One of those nights . . .

Burchtree

Burchtree

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After a long day at the office, And having to pick up some new belts at my old address because of TKS shipping them to the wrong address (for the second time), I was excited about getting on the grinder. Put two in the oven, and worked on a fighter. Nothing seemed to go right on the grinder. Uneven lines and the works. Took some time off and took the Winston (10-month old lab) out for some retrieving and training. He seemed to forget the sit command, so back to the garage. Worked on the fighter some more, but it just kept getting worse -- I wasn't "feeling" the bevels and grinds (if that makes any sense). Sorry for the rant -- just one of those nights.

Oh well, going to bed, and maybe tomorrow will provide a more grinder-friendly night. ;)
 
Been there, done that:(

I don't know whether it's just me (I suspect not) but some days I just can't grind, no matter how hard I try. In fact, the harder I try the worse it gets.

If I screw up a grind, I'll try another pass or two to fix it. If it still isn't working out, I'll put the dang thing down and do something -- anything -- else in the shop, and try grinding again the next day.

Of course, that crooked grind GNAWS AT MY GUT FOR A WHOLE DAY, but it beats screwing it up completely and having to redo the whole blade.
 
The grind is the one single part that worries me. There is so much work to do before getting to it that there just ain't no way I want to scrap it. I get myself in the right mood before starting the grind. A beer or two seems to work for me.

It truely is the one thing that intimidates me. It's got to be right or most all of the blade work, done before hand, is wasted. I should say 'blade fabrication' instead of 'blade work' because there is a whole lot of elbow greese to be used after the bevel grind.

Roger
 
Murphy's is alive and well, and waiting for a moment to strike. I can sort of sense days / moments like that and just stay away from fresh 40grit belts and the buffer !!:D :D And the forge, and the ... We all need a break from time to time. Best we figure out our own stress patterns before they bite us badly.

At one time, I decided to take a weeks break from making (a bit burnt out) and went on a long trip and a hike with my wife. A tree fell on me.

Sometimes you just can't win. I just accept it these days. ;) Jason.
 
Jason - I apologize to say this....but I bust out laughing when I read your post. Sorry...

:footinmou



sidetracking...


I hear a lot of stories about knifemakers who toss their blanks because they weren't done right.

This puzzles me. Perhaps it is because they have a definite idea in their head and when something goes wrong they want to start fresh again?

For me, I live by the rule of the "Happy Mistake". I have worked on some knives and it's almost as if the steel was telling me what it wanted to do, not vice-versa.

Maybe it's just me...:confused: Perhaps I'm at heart a cheapskate.

But I've never thrown away a blank. That doesn't mean I don't have a whole mess of ugly knives laying around...:rolleyes: I just can't bring myself to waste it. It's gotta be good for something.

The exception, of course, is a blank that has failed, structurally.

Dan
 
One thing I have found out with my limited time grinding.Is if you are nervous or intimidated by the grinder you have lost the battle
before you start it.Go into it as if you own the grinder give yourself a challange,if you are stubborn like me you will not give up,nerves will case you to tence up and your body will not work as
good as it would if you were relaxed.Just my thoughts
 
Nathan - my problem is the exact opposite. :(

It's like when I would step up to bat as a teenager - I knew I could hit the ball over the fence and so I would swing extra hard just to prove it and, of course, missed every time I did that.

It was only when I learned to do what feels natural that I would go back to hitting over the fence. Bizarre concept back then, but makes perfect sense now.

Dan
 
I know what you are saying,sometimes you try to hard and it does not fall into place,best thing to do is walk away,but I have to go after it,as soon as my head feels straight.I hate makeing mistakes,but I guess we learn from them.But thinking about somthing before you do it
some times gets you keyed up and I think that is were the doubt comes in and mistakes are made.The mind is a very powerful thing and it controls the whole body.There is a fine line and you have to know when to walk away and know when to stay.
 
Welcome to the world of knives. Some time I see the blade one
way but it see`s it self another, so thats the way we go. I junk
out less blades that way. What I hate is the handles:grumpy:
 
I have found that the difference between "superb" and "mediocre" is in that little area between the guard and about a quarter inch past the plunge.

C Wilkins
 
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