Off Topic: Having some fun

[high desert]

Pick up this used sander/grinder a few weeks ago and also picked up this 18" machete blank. Thought I would give it a try to handle and sharpen it. I used mountain mahogony (ironwood) and black oak. I now have a deeper appreciation of the time and effort to produce knives and such. My craftsmanship is not perfect but I did learn a lot. I guess this good enough for a brush beater.

 

[rlacan71]

Now that you have the shape will you be sending it in for a heat treat?

Opps you already have a handle mounted lol. nm.

How much was the blank?

Looks good

 

[WLJ4163]

Nice!

 

[high desert]

Heat treat was done prior to arrival. Blank was ready to go and was crazy cheap $40.

 

[knife hunter]

Hey brutha, I will give you more than an A for effort:thumbup:

You did a nice job especially considering it was your first attempt and you had no guidance

Id hate to see my first-be some kinda wooded pirate scabard

Busse has a lot of talent in the Pig Pen

 

[high desert]

Thanks for the compliments.

 

[salvo]

Looks great! Glad you had fun too.
What you learn and enjoy are the best things in trying something new....well using it is right up there too!

 

[high desert]

I feel the addiction of working on the grinder. Time flies once you start and you don't want to quit.

 

[PeterPHWS]

I feel the addiction of working on the grinder. Time flies once you start and you don't want to quit.

Too true ... when I got my belt sander and disc grinder I went through a patch of wanting to experiment on just about anything ...

You learn a lot by doing so ... I learned most diving knives are so soft that they can't take edges ... even good models like Gerber ... I also learned that machetes vary a lot on where the blade has it's heat treatment ... particularly ethnic ones such as parangs from Borneo and khukri's from Nepal ... they are'nt consistantly hardened ... some will tell you that this is "ideal" and saves tips being chipped on stones .... but it also means rear edges cannot be razor sharp for fine work and last.

When you sharpen a blade and reprofile it on a belt sander you understand a lot about the steel and the quality of the HT ... definately a chapter of learning that I would recommend for everyone interested in knives :thumbup: