Knife Maker's Poll

How do I rate my knife making skills?

  • ONE

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  • TWO

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  • THREE

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  • FOUR

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  • FIVE

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  • SIX

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  • SEVEN

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  • EIGHT

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  • NINE

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  • TEN

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  • Total voters
    0
L6steel

L6steel

Joined
Sep 23, 1999
Messages
5,855
Ok folks, Gouge's thread gave me this idea.
I want to find out how us knife makers in general feel about our work.
I think that we underrate ourselves but then again I could be wrong. Lol, I just did it to myself, didn't I?
Here's how the poll works.
Rate your knife making skills/knives on a scale of one to ten.
One being Pakistan quality and ten being up there with Tim Herman and Kit Carson.
Kit, Tim, just go ahead and mark ten. :D
I'm really interested in seeing the results of this so think it out and be as honest with yourself and the poll as you can.
It might not hurt to even pick up one of your blades and check it out and handle it some to give yourself some insight before making your choice.

Take care my Forumite friends!!!
 
Lmaooooooo Mark!!!

I figured as much.
Why do we think so little of our work??
 
Damn -- I had a tough time picking one. It wasn't too very high though! :D
 
The more knives I make, the lower I rate myself.

Go Figure.

Steve
 
How about this?


  • 1 = I can put together a kit - straight out of the box.
  • 2 = I can do my own handle work.
  • 3 = I can do filework and modify others' knives or knife projects.
  • 4 = I can put together a knife from scratch with help/supervision.
  • 5 = I can forge/grind blade blanks to shape on my own.
  • 6 = I can design knives and put them together with only minor flaws.
  • 7 = I can make knives that would pass the journeyman (or equiv.) exam.
  • 8 = I can forge damascus.
  • 9 = I am a master smith.
  • 10 = I can make just about anything - and make it look perfect.

I would think that if you are at least a "5" - you are a knifemaker. ;)
 
Heh, I like Pen's scale too, but considering how longs it's been since a Actually finished a knife, rather then just modified oen made by someone else, I'll stick with my original low socre. :)

We'll see how ones I have in process now turn out. If I ever finish them, that is. :D
 
Pens list is something to go by but even Kit or Tim (Cutlery Masters in my opinion) wouldn't rate a ten, maybe a 7 at best. This would be with many other great makers out there due to the fact that they do stock removal and don't forge there blade material. If you want a true poll you would need to have a few different ones with Forgers and one with Stock removal guys. Just my 2cents.....
 
Hmmmm, interesting. Dan's scale is good, but i would have a hard time rating myself an 8. I personally don't think making damascus is difficult. Hey, that is not saying it isn't, but not for me. Trust me, if i can do it, anybody can, and that is no joke. It just takes time.

I guess, I would rate myself a 6 from Dan's scale, if I negate the damascus factor, but I have never done #3 either. Oh, I am just confused i guess.:confused:

Heck i can do #10 too, if i take the picture at the right angle.;)

All kidding aside, I will rate myself a 6, just because I have not tested any of my blades to the JS test requirements. Maybe that would be a good Christmas vaction project. I would have 17 days to see if I could pass. If I do the JS with damascus, is that the same as the MS test?
 
Wish now I'd read the thread before voting. Dan's scale makes sense to me and I would have rated myself a six instead of a four. :rolleyes: (We need a "slapping one's self on the forehead" emoticon).


All the best,
Mike U.
 
I guess my reasoning for #7 was that you would have to be capable of near-perfect fit and finish.

#8 - I think this would be a matter of interest, tool availability and reason to make damascus. If you've seriously considered it, you're beyond the average knifemaker.



I purposely left out the following (IMHO) non-factors:
- how much $$$ you have spent on tools/supplies/etc.
- quality of shop equipment
- asking price for knives
- time spent making knives
- whether or not you can make your own tools, etc.
- non-knife skills (sheathmaking, photography, etc.)

These things are great (and really help), but aren't necessarily "bonified knifemaking skills".


I would like to add "...has done research" to the list somewhere - but where? Don't we all do it to some degree?


Also, I do think that there are some excellent knifemakers out there who never mess with forging or damascus, etc. However, since we're talking about overall skill level (not just how well you can specialize) then you have to include it all. Again...IMHO :o


I sincerely apologize if this launches into a serious splitting of hairs...I, myself, am trying to decide where I am and where I want to be in the near future. I love this craft...can't get enuf...
 
I figured this would get over complicated, lol.

If you just read the thread title it's simple.
"How do "I" rate "My" knife making skill?"
Knife making doesn't have to have anything to do with forging or for that matter grinding.
You can make a knife strictly by forging it or strictly by grinding it, right?
Just rate your skills here, don't worry about how you make the knife.
It's the end product I'm looking at more than the means to achieve it, or maybe even your satisfaction with yourself as the maker of the final product. That make sense?
 
I would have to rate myself higher than the 6 I gave myself going off of Dan's scale. Yes I can make damascus and I can pass the abs tests, but I still don't feel that I deserve an 8.
I still haven't learned to do alot of the things that I want to, and I can always find flaws in my work. Most of the time other people don't see these flaws, but, every once in a while someone will spot something that I had missed.
I don't think there is a knifemaker out there that would honestly rate a ten "in their own opinion"
As the quality of your work goes up so do your standards, but at a much faster rate.
 
I would agree with Pen up thru #7. For #8, I call 1-800-Devin Thomas or Mike Norris :)

I don't make CPM steels either. Get the point?

Just my humble opinion.

Edited to read...I agree up thru #6. #7, #8, and #9 are immaterial to me so I'd jump to #10 :)
 
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