My first knife. (WIP)

J. Hoffman

J. Hoffman

Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
1,798
Ok everyone, here are the pics of what I'm doing so far. I'm not happy with the length of the handle. It seems to long for me compared to the blade length. Using a straight edge, the blank has a slight bow to it, right were the ricasso will be. I'm trying to find the best way to get the blank perfectly flat on both sides. A friend recommends laying it on the flat part of my vise and smacking it a few times with a hammer. I've been trying to flatten it by sanding it on a piece of glass, but that is taking forever and it's hard to get a grip on such a flat piece. The blank was cut out from Aldo 1084 with a hand hacksaw and by using the bench grinder. I need to work on that handle until it get comfy and then start working on the bevel:eek:. That bevel thing just really freaks me out for some reason. I'm hoping it isn't as difficult as I'm expecting.
SDC11706.jpg

SDC11707.jpg

SDC11711.jpg

SDC11710.jpg

Back to work tonight, so I probably won't get a chance to work on it for awhile:mad:
Any and all suggestions are appreciated.
 
Last edited:
Take your friends advice.
You need to use a weighted plastic or leather mallet so not to scar the surface of the piece you are working on. Use the flat part of your vise or an anvil.
Use many continuous strikes with the mallet in the area you want to flatten and not just a couple hard smacks.
And most of all take your time…and you will get it right.
 
Hey Moose,
That's a good start. Looks like it would make a nice kitchen chopper:thumbup:

If I could add a little advice. I get my bars of steel usually between 12 and 18 inches long. Sometimes there is a slight bow to a bar. No big deal, that's just how it is. I try to check all of my bars before I cut my blade blanks out. If there is a bit of a bow, I think it's easier to begin to correct it when the piece of steel is longer. I try to find the crest of the bow and then put it on the edge of my workbench and bend it flat with my hands pushing on the ends. It doesn't get things perfect but I think it makes the hammering and/or sanding you need to do much easier. It just gives me a head start. Hope this helps, and I'm looking forward to seeing this one take shape!
 
Mooseyard said:
I'm not happy with the length of the handle. It seems to long for me compared to the blade length.
Click to expand...

It looks like your handle is about 4.5". That is the length of a lot of the handles that I make (4" - 4.5"). A big handle for me is 5".

The obvious question is how does it FEEL? Is the knife a slicer or a chopper? Are YOU going to be using it or someone with smaller hands?

Is there something you can do to make the handle SEEM shorter than it is? Like maybe putting a bolster of some sort on it so that the scales will be shorter than if you just slap a couple of scales on the tang. You could use black micarta for the bolsters rather than metal.

What if you scooped out a little more (1/8"?) from the bottom of the handle where it meets the ricasso. Of course sculpt it nicely. Pinching in at that point might effect the look of the handle. Better try this out on paper or cut out cardboard silhouettes before doing it to your knife.

Last idea, move the front of the handle material back from the ricasso. This might both lengthen the look of the blade and shorten the look of the handle.

Or, I may be all wet. Very extremely possible.

Paul Meske
 
Draw filing? I just read that when draw filing the main bevel on your knife you should move your file back and forth. I was told that a file only cuts in one direction, and going back and forth ruins the file. Does it make a difference because the file is 90 degreees to the work? I tried it this way, and the file only seems to be cutting in one direction(on the push stroke). Is it ok to only push the file instead of pulling it also? I hope this made sense.:D
 
when you draw file you have to hold the file at a 90 to your blade which will allow the file to cut on the push and pull stroke. (it will tend to cut more in one direction) put some chalk on the file to help keep the chip buildup down to a minimum.
 
Last edited:
When draw filing, I've never gone in more than one direction - if the handle of the file is in my left hand, I only pull, and if the handle of the file is in my right hand, I only push. Otherwise you will ruin the file very quickly.
 
Mooseyard it was looking pretty good when I saw it at the Badger knife show. Keep at it.:thumbup:
 
Hey Mooseyard, here's what I would do................

Draw on the knife blank where you want your plunge cuts to be and how high you want to grind. [Sharpies are your friend;)]

File in your plunge cuts with a chainsaw file or a round edge file. Leave about .020" between the grooves at the edge. These should be just short [towards the tip] of the lines you drew to allow for clean-up. Stay just below your bevel line. [also for clean-up room]

Once you are happy w/ your plunge, draw file from there to the tip. As mentioned above, file handle in left hand & file tip in right. Full length, even draw strokes [one direction only] w/ fair, even pressure. Count your strokes & repeat on the other side. Better to do a little on one side, then catch up on the other, than to try to finish one side before starting the other. Draw file a 45 degree angle at the edge to match your plunge cuts. [both sides]. Then decrease your angle to work your bevels up the blade. Chalk or powder will help keep filings fron pluging up your file & creating deep gouges. Still should clean often. File to about 90% of finish shape. Keep everything as flat & even as you can as bad form here will be a bugger to fix later.

Once that is done, post some pics & it'll be time to sand....................
 
Moose,

Good start, Congrats on taking the jump and making your first knife! I agree with Johnny, It looks like it would be a handy knife in the kitchen.

Sometimes adding an angle/curve on the back of a handle will give it a shorter look.

-Dan
 
I like it, the long handle will be cool looking. I think I can see what you are going for in the drawing, cool design.
 
I can't offer any tips on draw filing (I'm not that patient), but you are off to a really good start. Good looking design also.
 
Sorry it's so long between posts. I get going and forget to take pictures. It may not look like I'm much further along, but I can tell you, it's been several hours of filing and sanding to get to this point. Here are a couple of my concerns that I would like some advice on. My filing (freehand) was better than I thought it would be, but not as good as I wish it was (if that made any sense). One side of the knife has almost a flat grind, and the other side has a very slight secondary bevel. You can feel it more than you can see it at this point. I'm trying to take the high point of the secondary bevel down so it appears (and feels) more like a flat grind, but I'm afraid if I go much further it's going to make my edge off center from the rest of my knife. I've tried taking pictures so you can see the different bevels on each side. My main concern is after hear treat will the bevel difference become more apparent? A local maker that does a lot of hamon style heat treats is going to do the HT for me. I know he then acid etches the blade to bring out the hamon. Will either of these process make my mistake more apparent or do you think we can hide the mistake in the hamon? My second question is regarding the tang. I drilled the holes for the 5/32 mosaic pins, and I drilled dimples for the epoxy to stick to. Am I better off just drilling holes in the tang for the acra glass, or do you think the dimples are better?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or ideas.
Jess
SDC11834.jpg

SDC11833.jpg

SDC11832.jpg
 
Drill them all the way through. The epoxy will go from scale to scale, and make a much stronger bond.
Drill the rivet holes about 25% larger than the rivets, too.
 
Thanks Stacy. I just found out last night that the 5/32 Mosaic pins I bought don't fit in the holes I drilled. I'll go back and do them a little bigger. The idea of the epoxy going through the holes makes perfect sense.
Thanks Jess
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top