My first three homemades.. Looking for feedback

M

Michaelovj

Joined
Apr 18, 2013
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So I've become increasingly interested in handcrafting knifes as a natural progression to collecting.. I've decided to try my hand at it and created three pieces. I began by purchasing some new cobalt alloy and began to sketch and grind. Little did I know how intricate and precise the process would be.. Suffice it to say, it was a humbling experience.. I stuck to it and completed two of three, what I would consider very nice pieces. I would love some feedback advise or just to share your own handmade blade so I might see what I'm up against lol.
Ps. This is my first post to the thread so you'll forgive if I've missed any guidelines. CHEERS!!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G8A0Jvl4R.../PART_1366519532790_20130420_113242.jpeg.jpeg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l4Hj6wDzx.../PART_1366519532814_20130420_113232.jpeg.jpeg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8BVo8jFowL8/UXXhCSv8jOI/AAAAAAAAAZE/-QHSKY847eM/s1600/DSC_0091.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nK7KVw7rpbg/UXXhMvPkbWI/AAAAAAAAAZc/Xxw-uKenkQE/s1600/DSC_0096.JPG
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-96LApNLpz...ART_1366677840775_20130422_203635.jpeg_2.jpeg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-efkYK5jLm.../PART_1366678733617_20130422_203531.jpeg.jpeg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pEDLNjivC.../PART_1366678733601_20130422_203441.jpeg.jpeg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
So I've become increasingly interested in handcrafting knifes as a natural progression to collecting.. I've decided to try my hand at it and created three pieces. I began by purchasing some new cobalt alloy and began to sketch and grind. Little did I know how intricate and precise the process would be.. Suffice it to say, it was a humbling experience.. I stuck to it and completed two of three, what I would consider very nice pieces. I would love some feedback advise or just to share your own handmade blade so I might see what I'm up against lol.
Ps. This is my first post to the thread so you'll forgive if I've missed any guidelines. CHEERS!!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G8A0Jvl4R.../PART_1366519532790_20130420_113242.jpeg.jpeg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l4Hj6wDzx.../PART_1366519532814_20130420_113232.jpeg.jpeg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8BVo8jFowL8/UXXhCSv8jOI/AAAAAAAAAZE/-QHSKY847eM/s1600/DSC_0091.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nK7KVw7rpbg/UXXhMvPkbWI/AAAAAAAAAZc/Xxw-uKenkQE/s1600/DSC_0096.JPG
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-96LApNLpz...ART_1366677840775_20130422_203635.jpeg_2.jpeg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-efkYK5jLm.../PART_1366678733617_20130422_203531.jpeg.jpeg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pEDLNjivC.../PART_1366678733601_20130422_203441.jpeg.jpeg
 
I would like to point out that everything on the knives is hand crafted, including the fiberglass scales.. (except the Chicago screws of course lol)
 
Well, you beat the heck out of anything I've ever done. I made a model out of plastic, ordered the very expensive steel-of-the-day, promptly broke all the teeth off of the commercial bandsaw that I borrowed from the hospital carpentry shop...and quit right there.
Your designs are varied, interesting and good; you will get much better as you learn; you are having lots of fun. What else could you ask for?
Sonnydaze
 
Thank you so much for the feedback, can't think of anyway better to let my mind wander in my spare time. Thanks again
 
I guess in order to give proper critique of your work, one needs to know more.
Like exactly what alloy you've used,Your work process and how these were heat treated.
 
Thank you for your response, for all three pieces, I used 2 pre-ordered plates of HPA COBALT alloy 6B. As you can see I was trying to replicate the tracker 1 and 2 as well as one with my own hybrid design for the third. I used an angle grinder with a diamond cutoff wheel and a regular grinding wheel to refine the shape. After that it was nothing but sandpaper, files and elbow grease:thumbup:
 
So they are not heat treated, correct? It is hard to tell from the pictures, but it doesn't look like there is a sharp cutting edge. How did you coat the blade i.e. is it painted with a metal paint or coated with some sort of baked on ceramic?

If it isn't sharp or hardened, and if it was spray painted, then it looks like it will be a wall hanger and not really a usable knife.
 
I'm sorry for leaving that out. All three were heat tampered at 325 until achieved the light straw yellow color. The pain is a powder coat bake on that has yet to cure, hence not putting out a cutting edge.. But remember Iam new at tthis so if there is anything Ishould be ddoing ahead of the steps I took, I'd love to hear about it. Thank you
 
Michaelovj said:
I'm sorry for leaving that out. All three were heat tampered at 325 until achieved the light straw yellow color. The pain is a powder coat bake on that has yet to cure, hence not putting out a cutting edge.. But remember Iam new at tthis so if there is anything Ishould be ddoing ahead of the steps I took, I'd love to hear about it. Thank you
Click to expand...

In order to temper the steel back, you would first have to heat treat it.

With so little information, it is hard for anyone to tell what you are or are not doing, so that you can be corrected.

First.... Your choice of steels may not be best for making a blade let alone this application. I'm nowhere near a steel expert.
Second.... You will have to practice grinding much more. Even, crisp grinds are a necessity.
Third... spend a lot of time here reading stickies, threads and asking questions. There is much, much more to making a knife than making a shape out of steel, putting a handle on it and painting it.
 
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We all have to start somewhere, and you have started. Taking the first step is critical to getting to the second step.

Now set these "knives" aside and take the things you learned from them so that the next blades you make are better.
 
you should start with a simpler design, instead of copying the tom brown tracker.

and the knife needs an edge! :)
 
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