How do you get your idea from your head, into steel?

I like Mike's Method of graph paper and french curves. That's my favorite. I also use Fireworks (Like photo shop) to iron out a design. It works out nice for communicating on the web. You can change wood and things.

Here's one I did for the BF collaboration project. You can superimpose photos and everything.

knifeproject6.jpg



Then glue then to 1/4 particle board and cut out a template. Nice to keep them on hand.

Steve
 
Unless I'm working on an order I normally lite up the forge, grab a piece of steel and start forging. Once I have the blade forged out I'll grind and then heat treat. Finish the blade and go threw my handle stash and see if I have something like stag and see if it will work on the knife. If that don't work I'll trace the blade out and see what shape handle/guard combination will work the best and then do it. Used to spend my time drawing something out but I use the more natural approach now a days. Nice thing about forging especially on smaller knives you can turn what would normally be scrap to a stock removal guy into a knife.
 
You guys that just grab a piece of steel and start hammering or grinding until it's your knife just amaze me. I've done that once and it ended up just like I wanted, but that was certainly a fluke! ;)

Usually I freehand on a drawing tablet with sharp No 1 pencils, using a nice soft eraser a lot until I get the knife I want. (Some evenings my wife loudly suggests I vacuum where I've been sitting before I go to bed.) Then I photocopy the drawing, cut it out, tape it to a piece of acrylic, cut that out and profile on the grinder, put in all the pin holes with a drill that just fits my spring punch, and transfer all that to the steel.

I used to just glue the paper to the steel and go for it but I found that I often wanted to replicate a given pattern, so switched to making a plastic profile of everything. The drawer is getting kinda full and it's good therapy to dig through it once in a while to see where I've been... :D
 
Well, I guess I should get more organized like some of you other guys, but the storey of my life is instant gratification. If i feel like going out and making a drop point knife I just go do it. Most of the time it comes out the way I want it because steel is forgiving as long as you don't take too much off.

I think the critical part is in the grinding of the profile from the rough cut out shape. Getting smooth curves takes some control and planning. You have to know how you pull out a pleasing shape from the cut piece. I might be able to cut them out better with a metal bandsaw, but my equipment is somewhat limited.
 
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