Knife I made for 2011 ABS Journeyman knife of the year

NickWheeler

NickWheeler

Joined
Dec 3, 1999
Messages
9,437
Hey Guys :)

Just thought I'd share this knife with you guys since I hang out and blabber about my knife making thoughts and ideas here so much :o :foot: :D

And just to be clear, I did not win anything, the title is not an award. It just means my name was drawn from a pool of Js makers to build a knife for the auction to help support the ABS. It was my honor to do so. :)

-Ladder pattern fighter/bowie (300ish layers)
-416 ss guard/spacers/pin G10 spacers
-African Blackwood handle. (I put a little less drop in this handle than I normally would have, to try and make it feel a bit "faster" in hand)

BTW- If you like the pattern in this fighter, then my good buddy Mike Quesenberry is totally to thank as I have picked his brain apart on the subject (I think he's doing some of the nicest ladder patterns in the business). If you don't like it.... then just blame me for sucking! :foot: :o :)

Thanks for looking!!! :)

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FWIW- I REALLY don't think a person can get what a pattern like this looks like in hand looking at still photos... Hope you watch the vid and see what I mean! :) (btw- I didn't talk in this one so you're safe! LOL)

[video=youtube;rctc5eotSpo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rctc5eotSpo[/video]
 
I really like the pattern. It has nice contrast but isn't too crazy. It reminds me a bit of a rainbow trout fingerling....
:D
 
Sorry Nick but you totally fail at sucking :)

Beautiful knife and the video showing the pattern is a great idea.
 
That's a work of art, you should be very proud. Must be nice to have talent.
Best of luck!
 
NickWheeler said:
BTW- If you like the pattern in this fighter, then my good buddy Mike Quesenberry is totally to thank as I have picked his brain apart on the subject (I think he's doing some of the nicest ladder patterns in the business). If you don't like it.... then just blame me for sucking! :foot: :o :)

FWIW- I REALLY don't think a person can get what a pattern like this looks like in hand looking at still photos... Hope you watch the vid and see what I mean! :) (btw- I didn't talk in this one so you're safe! LOL)
Click to expand...

Gorgeous knife, Nick, and congrats on the honor! When I first clicked on the link, my eyes went right to the photo as it was loading and 2 words popped into my mind instantly...Mike Quesenberry! I didn't know why, so I filtered/rejected the thought and began reading your text. I guess I'm easily entertained, but this gave me a nice chuckle when I got to the above paragraph regarding the damascus pattern!

Thanks also for the video, I appreciate being able to see everything so much more clearly than in a static photo. Please feel free to narrate them in the future, as I think it would be cool to hear you describing it and maybe your thoughts on what went into the design and construction.
 
Nick, most excellent. Love everything about the knife. Your grinding, fit and finish is excellent as always and your handles are extremely well shaped.

The only reason you are doing the Journeyman knife of the year is that you haven't taken the masters test yet.
 
Damn, Nick they are always talking about how sexy you are on this forum. Well I think you finally made a knife to go along with that persona! :D

Seriously that is one sweeeeeeeeeeeeet looking knife. :thumbup:

Clean, and simple elegance, are words that come to mind when I look at that one, by that I mean it’s not gaudy or overdone and yet I don’t think anything else would have looked right to make the final result look so well! I am usually not all that wild about Damascus but, I like the pattern on that one! I really love the African Blackwood handle. What kind of a finish did you put on the handle material to get it too shine up like that?


Alright don't let you head swell too much as you hat won't fit not more! :cool::D:D:D
Great job Nick!
 
Nick, as always that is beautiful. Excellent job on the pattern, very holographic. Dixie said simple elegance.....That sums it up perfectly. +1 on the finish on the Blackwood....2k sand and buff? Looks like glass. Great job, now lets see the next one :P
 
Beautiful knife, brother! I appreciate your posts, especially your WIP you recently did. Inspiring work, really sets the bar!
 
Thanks for the kind words guys! :)

On the handle (which was stablized by Mike Ludeman at WSSI), in the rough sanding stage, I sanded the handle with 320X, then 800X using Tongue oil while I sanded. It makes an awful, ugly, gummy mess...but you just power through it.

Then, I just hand sanded it to 2000X and then buffed VERY VERY lightly with a spiral sewn buff with white rouge, and then one with pink rouge. I'm talking about 30-45 seconds for each wheel. Anymore than that, and it seems to "smear" the wood.

After all that was done I gave it a little rub-down with paste wax, then buffed the wax off with an old cotton diaper.

Hope that helps :)

Thanks again! :)
 
Josh Dabney and I saw that knife on the ABS table at Blade. I had not read about you doing the JS knife this year and it was turned with the mark down, but both of us immediately guessed who the maker was. Very nice piece.
 
Yes Nick you do suck, for making such good looking knives. sorry I could not resist, :D.

Seriously, I saw the knife on the table and of course said thats a Nick Wheeler knife. I got to look it over and coon finger it. My impressions are great work as usual, clean, classy, very well balanced, overall an excellent knife. One suggestion though, THINK MS!!!

We hope to see you at a show in the future.

Best regards
Brion
 
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