Hillzula

I've been intently following your WIP at the Bladesmith Q&A forum and gotta say it turned out great! I look at all the work it takes just to make a handle and boy is it intimidating to start from chunk of metal. I have yet to make that jump. Anyway, great knife and don't ever sell it!
 
Very cool!! I was starting to wonder if any of the members here, besides the knife makers, have gotten the erge to take a shot at making their own knife. It's a longer process than you think. It also gives you more respect to the knife makers out there that do it for a living. Looking forward to seeing more pics and maybe a sheath to go with the new knife??
 
MHill said:
Careful Jeff, this is month 7 since I closed my company and been unemployed. I'm tempted to sell my soul at this point.

I'll make a promise to you however, if I ever do get to a point where I can afford some real equipment and am able to make a better quality knife. I'll give you this first one. Why? Because I love my Izula and I appreciate everything you and Mike do around here for t he community.
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But i don't want a knife made on good equipment. I like that one.
 
R.A.T. said:
But i don't want a knife made on good equipment. I like that one.
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That's what I said!

Originally Posted by MHill

I'll make a promise to you however, if I ever do get to a point where I can afford some real equipment and am able to make a better quality knife. I'll give you this first one. Why? Because I love my Izula and I appreciate everything you and Mike do around here for t he community.
 
great first attempt! i know my first...actual forging turned out pretty darn bad, but i wasn't too upset since it was a first
 
MHill said:
That's what I said!

Originally Posted by MHill

I'll make a promise to you however, if I ever do get to a point where I can afford some real equipment and am able to make a better quality knife. I'll give you this first one. Why? Because I love my Izula and I appreciate everything you and Mike do around here for t he community.
Click to expand...

Some real nice knives are made one at a time by hand. You do not need alot of fancy equipment to make them. Unless you wanted to make a living from making knives. Being your first knife, you can tell you put some time into it. I say stick with the files and hand sanders.... Or maybe get a small bench/belt sander. Belts are cheap and materials are easy to find.
 
MHill said:
That's what I said!

Originally Posted by MHill

I'll make a promise to you however, if I ever do get to a point where I can afford some real equipment and am able to make a better quality knife. I'll give you this first one. Why? Because I love my Izula and I appreciate everything you and Mike do around here for t he community.
Click to expand...

I interpreted that as the first one off the new equipment, not the one you posted here.
 
See, you need to trade that to me for about 5 new Izulas :)
 
wow thats really impressive, and thats your first knife?!:eek: thats amazing. your skill looks to almost equal that of several makers that ive seen who do this full time. i truly think you could have a future as a knife maker
 
:eek:

If you can do that with a file, consider what you could accomplish with machines.

Very nice work:thumbup::cool:
 
I must concur with what everyone else is saying, that is some seriously nice work. Great job on your first knife!

-Connor
 
Nice work. It looks amazing considering you worked the grind with files! That knife has more character than any that could be made with the proper tools. I shudder to think how long it must have taken you to full convex .25" stock with a hand file.

I think its worth more than 5 Izulas. :)
 
R.A.T. said:
I interpreted that as the first one off the new equipment, not the one you posted here.
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I see how you interpreted it that way now. I promise though. After I skin a deer with it and make number 2, this one is yours, as a gift.

I really want to learn how to jig and dye bone. While I'm saving coin for a belt grinder, I'm going to take a drive over to Eastern Washington and visit "Dead Cattle Canyon" and pick up a bag of cow chin bone.
 
Great job Michael, and a great story too! I don't know how old you are but down the road you can tell your grandkids you made that knife by hand, with some inspiration from the Izula, and one of the Izula's creators was so impressed that he wanted to buy it from you, or trade it for more Izulas! Don't get much better than that!

Also, good luck getting back to work. I've had my fair share of lay-offs. EDIT: I was looking at the pics again and besides the shape, and the challenges you faced making it, I really like it because it it oozes character. Again, very well done for a first attempt. You should be proud; I know I would be if I made something like that.
 
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