My First Knife!! -- Feedback Wanted

Laredo7mm

Laredo7mm

Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
1,240
Sorry about the links, but please take a look and let me know what you think.

Blade Length: 9 inches
Overall Length: 14 inches
Blade Material: 15N20 snd C1095
Number of Layers: 51 in each bar
Type of Pattern: Chevron Twist
Grind: Hollow Grind with 8 inch Contact Wheel
Grip: Wire Wrapped with Phosphor Bronze and Iron
Hilt and Pommel: Fire Blued Steel
Blade Hardness: 60 on Rockwell C Scale

Over All Knife

Blade Close-up

Handle Close-up


This is my first complete knife. The blade on this knife is my fourth pattern welded blade. Now I just need to build the display box and this guy will be hanging in my favorite grill house pub.
 
I'm no expert, but sure looks nice to me. Esp. for a first knife. I still won't shwo anyone my first knife. ;)
 
If you made that, blade and all, you have a gift from god. If it be so, by all means carry on. In which it is a true example of craftsmanship.

RL
 
Thanks for all your compliments. I truely did make this knife. It is my first complete knife of any kind. The blade is the fourth pattern welded blade I have made. The handle is my first try. I had to forge about five gaurds to get one I liked and about three pommells.

Before I even started grinding any of my pattern welded billets, I went to my local scrap yard and picked up 100 pounds of flat stock to practice with. Let me tell you, the grind on this blade is still not where I want it to me.

I think if you all saw this blade in person you would see all the imperfections. The hilt is not square to the blade, gaps between the ricosso and hilt, farrells not real tight, plunge cuts not even, etc.

I appreciate all your compliments, and I am not trying to pull somthing over on you all. I have about 20 hours into this one and will probably put some more time into it trying to true everything up.

Any of you in the Sout West Michigan area? I would like to find somebody close buy to bounce ideas and techniques off of.

Again, thanks for all your kind words and encouragement. I intend to continue this hobby for a while. I just whish I had more time to do it. Anytime you all might be near michigan, feel free to stop by.
 
What is up with this bridge stuff?

Call me slow, but should I be taking offense?

If you don't like the knife, let me know, but I hope you all are not insinuating that I am a liar.

Anyway, again, thanks to all for your nice comments.

If you two bridge guys are being negative, well, that is your prerogative. Have fun in your negative, juvenile, pessimistic life.
 
the two makers are going about this in a tough and cheek manner. i like the knife, but if you have practiced grinding on a hundred pounds of steel and three billets before this one this one than this is not realy a first knife. might be the first you finally finished . my first knife was the first piece i ground, heat treated and put the handle on out of 1095 carbon steel. your knife looks fine. keep going :)
 
O.k. I agree with Dave. I'm going home. My first knife is buried into a barn timber as far as I could drive it so no one sees it except the termites. :D
 
well, i did not grind up all of the 100 pounds of junk steel practicing!

I do however practice with the scrap before i do a grind on a billet. Just because I have not got the "feel" yet for the hollow grind thing. And it is such a long time between grinds. I need to get a couple years worth of orders, so I can quit my day job and hang out in the basement. Yes, basement, I have no garage.

Any way if you all are interested, I can post links to blades 1, 2, and 3. I said it in my original post. This is my first completed knife, but my fourth pattern welded blade.

I think I did my first knife when i was about 10 years old. It was a piece of steel that i found and ground an edge on it, using the curb as my grinder. :)

Again, thanks, and I have taken no offense to any of the posts. I am just defensive is guess. :confused:
 
7MM, By the looks of your first completed knife I was going to call you a liar but there is certainly no insult. It is simply a way of saying "Damn that is good!" All of our first knives probally wernt even damascus and for sure wernt a double edged, chevron twist, forged guard, wire wrapped, screw-on pommel, great fit and finish, dagger. I think you are wise by studying and practising before starting an advanced piece like this one. I see strong influences from Jim Hrisoulas. I have his books and videos and refer to them often.

Well done! Please stick around, I want to see #2
 
I was going to say the same thing Bruce! I definitely see the influence of JPH in that piece.

Very well done though!
 
I don't get the bridge thing either. Oh well.

The knife is awesome. I would have said exactly what Bruce said!

The knife on my business card has a forged damascus guard, so I know how incredibly frustrating it can be to get them the way you want. Here's a tip though, if you have a torch, heat it up with localized heat and bend it where you want...then you're not fighting with the whole piece being in a plastic state.

I would call this your first knife too. You didn't hide the fact that you practiced, and you openly stated that this is the first one you've completed. WELL DONE! :)

Nick
 
You guys are absolutely correct about the influence of Mr. Hrisoulas. I have all of his books and his video. That is how I learned to make Damascus and a forged blade.

I hope he takes it as a compliment, because for now, this is the style I am going to go with for a while. Well Damascus with wire wrapped handles anyway.

I need to make a single edge hunter or bowie for my buddy's x-mas present. I owe it to him since he has gone with me on all my road trips to find anvils, power hammers, etc. Plus he listens to my endless hours of babbling about materials, pattern development, grinding, and all.

Anybody have any advice on how to do a single edge knife? Is it just half the work of a double edge? Is the point shape forged in like a dagger or just ground out?

Anyway, do you all think JPH would like to see the influence he had on me? Would he take it as a compliment or a rip off?

Let me know what you al think.
 
Holy Crap :D
I still can't make that pattern look like that.I can see the things you said in the pictures but as a first fully completed knife I wouldn't expect anything less...Now just start fixing the things you know are wrong and make each next one better than the last and you will be turning heads very quickly...
Please take all the kidding as kidding here as we all like to joke and have a little fun...If you go back in the archives you will find were we were all putting up pictures of our first knives and this one you did would be a show stopper compared to most of ours that we would rather hide out of site,not like this one and want to hang it in a place of honor....
Really a great job and Mr.H would be proud.
Bruce
 
That is a horrible looking piece of crap. Stop making knives now.You suck.
:D

Good job laredo, You definately have a gift.

Mark
 
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