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Oh no! Not ANOTHER knife...
- Thread starter Lorien
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- Jun 2, 2009
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Nice distal taper.:thumbup: Lookin' good. It's amazing what people can accomplish with the proper mindset and a little patience, scratch that, a whole lot of patience.
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- Dec 5, 2005
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Thanks Mike, that's appreciated
In the first pic, you'll notice the mistake I referred to earlier. Somehow I wasn't paying attention and filed a little too deep toward the edge. I think that there will always be a little dip there, which is really too bad. I guess I just won't get perfection this time, (kidding- this is only knife #3, I'll expect perfection on the next one).
Just goes to show that even if you're working slow, you can still make them mistakes
In the first pic, you'll notice the mistake I referred to earlier. Somehow I wasn't paying attention and filed a little too deep toward the edge. I think that there will always be a little dip there, which is really too bad. I guess I just won't get perfection this time, (kidding- this is only knife #3, I'll expect perfection on the next one
).Just goes to show that even if you're working slow, you can still make them mistakes
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- Dec 5, 2005
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here are just a few more shots. There will be one more pass with the files, longitudinally, and THEN on to sandpaper;
it was at this stage where I filed just a little too deep just ahead of the choil. I didn't really find that mistake until I started the final filing going lengthways. When I found it, I just decided to keep going hoping that it would sort itself out, instead of trying to fix it although I thought up a lot of ways that I could change the profile of this knife to hide the mistake. In the end the decision was to live with a visible mistake instead of making wholesale changes to the shape of the knife.
We'll see, in due course, whether that was the right choice!
it was at this stage where I filed just a little too deep just ahead of the choil. I didn't really find that mistake until I started the final filing going lengthways. When I found it, I just decided to keep going hoping that it would sort itself out, instead of trying to fix it although I thought up a lot of ways that I could change the profile of this knife to hide the mistake. In the end the decision was to live with a visible mistake instead of making wholesale changes to the shape of the knife.
We'll see, in due course, whether that was the right choice!
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2009
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- 4,421
Well Lorien, we already knew you weren't afraid of a little hard work, that thing is looking awesome and when it's done it will be priceless, it's value will exceed anything monitary. Something to be proud of there.
- Joined
- May 25, 2007
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- 968
Whew! That's WAY too much work for me!
Mike
Maker
The Loveless Connection Knives
Mike
Maker
The Loveless Connection Knives
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- Dec 5, 2005
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- 28,358
Thanks a lot, Mark!
I was looking around for more pictures, and it seems I missed taking any of the next file run.
The knife was pretty much all draw filed up til the last group of pictures, where I pushed the file perpendicular to the length of the knife in order to flatten it out a bit. Then I went and draw filed the knife again and you can see the beginnings of that in one of the photos.
In these photos, you can see the remnants of the draw filing done previously;
I started sanding at 80 grit and use a 7-8" length of 1" square steel tubing with one true surface. I glue the sandpaper on with contact cement. At this stage it is very important that the sandpaper stay stuck to the bar, as there is still a lot of force being applied. As I move up in grit, I'll not be as concerned that the paper is stuck to the bar.
At this present moment, I'm done with 80 grit and I'll be moving on to 120, then 150, 180 and then 220, 320 and will probably finish with 400 or maybe even 600 before the blade is sent to Bos for hardening and tempering. There will be a few more pictures coming of the blade finished to 80 grit, but I'm trying to stretch this one out a bit- seeing as I started this thread before I was ready- but pretty soon we'll be at real time. Which is kind of scary because I could totally #*@% this thing up in front of you.
I was looking around for more pictures, and it seems I missed taking any of the next file run.
The knife was pretty much all draw filed up til the last group of pictures, where I pushed the file perpendicular to the length of the knife in order to flatten it out a bit. Then I went and draw filed the knife again and you can see the beginnings of that in one of the photos.
In these photos, you can see the remnants of the draw filing done previously;
I started sanding at 80 grit and use a 7-8" length of 1" square steel tubing with one true surface. I glue the sandpaper on with contact cement. At this stage it is very important that the sandpaper stay stuck to the bar, as there is still a lot of force being applied. As I move up in grit, I'll not be as concerned that the paper is stuck to the bar.
At this present moment, I'm done with 80 grit and I'll be moving on to 120, then 150, 180 and then 220, 320 and will probably finish with 400 or maybe even 600 before the blade is sent to Bos for hardening and tempering. There will be a few more pictures coming of the blade finished to 80 grit, but I'm trying to stretch this one out a bit- seeing as I started this thread before I was ready- but pretty soon we'll be at real time. Which is kind of scary because I could totally #*@% this thing up in front of you
.
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- Dec 5, 2005
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y'know, this work is pretty tiring. The finishing work seems to go in a glacial way.
