High End Fighter Knife Makers - I need Advice, Please

It might be worth the effort to keep the blocks in order off the saw and do an overall picture to show how the blocks lined up with each other. Then maybe offer it to a select list first or limit initial sales to folks who only want matching consecutive or adjacent blocks. Even later when a good bunch is sold, someone could go back and get a block from the same board to have a better chance at a similar grain/color. A pain for average stuff, but maybe worth it for the best stock.

Nice chunk of koa, Craig
 
I used to do the sequential cuts back in the day when I supplied a lot of wood to guitar builders.
Many times they would do a limited run and the matching pieces were very desirable.

There have also been a couple knife companies doing special editions from their custom shop.
With them the important thing was the same sort of cut from the same piece of wood so all the handles would look as close as possible to each other.

With Koa especially I try to cut quartersawn when possible. That way displays the best curly figure.
The bigger the tree the better the chance of quartersawing. With smaller trees the grain turns and I try to cut as close to 1/4 as possible.
 
Here 'ya go Mark... :)

These are just my thoughts, I am not claiming to be an expert, or to think and/or answer for anyone else. I am not a doctor. I have stayed in a Holiday Inn Express. :foot: ;) :)

[video=youtube;xlqjrV2PUW0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlqjrV2PUW0[/video]
 
Great explanation Nick, That helps not only suppliers but us newbs as well. The flow explanation is great.....

Thanks Nick
Mike
 
Nick's reference in the video to square is a good one.

I have purchased blocks stated as a certain size, but that measurement was on the "large side"

The blocks were not square, no cuts were straight and the "small side" measurements were off by 3/16

There is quite a lot of loss getting that square before starting to work with it.


It's completely unusable for the purpose I bought it for when I relied upon that size spec in the ad.



I really appreciate blocks processed with a quality re-saw bandsaw and thickness sander so I start with flat, square, consistent material.
 
12345678910 said:
Nick's reference in the video to square is a good one.

I have purchased blocks stated as a certain size, but that measurement was on the "large side"

The blocks were not square, no cuts were straight and the "small side" measurements were off by 3/16

There is quite a lot of loss getting that square before starting to work with it.


It's completely unusable for the purpose I bought it for when I relied upon that size spec in the ad.



I really appreciate blocks processed with a quality re-saw bandsaw and thickness sander so I start with flat, square, consistent material.
Click to expand...


That being said...I have measured Mark's blocks.....They can be measured square by .001. I have bought others that were as bad as what you said Count. Horrible, but Mark keeps us in good supply of quality stuff.
 
Thanks Mike :)

I just wanted to follow up and say that I DO REALIZE that 90% of the custom knives being made in the world would probably fit onto that "standard" 1.5" wide block just fine, and that if ALL blocks were cut big, then suppliers would be wasting a lot of fantastic wood. So my thoughts here are strictly toward the idea of suppliers providing blocks for guys making big bowies, fighters, and camp knives that have a dropped, sculpted handle. In no way, shape, or form, am I trying to suggest that all suppliers start providing only 2"+ blocks. But I am suggesting it would be very nice for guys like myself if there were more out there on the market. :)

FWIW- I have loosely discussed this general idea to Mark before, and because of that.... have added MANY large blocks to my stash. :)
 
Hi Mark,

I like that little bit extra to accommodate the swell at the butt along with the curvature that comes with it. Nothing worse than laying a pattern on a beautiful block of material and the bottom or to misses by a 1/4 inch.

I would take any size chunk of your representative material.:eek:

Regards
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top