Inspiration from a Master!

[L6steel]

"The last knife we made, regardless of how it turned out, is a very important part of our development. It's the next step in the long journey to where we become masters of our equipment and materials. We must take those steps. At first they are small; at times - later on, they may become giant steps. Those who have success worked hard one step at a time and never gave up. Hard work, clear goals, a positive attitude and determination to never give up go further than raw talent."

Wayne Goddard


I just wanted to share this with you folks, especially the new knifemakers who are scratchin their heads wondering why they ever got into knifemaking in the first place.

 

[Jerry Hossom]

I couldn't agree more. Furthermore, after 20 years of doing this it just keeps getting better. Every knife is a new lesson in the craft, and another shot at the prefection we seek but never achieve.

Today, I find the knives I made just a year ago (after 19 years of trying) unacceptable. Hopefully I can say the same thing a year from now and every year thereafter. It's what makes this craft so very satisfying.

 

[Mark Williams]

A large part of achieving perfection is knowing when to quit.Sometimes I find that I will just plain worry something to death and ruin what I should have left alone. I hope knowing when to leave well enough alone will come with experiance.

Mark

 

[TANGUS]

There is no finer truth than that. Those are fine words but pretty darn hard sometimes to follow, but, if you suck it up and keep learning from the past knife, the next one will reflect your attention. The best learning tool I have in my shop is the box of brazened metal that I have experimented on and the multiple "shop knives" that reflect the mistakes I've made. My achievements in knife making are not in the same league as most of you, but even I have grown since the last blade.--Dan

 

[Bruce Evans]

Boy is that the truth.....
I feel jilted if I have to make a knife that doesn't let me do better than the last one I made.Heck I am like Jerry only I feel that some I have finished just a few months ago aren't satisfactory any more,When does this madness for the perfect knife stop,ever,or will I never be satisfied with a knife I finish.
Yes Gouge learning to stop does come with experience,But the best way to learn is,When you are trying to correct something and it just keeps getting worse instead of better that is when you stop.I have had a scratch that I would go back to fix and itt would seem like every time I tried to get it out another one would pop up and the original pne never got any smaller,when this happens the knife just gets to keep its scratch as a birth mark..
Bruce

 

[L6steel]

".I have had a scratch that I would go back to fix and itt would seem like every time I tried to get it out another one would pop up and the original pne never got any smaller,when this happens the knife just gets to keep its scratch as a birth mark.. "
Bruce

Doesn't that drive you crazy! I've noticed that even what hand I'm holding the blade in makes a difference. There will be a certain spot on the blade that I just can not get clean and I end up having to change my grip on the blade or maybe lower my elbow or something.
Knife making sure is an amazing craft!

 

[Bruce Evans]

The worst is when you are getting ready to package up a knife and the light hits it just rite and you see a scratch that you had never seen before,then it stands out all the time as you go to fix it and end up with a mess and have to start over on the rubbing again.That is one of the fasinating things that happens to us Knifemakers.. I think they all aply ...
Bruce