New Knife Maker. Has some questions

I appreciate all the comments and have been working on making that second finger groove a bit more subtle. Also yes I did take the primary grind all the way to sharp. I plan on taking that a bit back before ht as well as drill my holes. I had been making all my knives this way and that is why I didnt comment on the choil being too deap comment. I knew from experience that I would remove a bit of metal from the edge and it would be just where I wanted it.

I am liking the work you did NC biker! That is a lot like what I have in mind. Maybe I'll get in the shop tonight and post some updates soon.
 
Just an Dutch Uncle suggestion, but it won't do you any good to act as if you are an experienced maker. You have stated, "I have been making all my knives this way', "I knew from experience", and, "I will be making knives for the masses".

You have been trying to learn on your own for a year. You now are finding that you need some re-learning to undo some of the things you learned on your own.
Leave off the false bravado and just work on making a good knife. Be this the first or the tenth, the rest will come in their time. Try to make each a bit better than the last....that is the key to learning.
 
Really dude? I have not tried to pretend to be some master just saying I made the choil high because I always sand the edge back. I am only looking for helpful suggestions. Please dont get offended if I dont like yours. In the end I am going to make it the way I want to.
 
"They" must be coming out of the woodwork now that school is out.

I've received two email inquiries this week from new aspiring makers asking for help.

One said he was 18 and was asking about working for me while helping/learning to make straight blades and folders. He must not have studied me too hard, because my website illustrates that I only make full tang hunting knives. I've offered to show him my shop, but explained that he should visit here and learn, and then perhaps attend a hammer-in since I am only a hobbyist and produce very few knives per year. This guy seems sincere so far, we will see.

The second explained that he began making knives a few weeks ago asked me to grind his bevel, show him some "tricks", or show him how to use my belt grinder. I replied by email and offered to show him my shop and show him how I grind . . . but not much more. Mostly, I wanted to give him some guidance on design style and learning by doing things the hard way at first. I told him he could call me, but he proceeds directly to text messaging to arrange a date and time. After determining that it wouldn't work out this week, I told him so, and then the tone of the texts change to "yeah sure, you're real busy, lol". I replied that I am truly busy and sorry that I had offered any help at all. Next message from him was "Driving past you right now". Almost a threat, in my book. Be careful out there guys!

The odd thing is that I believe this second guy took his design style from the OP. See the photos of the profile.

It's unfortunate, but sometimes I feel like I should screen interested knife makers with more scrutiny than the ladies I meet through online dating forums.

Mike
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20140603_201128_nopm_.jpg
    IMG_20140603_201128_nopm_.jpg
    33.4 KB · Views: 53
  • 20140606_210333.jpg
    20140606_210333.jpg
    19.1 KB · Views: 42
As you wish, I was only offering advice in response to your questions and comments. Make them your way, you have it all figured out. I'll drop out of this thread now.
 
ILoveTools,

Lawn mower blades are not really acceptable steel to use for knifemaking. You can't really know what steel you are working with, therefore you or anyone you send them to will not really be able to heat treat them as they should be done. There is the reason that scrap lawnmower blades are not used for proper knifemaking past using them to learn grinding techniques. Could they be used by a well experienced craftsman, sure, but none would really use them for making anything but for themselves. "The Masses" that you want to make knives for are going to want to know exactly what steel you are using and will likely somewhat want to know by your postings that you know what you are doing with your processes. Book learning is good, Learned advice is much better, but true knowledge only is gained thru experience and the understanding of it. Your knives may feel great in your hand....and that's ok if you yourself are keeping everything you make and are ok with them being unknown steel. The people you will be expecting to pay for your labors are going to want known steels and processes and something that fits them, not you.

You are getting good advice from the folks here, I would suggest that you humble yourself enough to recognize that many of these people have many years of experienced knowledge on you in the craft and in marketing made product.... and that you would do well to listen. Doing otherwise is going to surely make for a long lonely and hard road for your future in this craft, with a lot of scrap pieces in your wake that no one is going to buy. Wasted material is seldom recoverable.
 
