- Joined
- Mar 19, 2007
- Messages
- 7,443
I took on the project of making a knife as completely as I could - from beginning to end. I have been documenting the process for a small film I will link when I get it rendered - but for now - I just have the finished pictures.
This started life as a bar of 01 steel (3/16th) and I did the roughing out with a hacksaw and files. I then used a file guide (inspired by Aaron Gough) and create a convex edge. I hand sanded it and was going to get it heat treated locally.
Until I figured out that no one heat treated 01 blades locally. (Facepalm) I called on some friends and had some offers (thanks so much to my buds who offered on this board) - but was approached by a local maker who offered his services (total favor to a newbie - he has his own blades to make - and uses his shop to great effect) and I went out to his place. I was very lucky indeed to be offered help. Stan taught me a TON in a long afternoon. I was given free reign of his shop and I learned more than my little pea brain could hold. We made another knife and he heat treated both of them for me (allowing me to do the quench). I certainly made mistakes - and he let me make them - then he taught me how to clean them up.
At the end of the day my convex blade was a svelt full flat ground cutting machine and ready for scales. It was also professionally heat treated. Stan is a redneck with TECHNOLOGY! I knew exactly how hard the blade was and worried little about its performance.
I sanded it back (per Stan's instructions) and got to the scales. I decided to try my hand at making my own micarta. I made the liners for this knife - and as I could not get the green dye sorted out - used a premade set of scales. (In my head - I had proven that I knew how to make micarta - in this case I made some from paper, canvas, and jean material).
I made a set of mosaic pins as well - but chose against them as I wanted to peen over the pins I used and was a little worried about my ability to stand up to this kind of abuse.
I used files and hand sanding to finish the scales. I then put a 25 degree (inclusive) edge on it - finished it to 1200 on Japanese water stones and stropped it) - and then took some pictures.
The sheath is mine as well - but it is not a custom for this blade. I borrowed it from one I made for a Fiddleback (Arete) and will make another one very soon (I have one customer to make a sheath for first.
I am very happy with the result given my first attempt and cannot thank Stan Buzek (his folders are amazing) and the rest of the blade community and those on bladeforums who helped me along, answered my questions, and was patient with me enough.
TF
This started life as a bar of 01 steel (3/16th) and I did the roughing out with a hacksaw and files. I then used a file guide (inspired by Aaron Gough) and create a convex edge. I hand sanded it and was going to get it heat treated locally.
Until I figured out that no one heat treated 01 blades locally. (Facepalm) I called on some friends and had some offers (thanks so much to my buds who offered on this board) - but was approached by a local maker who offered his services (total favor to a newbie - he has his own blades to make - and uses his shop to great effect) and I went out to his place. I was very lucky indeed to be offered help. Stan taught me a TON in a long afternoon. I was given free reign of his shop and I learned more than my little pea brain could hold. We made another knife and he heat treated both of them for me (allowing me to do the quench). I certainly made mistakes - and he let me make them - then he taught me how to clean them up.
At the end of the day my convex blade was a svelt full flat ground cutting machine and ready for scales. It was also professionally heat treated. Stan is a redneck with TECHNOLOGY! I knew exactly how hard the blade was and worried little about its performance.
I sanded it back (per Stan's instructions) and got to the scales. I decided to try my hand at making my own micarta. I made the liners for this knife - and as I could not get the green dye sorted out - used a premade set of scales. (In my head - I had proven that I knew how to make micarta - in this case I made some from paper, canvas, and jean material).
I made a set of mosaic pins as well - but chose against them as I wanted to peen over the pins I used and was a little worried about my ability to stand up to this kind of abuse.
I used files and hand sanding to finish the scales. I then put a 25 degree (inclusive) edge on it - finished it to 1200 on Japanese water stones and stropped it) - and then took some pictures.
The sheath is mine as well - but it is not a custom for this blade. I borrowed it from one I made for a Fiddleback (Arete) and will make another one very soon (I have one customer to make a sheath for first.
I am very happy with the result given my first attempt and cannot thank Stan Buzek (his folders are amazing) and the rest of the blade community and those on bladeforums who helped me along, answered my questions, and was patient with me enough.
TF
