- Joined
- Jan 28, 2008
- Messages
- 3,223
I've been buying custom users for around three years and have been hoping to get into making my own on a hobbyist level for the last couple. I had started saving for my own equipment but was still a long way off when I was lucky enough to win a KMG in a raffle held to benefit Ed Caffrey over on KnifeDogs. 
In the few months since I've purchased a portaband, a boat load of belts, and an array of other supplies. I ended up rough grinding about twenty five blades of various sizes and of those twenty five blades fifteen were decent enough to send to Brad at Peters' Heat Treating for hardening. The knife below is my first try at finishing up one of those blades.
When I originally profiled this one the blade was a couple of inches longer, but I screwed up the grind at the tip and had to shorten it. I was going to throw it away but decided that it would be good experience to finish it up and added it to the box I sent to be heat treated. I put a scotchbrite finish on it and for the handle I used some stabilized redwood burl that was harvested by my uncle. It has black G10 liners and stainless hardware. The steel is 1/8" A2 and is between 57-59 rc. The blade is 4 1/2 " and the overall is 9 1/2". I'm pretty happy with it considering that it is my first, but I know that I still have a really long way to go.
My heartfelt thanks to Rob Frink for donating the KMG. I'd still be a long way from grinding my own knives without your generosity. My thanks go out to Tracy at USA Knifemaker Supply and to Brad at Peters' as well.
In the few months since I've purchased a portaband, a boat load of belts, and an array of other supplies. I ended up rough grinding about twenty five blades of various sizes and of those twenty five blades fifteen were decent enough to send to Brad at Peters' Heat Treating for hardening. The knife below is my first try at finishing up one of those blades.When I originally profiled this one the blade was a couple of inches longer, but I screwed up the grind at the tip and had to shorten it. I was going to throw it away but decided that it would be good experience to finish it up and added it to the box I sent to be heat treated. I put a scotchbrite finish on it and for the handle I used some stabilized redwood burl that was harvested by my uncle. It has black G10 liners and stainless hardware. The steel is 1/8" A2 and is between 57-59 rc. The blade is 4 1/2 " and the overall is 9 1/2". I'm pretty happy with it considering that it is my first, but I know that I still have a really long way to go.
My heartfelt thanks to Rob Frink for donating the KMG. I'd still be a long way from grinding my own knives without your generosity. My thanks go out to Tracy at USA Knifemaker Supply and to Brad at Peters' as well.
