seems to be a lock for this one.

 

[barnett25]

I am just getting started with knife making, but I think I have a best and worst knife.

My worst was supposed to be a wood carving knife, but somehow this is what I ended up with. I flipped the profile and made the cutting edge curved when it should have looked like a sheep's foot blade.

I am fairly happy with my "best" knife, but there are plenty of things I will do differently on my next.

Thanks for the chance at the handle materials, and congrats on 1000 posts!

 

[unky_gumbi]

Now this all depends on whether you are talking best looking and worst looking, or best preforming and worst performing. So far my best looking has also been my worst result, yet my worst looking knife is one that I did the HT at home and it works great.

This is the best looking in my eyes, but it had a handle failure in the first few swings so it is the worst performer to date

This little one is ugly as sin, has a horrible finish with deep scratched, but works like a dream and holds and edge great

so both of those are tied for my worst knife

My best would have to be this one

Decent finish on it fits my hand like a glove, and I like the way the handle came out looking after applying the finish, It was also my first tooled sheath and I like the way it came out too

 

[amcardon]

I've only done a couple (read 4) knives and 2 rehandles so I don't have much experience. I know it doesn't exactly fit your criteria but as far as bad times, I would have to say my biggest frustration is grinding the point in the blade. I can grind nice and even everywhere else but when I get to the point I always seem to bugger it up. Nothing worse than a good looking knife with a crap point on it... I also use a Delta 1x42 and there are lots of "bad times" with that but it's a whole different thread there!

One I'm most pleased with:

One my wife likes the best:

Most fugly (sorry for crappy pic, had to use phone; don't know why the crap it's pink... just adds to the fugliness!):

Sheesh, haven't even cleaned that one up since the last time I used it to cut up some fatwood... Ugly but a hard worker!

Thanks Fletch, and congrats on the 1K!

 

[Fletch Helical]

I've only done a couple (read 4) knives and 2 rehandles so I don't have much experience. I know it doesn't exactly fit your criteria but as far as bad times,

Guys don't get too hung up on trying to nail down the exact criteria. Just something that resembles good/bad times related to knife making will be fine. I just wanted to hopefully get something a bit entertaining in here from guys for everyone to read and maybe see some knives. I wanted it to be something a bit more than just an "I'm in" thing.


Oh I also forgot to mention I'm paying for shipping to ConUS residents. People from outside, if you win, we'll have to work something out depending on what shipping costs will be. If it's a reasonable cost I'll still cover it but if it's a crazy shipping cost maybe we can meet halfway on it or something. We'll work something out if need be.

 

[unky_gumbi]

Guys don't get too hung up on trying to nail down the exact criteria. Just something that resembles good/bad times related to knife making will be fine. I just wanted to hopefully get something a bit entertaining in here from guys for everyone to read and maybe see some knives. I wanted it to be something a bit more than just an "I'm in" thing.


Oh I also forgot to mention I'm paying for shipping to ConUS residents. People from outside, if you win, we'll have to work something out depending on what shipping costs will be. If it's a reasonable cost I'll still cover it but if it's a crazy shipping cost maybe we can meet halfway on it or something. We'll work something out if need be.

I don't know if you have had a knife totally fail on you yet, but let me tell you it's heart breaking, especially if it was looking like your best work to date I still kept it around and glued everything back together to show myself what I can do but it will never use that knife for anything more then cutting up paper. I actually had about 3 major problems with the Bowie but refused to give up on it. Guess I am a little stubborn
What I would really like to see is some of the guys that make the really nice knives to show us their "bad times" knives, its always nice to see the pros mess up and look more human

 

[Dixieblade57]

Ok I am in but this is kind of like playing the Lotto for me, no chance to win, but hey at least it don't cost me for a ticket like the lotto!

This one was a commisioned piece for my neighbor to his son. I was rather worried about the final piece because, it was different in handle color and the actual design of the blade/shape had evolved from the orginal I had shown to him when he told me he wanted one. But he had told me I could have total design control and I let this one tell me what it wanted to look like as a final product. The handle is pickled Oak, pinned with brass pins, pewter bolsters, and the blade is 1085.
When I took it too him he offered to pay me more money than we agreed on but I wouldn't take it! He had a plaque engraved for it and gave it too his son after he returned from Iraq. His son has it on display over his fireplace!

Click thumbnails for larger view:


Here is one with the sheath I made for it.


These were two of my first and while they are still out there, (my son has the one on the right, and my son in law the one on the left) they are probably not my best work.
The one on the left has a whitetail antler shaped to the pickle looking handle! The one on the right has a Hickory handle with a brass guard. The sheaths were both made by me.




Thanks for the opportunity to play the game!

 

[Dixieblade57]

Bump!

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

Here's my entry. The worst(on the bottom) is my first, long ago from a file and an angle grinder. Soaked rawhide wrapped handle. The best is my current chef knife. 11" OAL x 2" wide, 1/16" thick S30v. The handle isn't finished yet, but it will be bocote. I don't really care about the handle, the blade is so beautiful. Its probably ten times better grinding that anything else I've done. What a difference a 2x72 with a leather platen makes! I did a little work on the handle this morning. Ruined 3 corby bolts in the process, but I think I like this handle.

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

This was my first KSO:

This or my last is my best- but this is my favourite pic of a knife I made (I have neither of these):

Thank you for the giveaway.

 

[Fletch Helical]

GAW ends tomorrow midnight EST. And with the current participation the odds are REALLY good, from a quick scan it appears as of right now there is a 1 in 7 chance of winning. That's just a bit worse then a roll of one die.

 

[The_Dave]

I'll bite.

I'm just starting out but I have a few finished ones... The best part about being a beginner is that there are LOTS of mistakes from which to learn and having a resource like BF.com makes it all that much easier.

Worst, also the first:

Best, in my opinion:

 

[unky_gumbi]

The Dave: that is some nice wood on the file knife.

I will be honest all I want is the chunk of G11 and I would gift the two pieces of Claro for my 2K post. Its not that I don't like the Claro Walnut, I just have about 6 pieces of it here to use up already and I would like to try a synthetic handle material for a change. I know if I don't win I will be ordering some kydex and either G10 or mycarta in the next couple of weeks.
I think its kind of disappointing that no one has really entered this little giveaway. Is it because people don't want to share their not so perfect knife stories?

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

Some people have shame still- I do not!! Ugly has it's place- like Butt-Head told Beavis: "You have to have stuff that sucks to know when something rocks"

I wanted to add that I love the Led Zepp inclusion to the thread- I walked out to "The Immigrants Song" for my wedding! Have to rock the Viking Heritage.

 

[The_Dave]

Thanks! It's stabilized spalted alder.

 

[Fletch Helical]

Alright giveaway is over and the winning number is #9 Dixieblade send me either a PM or a email with your info and I'll get it in the mail. Congrats!!

 

[Dixieblade57]

Email sent via the forum!

I can't believe I really finally won one of these contests!! Thanks for a shot at this.

Wow I feel like going out and buying a lotto ticket! I just hope I can do the material proud. I have some knives in the planning stage that will be just the ticket for these items, and I will be sure to post and give Fletch Helical the credits for supplying the handle materials when I get them done! Wahoooooooo!

Fletch I am doing summersaults, can't you see me? No! Well I guess you will just have to imagine, as I am too old to do summersaults anyway!

 

[unky_gumbi]

Congrats on the windfall, but you know its a waste of time to go by that lotto ticket now, you used up your luck

Thanks again Fletch for the giveaway I still would have like to seen more people enter