New guy/Intro/First knife

C

Clayton Bateman

Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
3
Hi guys! Just joined and thought i would introduce myself and post a few pics of my first knife.

Ive been wanting to build a knife for a few years now but just didn't have the time. After getting laid off from my job as a draftsman a few weeks ago, the time part was no longer an issue. So after getting a rough plan in my head about what kind of knife i wanted and started modeling it in solidworks. I got a rough model together and started ordering materials.

https://imgur.com/icKeTzm

I ordered a piece of 1/8 1084 and cut the profile out with a grinder. After a few hours of filing and sanding i had a decent blank.

https://imgur.com/rsw2bjd

After a few more hours of building a jig and filing i had what started to look like a knife

https://imgur.com/dls3OKG

More sanding up to 600 grit i thought i was ready to glue the scales on...

https://imgur.com/yAA8tsO

But i decided i want to try some file work on the spine. So i tried a basic vine pattern

https://imgur.com/7MWI0De

From there i glued and shaped the scales and ended up with a finished product. I made a few changes from the original plan but i am pretty happy with the end result. There are a few errors, but ill chalk that up to lack of experience.

https://imgur.com/S5NVIH2
https://imgur.com/U8CDZdp

And since i couldn't use carbon fiber for the scales like i originally wanted, i decided to go with a carbon patterned kydex for the sheath.

https://imgur.com/s5qmAxh

Anyway, there she is. Hope to hang around here and learn all i can for the experts.

Thanks guys!
 
Thanks guys!

Its a 3.5" blade and a 4" handle.

I heat treated it in a basic 2 brick forge and a TS8000 torch. Heat to non magnetic, then just a bit more and dunk it in 140F canola oil. Then temper in the oven at 400F for 2 2-hour cycles.

That was actually the one thing i had real trouble with. My first attempt at heat treating it i just tried to heat it using the torch only on my workbench with a big led light above it. I thought I had it hot enough and quenched it. It seemed like it was skating a file okay. After i tempered it and started sanding with 600 grit, it was obvious there were spots that were not hardened. So i drilled a hole in some IFBs and tried again. This time with the light off so i had a better shot of it being more evenly heated. I didn't normalize it before the second heat treat, but it seems to be okay. I havent really tested it yet though. Time will tell i guess.
 
Totally impressed....sure is good you finally had the time to make a knife...maybe a new career.
I never would have tried this, and I've been around damned near forever...
Gotta give you a 3-thumbs up for your nice work...that spine is superb...
don
 
You chose a good steel for your first attempt: 1084 will let you make mistakes that others won't when it comes to heat treat.

You will always know where you could have done better, but as long as you don't point it out, nobody else will.
 
great job - keep them coming : )

try out 80crv2, it's very similar to what you used, only better with the Vanadium for grain refinement
 
Thanks guys!

I have 3 more similar to build for family members. Ill be sure to take plenty of pictures. After that, I am building 3 choppers out of 7/32" O1 Steel. Kinda dreading heat treating those, but i have all the stuff to build a real forge, so it may not be that bad. Ill do plenty of research here before i start that endevor. After that 80crv2 is more than likely the steel ill go with for future knives.
 
Welcome to the Blade Forum Clayton! I like your knife very much. The lines are very attractive and useful. Are you sure this is your first knife build? Great job!
 
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