Last edited:
I've read the many dont use lawnmower blade threads. I decided to use them for free practice. But it did turn out they were all geniuine john deere blades with part numbers. I looked them up and they were spring steel. Like I said I just needed something for free practice felt a lil better even when I found out they were 1095. None of those were for sale although I did give 2 away. I am using CPM 4V for the knives Im making now. I didnt start doing this because I think knives are, cool or have some ancient battle fetish. I did this because I need to use knives every day and I wanted something better than I could buy in the store. That first lawnmower blade knife I made was used to carve the piece of split hicory for my hatchet and it never lost its edge. The hachet I forged has been used countless times and has only small edge wear. I did mess up twice and ruin some knives I liked and learned some stuff not to do. The people I work around have been impressed as I with the performance of these knives. If that is the only place this goes I have already suceeded. I have shown a lot of people that hand made knives can vastly outperform regular store bought ones and maybe their encouragement was a big factor in me wanting to try and move to more. Every curve and line on that blade has been thought out for a long time. I made the handle curved down slightly to lean the blade forward a bit, relaxing my wrist on hard cuts. I made the blade less than 4 inches because I realized I often didnt need much length and got tired of the looks of some peoples first impression of my larger, 5.5in, blade. The oversized finger gaurd barely blocks my finger and there have been many times I have been using blades a bit harder than I should and grip was an issue. I have not been making random curves and shapes or designs. I have reasons for everything based on how I use knives and how I think the knife I am making should be used. I read some of your post and they came across as, this is wrong that is wrong period. When I read that it came across as, I am knife God and you are shit. If you read my original post I only asked 2 questions and you addressed neither. I am easy going and I have really been trying to lead this thread a different direction. I can tell you have already come across some people you gave trust to that really messed some stuff up. But heres a suggestion, maybe ask someone why they did something instead of tell them they did it wrong. I have seen some pretty wild designs for knives selling nowadays and had thought mine was quite conservative.

I did not make this thread to gloat or offend. I'm not sure how Im getting taken that way. But I am dropping out of this thread as well.
 
Thank you so much to the guys who led me in the direction of Peter's HT. That is all I really needed, the pics were just to show the basic knife shape. I never originally asked for suggestions on design.
 
How did you "verify" the lawn mower blades were 1095? I can't imagine even John Deere using 1095 as it is a terrible choice for a lawn mower blade.

My second question is why bother posting here? You seem to know everything you need to know, and aren't open to discussion regarding what established makers know. I am relatively new here and the information I have received here probably took 5 years off of my learning curve to help me get to my current knowledge/skill set.
 
ILoveTools said:
I never originally asked for suggestions on design.
Click to expand...
No, but you did make this statement, "I have recently decided to try and take my work to the next level. I would love to be able to make quality knives for sale". You then received FREE advise from a master craftsman and chose to tell him you were going to continue to do it your way. Don't you think a simple "thank you" would have been more appropriate?
 
ILoveTools said:
Hey guys I have got a first knife almost ready for heat treat. I am going hand polish and smooth the blade. What y'all think? Any critisism or comments appreciated. I hit the handle shape dead on for my large hands. Feels very secure and when gripped puts the blade at a good angle. I have a lot of work to do still looking for feedback on the general shape.


20140607_103336_zps82cd03e9.jpg
Click to expand...

You never asked for comments on design? :grumpy: :thumbdn: :thumbdn:
 
It's good you ended up with some JD blades with traceable part numbers, and good on you for researching them.
I'm not going to lie and not say they still might not be the best steel you could be using for stock removal blades. It would depend on how hard they've been abused during lawn usage. These blades may have faulty areas in them due to such usage. Problems that could show themselves at heat treat or worst case, cause the blade to fail on your paying customer. Using reclaimed steel is often best left to those whom have the knowledge and experience in using it. A budding knifemaker, especially using the stock removal method, is almost always better off using fresh steel.

Myself, I'm not a knifemaker. But I do have some experience and understanding of steel. I also know when to listen to those who have vastly more experience than I in a field I'm pursuing. You have a choice.... you can choose to be offended by some of the things you will be told here and walk away, or you can choose to take advice given and try to apply it to your situation and methodology.

I do know one thing for sure. You are on the largest knife forum on the internet with many, many experienced makers willing to give their friendship and advice freely......but many of them choose not to give out info to the argumentative offended souls that wander in, no matter how much they think they know or how many people they say they've impressed.

