Having some fun with ATS-34

Wulf

Wulf

Joined
May 10, 2000
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3,351
I've been thinking about making knives for quite some time now. In fact, I remember many years ago when I was a kid I found an old steel rod that I wanted to forge into a knife. I hadn't the slightest idea what I was doing, and the bonfire I built in the backyard never quite got hot enough. :o

Anyway, a few months ago I picked up an inexpensive Delta 4x36" grinder, some files, and some ATS-34 bar stock. I thought I'd play around a bit to see what I could come up with. I borrowed a friend's band saw to cut out one blank, and I used my dremel to cut out another (yes, it took a very long time).

Here's what I've got so far:
wulf_side.jpg

wulf_sides.jpg

wulf_file.jpg


I still have tons of work to do before I can call this things "knives", so I'd love to hear some comments, critiques, and suggestions.

Thanks
 
Nicely done. I really like the blade with the file work. That file work looks great by the way. I am not sure what I think of the fighter blade. There is something about the grinds that just don't sit quite right with me, but I am not sure what it is.

Excellent work considering the tools you had to work with. Please keep this thread updated with what is done to these blades in the future.
 
Fantastic, Wulf! Very well done. Did you do the filework (dremelwork?) after or before heat treat? Great job on that spine. Looks as good as any pro I've seen. Keep it up!
 
Wow. Thanks for the kind words!

Kieth - if you can put your finger on it, I'd really like to hear some suggestions on what I might do differently on that fighter. Given that these are my first two attempts at knifemaking, I'm still very much in the experimentation stage. Any and all criticisms would be welcomed.

Kumdo - neither of these has gone to heat treat yet - I need to get some shop time in the University of Vermont's engineering department (my friend runs the shop there and has access to ovens and all sorts of other fun toys). I did the filework with some jewelers files and plan to clean it up some before I'm done.

I'll definitely post pics when these are finished. Considering, however, how little time I find to work on them (not to mention my slow, deliberate, and cautious approach) it may be a little while.
 
I would wager to say that far less than 1% of the knifemakers out there had results like this after their first 2 attempts. Amazing to say the least. I have a feeling that the Fighter is going to look awesome when it is finished.

BTW, how are you planning to handle the fileworked blade?
 
WOW! you are talented. I will someday soon start this process, but not yet.

I have a knife that has some of the nicest filework I have ever encountered. It is by Hill Pearce. Your work is very similar! I LOVE the random, evolving pattern. You already got my vote. Thanks for the post!

Coop

28509775XBuZhSVDJB_ph.jpg
 
Wulf & Kieth, I'll try and explain why that fighter blade looks "odd".
I've done this myself so I know what you are saying Kieth. The top of the plung cut is higher than the main blade bevel. The main blade bevel is curving downward from the plung cut and curving up to the tip of the knife while the edge is straight.
What I was doing to make this happen (still does every once and awhile) is when I started working on the blade bevels (lets say that for right now we are working on the left side bevel, handle in right hand, edge facing up)I would put the knife to the grinder at a slight angle (handle twords the grinder and tip twords me) and the plunge would get ground at this angle. I would then straighten out the blade parallel with the platten but I wouldn't be applying as much pressure, in turn, making the plunge cut higher than the rest of the bevel. I would then bring my hand down and out when starting to reach the tip causing me to remove too much material which in turn caused the main bevel to be curved even though the edge is straight.
It is correctable and it still looks good regaurdless!
 
Wolf, when I was a younger I tried to make a bonfire forge. My friend and I even built a kiln. We could never get the fire hot enough until I brought down a leaf blower. The leaf blower actually made the fire hot enough to do some "forging." We never could make much of anything but we had a good time trying.
Matthew
 
Wulf, you da dawg! Very impressive start. For me I like the choil cut out best, nice effect. Is that one flat ground? The fighter looks hollow ground. What's the thickness of the blades? LarryD
 
Larry - they're actually both flat ground 5/32" stock (though somehow in the pic that fighter does look hollow ground, doesn't it?)

Blademan - the little camp knife is going to have an interesting handle - it'll look like a full tang from the top where the filework is, but the bottom will be all wood. Not sure what you'd call that, but that's how it's gonna have to be. I'm thinking of doing some carving on the handle too. I picked up a nice block of stabilized redwood burl that I think will look quite nice.

Coop - I remember seeing a picture of that knife when you first posted it a few months ago. Let's just say I was equally impressed. That you would call my gnarled cuts "similar" to Hill Pearce's work is entirely too nice.

folderVSfixed - would you believe that I actually curved the grind line on purpose? It may look funny, but I was trying to make the profile a bit flatter in the belly and towards the tip. My reasoning was that it would make the blade a bit lighter and quicker in the hand, while creating a more aggressive slicing profile in the belly. The bevel on the flat part of the edge. meanwhile, is at a slightly steeper angle, which will give the edge a bit more strength in the area you would most likely use for harder cutting tasks. I guess it does look a bit odd though...

Matthew - sounds like you had a little more perseverance than I did as a child. The leaf blower on a home-made kiln is ingenious! Maybe I ought to try that ;)

Once again, I'm flattered by all the kind words. I'm encouraged to keep at this little hobby - maybe even get a real grinder some day. :)
 
Wulf,

i figured that is most probably the way you were headed. I don't know what you call it either. About the only serious knife I have seen that uses this arrangement was a Randall 14. Please keep us updated on your progress. good luck and have fun!
 
Wulf,

Your enthusiasm shows in your first pieces, you have the BUG!! I can see your collection going to buy equipment ;) Call me some time, I'd be glad to share some ideas with you.

Are you doing a mortised tang/handle on the larger one????

Neil
 
Well in that case it looks great to me!
Keep going, cuz with what you got right now it looks like you will be a maker to look out for in the future.
Great job!:cool:
 
Man oh Man!!! :eek:

I have been playing witht his knife maker thing for a bit over a year now, and I am using a Delta sander just like the one oyu are using...
I wish I could get results like that.
I end up with a series of stones and sand paper trying to get the high places down even witht he low places and all the sctraches out :p

You, have a true talent IMHO! Keep us updated as they progress!

Very very nice! Especially for your first knives!!
 
You guys are really way too kind.

Neil, I'm in South Beach right now recovering from a late night out at the Delano. I'd give you a call except my voice doesn't work too well right now ;) Oh, and if I do start selling off knives, my Blackwoods will be the last to go. Well, except maybe for the Warenski... :cool:

On the fighter, I'm thinking I'll do a full tang handle with filework all around. I may try to slap on a guard too, but I wouldn't want to get too ambitious on these first knives lest I screw something up at the 11th hour :eek:

I wonder if you guys can guess what my New Years resolution was?
 
Wulfie
Gee there is some talent in Vermont. Seriously I am impressed. I like the fighter blade as is once finished and mirror polished I think it will look sweet. File work looks a-one also. Pretty freaking good for first times. I will eagerly watch how they turn out.
Bob
 
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