It's about time I suppose.

i4Marc

i4Marc

Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Messages
5,038
Hi. My name is Marc Aldrich. I've loved knives my whole life and I'm finally getting started making them. I have been checking in almost every day looking at all the beautiful knives you people have been making and posting. I don't know if I'll ever get to be as good as you but I have to start somewhere. So fair is fair. Time to stop being just a looker. Here is a picture of my very first knife and my very first sheath. I gave them to my Dad last Sunday for Father's Day. Here are the specs:

It's 7" OAL with a 3.5" blade. Aldo's 5160. Surface finish is the oxide patina with which it left the heat treat oven. The bevels were sanded to 800 grit. MilSpec 550 paracord wrap. It is shavin' sharp. The sheath is 8 oz. leather in 5 pieces. Outer shell, belt loop and three piece welt. The buck stitching was my Dad's request.

The knife design doesn't break any new ground and it has been done better by others but I would still be interested in any comments, good or bad, as long as it's constructive.

UsRgIal.jpg
 
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Looks great! The jimping looks a little aggressive, but if it works for you, more power to ya. Really though, it looks like a fantastic knife, especially for your first one. Keep em coming!! :D
 
Yeah, the jimping looks a bit aggressive but it doesn't feel bad at all in the hand as I made sure to put a small bevel on all corners. Thanks!
 
Your first knife. WOW! Looking forward to seeing more of your work.
Cheers Keith
 
I would be proud if that were my first knife. :)
I like that you chose 5160.
Good luck on your upcoming knives.
 
I agree it's a great looking knife and sheath and it's hard to think of a better recipient that your dad.
Great looking workbench too and I really like what you've done with the lights underneath/inside.
And WAY COOL photos of those bikes! What circuit is that? I'm guessing you're running a cracking camera like a Canon 5D Mk III or D1-X? And some serious L Series telephoto lenses. Am I close or are you a Nikon man?

Cheers.....Pete
 
Thanks everybody! I had to start with something simple and along the lines of something my Dad would actually use. I have about 30 rough ground knives in a jar in the garage that probably won't see the light of day and another 20 on the kitchen table that probably will. I'm working on a kitchen knife right now for Mom. I don't want her to think I favor my Dad. :D

Pete, Thanks. The workbench took me a couple of months to build by myself but I love having it. The bikes were shot at couple of different locations. The Moto GP bikes were shot at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2008. That was a wacky few days because there was a hurricane passing through the area that weekend. The AMA Superbikes were shot at New Jersey Motorsports Park. When I'm not racing there I'm usually behind the camera (not professionally, only amateur both bikes and camera). I have been a Nikon man for a long time. I've been sticking with Nikon because I already have a lot invested in some pretty nice glass. But the pictures I'm seeing from the 5D MkIII are really making me want to switch. For the Indy shots I used a D300 with the 70-200 f2.8VR and the NJ shots were with the D300 and a 200-400 f4 VR. The shot of the knife was taken with my iPhone5 hahahahhaha!
 
you look like a stickler for detail and that will serve you well :)
 
Thanks Lorien. I respect and admire the skill and talent of so many who post here and attention to detail is a common theme. I'm trying. Like everything in life, you can't have a full understanding of how hard something is until you try it for yourself. knifemaking is no different. I'm not giving up anytime soon.
 
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