Instead of showing us pieces, how about explaining your methods? How do you HT, how do you temper, what tools, quenchants... etc do you use?
What are your pieces currently rockwelling at?
 
Apparently, we're talking to ourselves now, as ILoveTools has checked out.

Even so, I will say I had originally thought to post something similar to what Karda posted until I noticed that the original post mentioned that he was already using CPM 4V, so the whole discussion about unknown steel was moot.

As with most of the folks here, I had some serious issues with his designs... but decided to keep those opinions to myself. Sometimes I can sense when someone is unreceptive to feedback. This was one of those times.

Yes, this forum has LOTS of really smart and talented people that can help any knifemaker improve their skills. But it should also be noted that some knifemakers aren't ready to improve at all points on the timeline. Lord knows I took my good slow time about being ready to grow. The old saying "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink" applies here. Some donkeys refuse to be led to water, though (I'm looking in the mirror as I say this).

So maybe we just need to give newbies a bit more time to get accustomed to he fact that there is more to aspire to than they know today. Let them spend time seeing what others are doing before we push them too hard to advance their own skills. Nothing puts the urge to improve in someone more than seeing what that improvement could yield.
 
I need to appologize to bladsmth. Just took some of your suggestions on the handle. Low and behold it feels better.

I have been hardheaded most my life. Still working on it. I need a fresh start.
 
Not a problem, and I accept your apology. I would be glad to offer any advice or aid I can. Either on the forums or by email. Best we all just leave the "stuff" behind and move on to new knife projects. Looking forward to how this one comes out and the next ones.
 
bladsmth said:
Not a problem, and I accept your apology. I would be glad to offer any advice or aid I can. Either on the forums or by email. Best we all just leave the "stuff" behind and move on to new knife projects. Looking forward to how this one comes out and the next ones.
Click to expand...
Very Noble.
I too anxiously await some updates OP
 
Been a long time sry been very busy but not stagnant. I did make some suggested changes to that first knife from 4V I am making. Still not 100% happy but I moved it aside when my belt sander caught fire.

I made a second from only hand filing and hand sanding. I rly like this one and likely will keep. Only power tool was to drill some holes in the handle and later cleaned with my Dremel

After buying a new sander later I ground that large recurve with no handle design yet. That blade got me my first real sale. (Hope I can say that) And I now have a new request for a custom from a neighbor. No pics on that. Not a huge fan of what he wants but its going to be his. You may notice the point wasnt dropped here. I did this for 2 reasons. I dont plan on stabbing things and it reminded me of the spatulated tip of a viking sword. Basically they could slice at its furthest reach while still pierce non armored targets. I cant see any serious limitation of this except in fighting, which Im not too concerned about. If anyone knows something else this would seriously limit, please let me know. One thing I have noticed is the weight/balance. Feels like a lil machete but at 6in would not be a very useful one.

None of these are finished. The closest to complete is the one I made second. Probably cus it was made so slowly and with better design ideas courtesy of y'all.
 
Last edited:
4 to completion by forging and home HT. The hatchet/tomahawk was reforged from a huge axe I found in the in the woods. The current 4 are not done and made by stock removal of barstock. I have spent an average of 40-60 hrs on each and probably 3 times that time reading. I do understand the science of HT very well as I did study chemical engineering. 3 classes left to have my BS but I made sure to refresh myself and go deaper as needed. I remember telling my classmates I would one day make my own. I remember getting looks like wth would you do that by hand. I also read alot about history of the type of tools I am most interested in imitating. Still I do disappoint myself about 40% of them and rework. One of my favorite knives I literally burned half the blade off...I had the blade under hot coal to reduce decarb and was checking for critical temp on the handle (much thicker). When handle got crit half the blade was gone. I ended up quenching it and much later making it into a fixed utility blade. Worked great and gave it to this homeless kid I met one, day. I told him it was a mess up and the metal was probably ruined but he was greatful to have.

Here's a side project. Barley under 6' timber rattlesnake hide tanning. 13 rattles with a button. Someone I know shot it in the head with a DE 50cal and was gunna leave to rot. Maybe it will make some cool knife sheaths. Either apoxied onto Kydex before riveting but after shaped or over leather.
photo.php


photo.php
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top