At this point, I'm done with the 80 grit, and these pics show up til that point;
Right now, I'm working away at 120 grit and almost am done one side. I can tell that the scratches will be progressively more difficult to remove, however I'm encouraged in that the knife is starting to look ok.
I figure that I'll be ready to send this off for hardening and tempering within a couple of weeks- wait... did I already say that?
At this point, I'm done with the 80 grit, and these pics show up til that point;
Right now, I'm working away at 120 grit and almost am done one side. I can tell that the scratches will be progressively more difficult to remove, however I'm encouraged in that the knife is starting to look ok.
I figure that I'll be ready to send this off for hardening and tempering within a couple of weeks- wait... did I already say that?
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- Jan 10, 2007
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- 1,924
Looks like you should be seeing some light at the end of the tunnel! And I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
riz_aaroni
Gold Member
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- Feb 7, 2007
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Very inspiring thread. The thread you linked to in your first post is very inspiring as well. I really need to get myself some files and get to work on my own knife. Looking forward to the final product as well. Good work!
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- Dec 5, 2005
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that is exactly what I like to hear:thumbup: Thanks man
And thank you, Allen. There is light somewhere ahead!
This steel finishing is so tedious. I'm really looking forward to fitting a guard and handle onto this thing. Well, the handle anyway.
To be honest, the guard is kind of freaking me out
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2009
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- 378
Hey Lorien,
This is shaping up to be a sweet blade. With enough money you can buy anything you want. When you have little money the things you are able to buy mean that much more to you but when you make something yourself there is a whole new level of appreciation that comes with it. You'll never pick that knife up without remembering each angle, curve, notch, scratch or imperfection and you'll probably never look at the ones you've purchased in quite the same way, even if they feel or perform better. Thanks for taking the time to share this second experience into knife-making and for the pictures. I'm always excited to see your next step and hear about your endeavor. I'll have a file in my hand Tuesday and will be shaping my own blade so I'll pretend we're working on our blades together. Keep it up bro, you're doing an excellent job!
Mike
This is shaping up to be a sweet blade. With enough money you can buy anything you want. When you have little money the things you are able to buy mean that much more to you but when you make something yourself there is a whole new level of appreciation that comes with it. You'll never pick that knife up without remembering each angle, curve, notch, scratch or imperfection and you'll probably never look at the ones you've purchased in quite the same way, even if they feel or perform better. Thanks for taking the time to share this second experience into knife-making and for the pictures. I'm always excited to see your next step and hear about your endeavor. I'll have a file in my hand Tuesday and will be shaping my own blade so I'll pretend we're working on our blades together. Keep it up bro, you're doing an excellent job!
Mike
Lorien,
You seemed to have merged in to knife making quite well. I appreciate that you know how important drawing your project and refering constantly to the actual drawing. So many makers refuse to draw and follow a plan. Not that you have to, but in some instances a preconcieved idea has to be drawn and followed to se it's full potential. If you deviate, even in small ways, you're not giving the plan an honest opportunity to be tested as to it's viability. You are in the rare position and have the grit to do just that. :thumbup:
Lin
You seemed to have merged in to knife making quite well. I appreciate that you know how important drawing your project and refering constantly to the actual drawing. So many makers refuse to draw and follow a plan. Not that you have to, but in some instances a preconcieved idea has to be drawn and followed to se it's full potential. If you deviate, even in small ways, you're not giving the plan an honest opportunity to be tested as to it's viability. You are in the rare position and have the grit to do just that. :thumbup:
Lin
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2005
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- 28,358
thank you, Graveyard, Stu and Eric Stu, I have plenty of temptation, but no power tools! Well, I could make some pretty easy. Dave told me how, but y'know I also have that goal of filling that bucket, so I'll just keep procrastinating.
Lin, what you said really means a lot to me and I've learned that each carefully chosen word in your posts carries weight. You have been a great encourager for me and I do really appreciate the time you've spent in helping me along. Sometimes a little gentle encouragement can be enough to prod a guy along his path. Such has been the case with you, so thank you. You're like a 'knifemaker's shepherd'!
Mike, I just flat out really enjoyed reading your post. That is really great, we all share a bond here in this world of ours, and I feel it the most with a handful of people and you are one of them Mike:thumbup:.
Stu, I have plenty of temptation, but no power tools! Well, I could make some pretty easy. Dave told me how, but y'know I also have that goal of filling that bucket, so I'll just keep procrastinating.Lin, what you said really means a lot to me and I've learned that each carefully chosen word in your posts carries weight. You have been a great encourager for me and I do really appreciate the time you've spent in helping me along. Sometimes a little gentle encouragement can be enough to prod a guy along his path. Such has been the case with you, so thank you. You're like a 'knifemaker's shepherd'!
Mike, I just flat out really enjoyed reading your post. That is really great, we all share a bond here in this world of ours, and I feel it the most with a handful of people and you are one of them Mike:thumbup:.