I'm working on my first knife. I built one from a kit and was hooked. Anyway, it's 3/16" thick 1095. My big questions are these:
How thick should I leave where the edge will be so it doesn't warp during heat treating?
Are there any tricks to a great flat grind, or it is it just patience and practice?
Here's a picture of the blank:
Lastly, has anyone ever used that dipped rubber coating for a handle? Home Depot and Lowe's has it both in a spray can and in a pint can. I thought about drilling some tiny holes or putting some grooves in the tang to help keep it in place. Any thoughts? I envision this as a camp/work knife so it will need to be able to take abuse. I work on radar equipment in the Air Force, so the insulated handle will be helpful from a safety standpoint.
Zac
How thick should I leave where the edge will be so it doesn't warp during heat treating?
Are there any tricks to a great flat grind, or it is it just patience and practice?
Here's a picture of the blank:
![Knife1blank.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi129.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fp224%2Fzcostilla%2FKnives%2FKnife1blank.jpg&hash=b1117e69b89c051b02d33a995cf458aa)
Lastly, has anyone ever used that dipped rubber coating for a handle? Home Depot and Lowe's has it both in a spray can and in a pint can. I thought about drilling some tiny holes or putting some grooves in the tang to help keep it in place. Any thoughts? I envision this as a camp/work knife so it will need to be able to take abuse. I work on radar equipment in the Air Force, so the insulated handle will be helpful from a safety standpoint.
Zac