Possible goals for next year

daizee

daizee

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Dec 30, 2009
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What are your knifemaking goals for next year?

Amazingly, I'm already looking at the start of year 3 of making knives.
The first was getting the basics of full-tang fixies down.
The second was the beginning of sales.

I'm thinking about goals for year 3, and the list is getting way longer than is sensible...

in no particular order:

* stick tangs - I have several scraps that will become early experiments. I don't have a deep craving to do stick tangs, but it should be in my repertoire.

* tapered tangs - the thick blades need this... the handle jig-up still baffles me so I haven't tried to grind any tangs (and I want to do sticks? egad.)

* simple bolsters and pin layout variations. Ok, got the basics, time to add a bit more flash?

* folders - I want to evolve a slip-joint design that can be reproduced in 2.5" and 3" blade lengths. After that, perhaps a similar frame lock in 3".

* handle variations - I like my handle shape, and now I know it well. What else can be done?

Much of this will be more within reach if I can manage to upgrade my home equipment.

Sounds like TWO years of goal to me! :D


ETA: oh geez, and a maker's mark!

-Daizee
 
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Tapered tangs are easy-peasy. I'm serious, don't overthink it, man. It's no different than grinding a full-flat blade, only sideways, and handle layout/drilling is not nearly as difficult as it seems.

Goals for this year - excellent topic!

- plunges. I hate plunges! They are so important, and I spend way too much time getting them right.

- finish. I'm still trying to get the cleanest high-grit (1500+) satin finish possible.

- finish. I cannot wrap my head around low-grit (400 hand-satin or bead-blasted) finishes... I just don't like 'em. But zillions of people love 'em, so I need to learn to embrace that on some models.

- focus. I enjoy custom work, but I really need to produce more of my own bread-and-butter models. That includes...

-smaller knives. I didn't make enough 3-4" blades in 2012... that's dumb. Small knives sell better and I can make 'em a little faster.

- folders. fuggetaboutit, not gonna happen in 2013. Maybe a proto.

- materials. I need to do two things: get back into some natural and stabilized woods, and expand on the synthetics like carbon fiber. G10 and micarta are here to stay in my shop.

- steel. it goes against my grain to limit my options in that regard, but I've become familiar enough with a few proven mainstays that I really believe in, that it's time to really explore their fullest potential.

- sheaths. with Angie's invaluable help, we took huge strides in our leather sheaths this year, to the point that I feel they can stand up to anyone's for durability and utility. It's time to tweak 'em. Maybe even expand into *gasp* kydex.

- inventory control. That's a tough one. Running out of belts or paper or stupid things like masking tape is a pain.

- keeping the shop clean.... yeah, right. :p
 
I filed most of my knives.
I modevied a 2x42 and started working on that. But I still have to clean up with draw filing afterwards.
My goal is to grind good enough to not have to clean up afterwards
 
Pretty much... everything. Efficiency, fit and finish, consistency, plunges, patience, etc...
 
My goal is simply to spend more TIME doing it.. as it is I get a few hours on a weekend usually. I really need to find artistic motivation for my own designs as well, but first is just perfecting the skills.
 
mgysgthath said:
My goal is simply to spend more TIME doing it.. as it is I get a few hours on a weekend usually. I really need to find artistic motivation for my own designs as well, but first is just perfecting the skills.
Click to expand...

I'm with you on the time thing. I get a total of about an hour and a half each week, it is very frustrating.
 
For me it's to finish a knife! I have been tinkering, building jigs, a 2x72 grinder, etc. for over a year. At the moment, I have about 5 or 6 knives that are near heat treat stage but not there yet. I am taking my time to learn and be a giant PITA sponge for information! My $$ situation does not allow me to jump right in and buy everything I need right away, even used stuff, so i have been learning patience, which is hard w/my ADD! This year I will finish a knife!
 
Good thread. I'd like to work on my plunges, particularly the sweeping plunge, and see if I can learn how to do those.

Learning more and better ways to finish would be good. I am not very good at hand sanding, maybe because I need to buy better paper, and reread NickWheeler's hand sanding tutorial.

Keep the shop clean; that would be REALLY nice. Not gonna happen, but would be nice. Add me to the list of people who need to get more time to get out there. More time means more time to keep the shop clean.

I also am looking forward to seeing how the new variable speed grinder I have on order will do, and what I can do differently.

I also want to find someone that will heat treat full length swords, since I've got a few designs worked out. I think I'm settling into mainly making big choppers and short swords, as those give me the greatest amount of happiness (I've got a few more designs I want to try out).

I need to learn how to peen pins properly and find a better way to cut my pin stock, and I'd like to learn guard fitment. That one is stymieing me right now.
 
I finally got to the point of being happy enough with the fit and finish to sell them.

This year my goal is to be consistent in getting at least one sold per week. Also to have one or two almost ready to go a week ahead of time.

That way I have a whole week to 'pick' at the next one going out while I'm waiting for something to cool down, heat up, dry, cure or whatever. There's a lot of little things, especially on the sheath and handle that I like to (or need to) work on slowly over days instead of rushing at the last minute.

Also, keep working on my flipper design in my make believe spare time.

I'm also almost done reorganizing my shop. Turned out much better than expected but still a little more to do.

I'm starting to get up at 5:00 to get some extra time in before work and trying to get in 1/2 an hour or so after work. The wife's usually busy doing something right when I get home so she doesn't seem to mind too much.
 
Being a new maker I have a lot of goals for next year!

-Work on getting grinds more even and better plunge lines, I hate plunges. Messed up 2 knives this week because of them :(

-Fit my first guard/ make a hidden tang knife

-Make my first folder

-work on staying more organized and keeping the shop clean. Every time I put something down it takes me a few minutes to find it ;)

-work on finishing of the tang of the knives

-get my makers mark finished

-work on sheaths, I like kydex but would love some leather

-start making some bigger knives

-forgot this one, make a knife good enough for the Christmas kith!

If I can achieve half of this I will be very happy ;)
 
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Goal number 1 is learning to make leather sheaths. I have finished knives that are just hangin' out because I don't have anything to put them in.
Goal number 2 is selling a couple. I've been giving them away. With this goal will come a makers mark and I will update my membership here. Realistically, it will probably be this time next year before this happens.
Goal number 3 is committing to a steel and doing my own heat treatment instead of sending them off.
Those are the big ones for me. I wish I had more time to work on knives, but I just know that isn't going to happen.
 
I have the same goal as last year. Make a knife that I feel is worthy of a KITH. Hopefully Christmas of 2013 :)

Also, I will stop doing stupid things and expecting different results! (I will always clamp my material down when drilling)
 
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I am gonna make some folders in the steels I love...M390, Elmax, 110V, K390, S690...and some "top secret" others! ;)
 
Last year my goal was to improve my fixed blades as much as possible and to get more time in the shop. I've at least achieved the latter :D I'm now at the point where I can consistently spend around 30 hours a week in the shop.

This coming year I'd like to finally take the break I need from making fixed blades to perfect a couple folder prototypes I've got. It's tough to just stop when fixed blade work is keeping me busy, but I really want to complete a couple folders so the goal is to make that happen one way or another!

Also, to get an old surface grinder I got restored and running.
 
My goals for 2013, which will be my second year of actually working at knives with some dedication, will likely seem pretty basic to most of you. First goal is to get my no wel grinder built. After that i want to work at mastering hollow grinding, start venturing out into other steels besides the 1084 i currently stick with, and once i move to these steels start working to achieve hamons. These are my major goals but others include building a forge to try beating on some steel, and to work at getting crisper on my plunge lines.
 
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