Just finished my first fixed blade knife - opinions?

Really nice looking grinds, filework and fit and finish. The scales/handle look too thin for me, but I've learned to handle a knife before judging. GREAT first FB.

PS. If you can make that knife, I can't imagine you'll have much trouble making a sheath!
 
I don't know if he's posted it here, but you guys need to ask him to see pictures of his first knife. I haven't tried liner locks yet, that was his first knife. I'll bet you dollars to pesos his first is better than my 50th.
 
Great job on you 1st fixed blade. As said before, file work & grinds are very good, (wish I could do that), I also like the lines of the entire knife, the handle kind of reminds me of a Boker Top Lock.

Keep it up :thumbup:
 
I think that knives made by machinists have a certain look to them. Not better or worse, just a little different. Surface ground flats, heh heh...

Crit:
I wonder about the ergonomics of the handle, both in profile and in cross section. And I'd like the appearance better if the guard were a bit narrower.

Observation:
D2 is not as easy to do well as I thought it was (before I started using it for knives). If it didn't fully harden, something was off about the HT that you need to figure out. It may not matter on this one, but it is a wonderful steel, so if you're wanting to improve your results on the next one, I suggest you first make some test blanks and evaluate for yourself how the HT effects edge stability, edge retention in abrasion, and corrosion resistance. I found that the steel needs a good long soak time (30 - 40 min) cryo as part of quench (otherwise, it is designed to retain austenite, and it will) and you can't just re-heat treat it if you don't like the first stab at it because grain size can go from 10 to 3!

Recommendation:
I'd suggest making another one that isn't so pretty that you can use and start to judge for yourself how your grind geometry and edge geometry affect the cutting performance and start to develop a wish list for your next one. You learn by using them.

I think that is a great first knife.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
D2 is not as easy to do well as I thought it was (before I started using it for knives). If it didn't fully harden, something was off about the HT that you need to figure out.
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Mainly I was rushing it because I wanted to get the knife done. I probably could have re heat treated it and gotten it right, but I knew this one would not see much use anyway so I let it ride. When it first came out of the oven it checked 64-65 Rc. I left it in the draw too long and brought it down too far.

The next ones will be spot on, if I continue to use D2. I'm definitely thinking about trying some stainless.

Thanks everyone for the kind comments.
 
very nice, especially as a first. I might have put a higher gloss finish on the handle, as it looks like it might pick up some grime along the way.

As for your next knife, don't do damascus just to do damascus. If you want to make a show knife (which you definitely have the skill to do from the looks of it) go ahead, but if you want to make a user it isn't worth the cost. If the cost of material is a limiting factor you might redirect towards a more utilitarian design. It doesn't cost a whole bunch to make a knife from O1 and plain micarta, but if you put the effort in you can sure make it a pretty one.

can't wait to see your second.
 
Nice grind job. I use a D2 and for HT I do 1850f for a good 1/2 hr soak wrapped in 309ss foil then clamp between 2 aluminum plates till cool. Then into a bucket of acetone with a some dry ice and leave it for about 3 hours then 2 tempers at 425f. Will come out about 62RC Jim
 
Nice, Very Nice! What dia. wheel did you hollow grind it on? How did you get the satin finish onto the hollow ground area?
-M
 
Hay, that is super, blade. Can you tell us the equipment your using, grinders etc.
If this is your first blade your gonna be a star.......
 
What a talent :eek::thumbup:
It's just too good... I guess the ergonomy may be a little problematic, but what the hell, I have seen lots of weird handles made by very famous knifemakers; yours is lot better than these for sure :D..
 
mykulmorris said:
Nice, Very Nice! What dia. wheel did you hollow grind it on? How did you get the satin finish onto the hollow ground area?
-M
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Believe it or not I am doing my blade grinds with this grinder from Harbor Freight Tools. Go there - www.harborfreight.com, and type in 35098 in the "item number" box in the top left corner. It should pull up the page with the grinder I'm using.

Its not exactly a belt sander and not near as fast. It takes me about 2 hours to rough grind a blade, then after I heat treat it maybe about another 30 minutes to finish it out. I really need a belt sander setup
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The finish on the hollow ground area is bead blasted.
 
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