Sculpted Bowie/Fighter handles w/ Nick Wheeler

Nick - I feel like the information that you are providing for free is really really hard to get out to the makers and you are doing a really good job conveying the information.

The comments and thought process that you are discussing in your videos and your posts are great for guys like me. I obsess over all the little details and want to know the why. I want to know what the great makers that I look up to are doing and why.

Having said that, I have gotten a lot of help from you since I have started and you have been gracious when giving the help. I would feel disappointed if you changed the talking and the reasoning behind why you do things, compared to just having a montage and really quick how you did things.

You are providing information that is needed in the community and you are doing a dam fine job at it too.
 
NickWheeler said:
Thanks fellas. :)

Chris, I really appreciate that. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit confused/disappointed by the fact that a thread with one video got as much response as my thread with 8 videos got. I don't need everybody kissing my ass or anything, but these things do take up a ton of my time and energy. I'm sure some folks don't care for me talking as much as I do in the videos, but I want to explain what I'm doing and why.

The whole technology thing is very odd... I paid money to knife makers that weren't very well established for videos when I was getting started that were poorly lit, had horrible sound, and didn't really explain much. Nowadays, I think many people just expect there to be quality content that's FREE.


At the end of the day, for whatever reason...I just like making this stuff though. :)
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I have too purchased bad quality videos.


I'm glad you like making these, don't stop.

Our knife get togethers here are few and far between and I love seeing how you do things and why.

I love folks that measure stuff and use layout lines.


I haven't got the eyes to eyeball everything perfectly without some pre-planning and references.
 
NickWheeler said:
Nowadays, I think many people just expect there to be quality content that's FREE.
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Nick, your video's and all the purpose made shop gadgets you share with us are excellent and are very appreciated. Unfortunately I think you hit the nail on the head.
I've been a start and stop part time maker for 20 years. The Internet was brand new and I couldn't afford a computer anyway. I bought books(a concept that seems
to have escaped many forum members) when I could afford them, then I actually read them several times each. I collected or built tools and equipment and finally made my
attempt at making knives referring back to my collection of books often. That was a long road and I threw a lot of stuff in the trash. I only wish back then to have a
fella like you share so much. Before you feel disappointed try to remember this is the age of instant gratification, me and free.

I rarely come to shop talk anymore, to many lazy people asking to many questions that need not be asked if only they would spend a little money on a book or two.

Anyway I salute your excellent and unselfish contributions.

Thank you.
 
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Nick, I really love the videos you put out. I watch pretty much every thing you put out religiously, and my knife making has improved immensely because of the techniques you share! Heck, I've even copied a big chunk of the specialty tools you have shown! Please don't stop teaching us stuff!
 
NickWheeler said:
Thanks fellas. :)

Chris, I really appreciate that. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit confused/disappointed by the fact that a thread with one video got as much response as my thread with 8 videos got. I don't need everybody kissing my ass or anything, but these things do take up a ton of my time and energy. I'm sure some folks don't care for me talking as much as I do in the videos, but I want to explain what I'm doing and why.

The whole technology thing is very odd... I paid money to knife makers that weren't very well established for videos when I was getting started that were poorly lit, had horrible sound, and didn't really explain much. Nowadays, I think many people just expect there to be quality content that's FREE.


At the end of the day, for whatever reason...I just like making this stuff though. :)
Click to expand...

Nick, I see this as a specialist versus generalist debate. At the Hammer in I was at this summer, there were 60 people in attendance, and only 5 took advantage of Kevin Cashen's generous sharing of knowledge. Most were interested in watching the damascus demonstration by a new journeyman smith who was local. I was puzzled, but not surprised. The more specialized and specific the presentation, the smaller the audience.
 
NickWheeler said:
Thanks fellas. :)

Chris, I really appreciate that. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit confused/disappointed by the fact that a thread with one video got as much response as my thread with 8 videos got. I don't need everybody kissing my ass or anything, but these things do take up a ton of my time and energy. I'm sure some folks don't care for me talking as much as I do in the videos, but I want to explain what I'm doing and why.

The whole technology thing is very odd... I paid money to knife makers that weren't very well established for videos when I was getting started that were poorly lit, had horrible sound, and didn't really explain much. Nowadays, I think many people just expect there to be quality content that's FREE.


At the end of the day, for whatever reason...I just like making this stuff though. :)
Click to expand...

Nick, I really enjoyed your videos. I appreciate any time you take to make them.

One of the patterns I'm concentrating on heavily is gunstock/sculpted handle hunters, and while they don't typically run as aggressive in shape as a fighter handle, they are a fairly similar pursuit in some ways. I was quite interested in these videos as I consider occasionally doing larger pieces.

I was curious to see how our methods compared. I noticed that they were very close at the beginning but began to diverge after the first couple videos. Once I get the roughing in, I will usually go to hand work early. I'm thinking this may have been something I got in the habit of while doing musical instruments a while back, you can only do so much fine work holding a guitar body at a sander. I've got enough control to do quite a bit of sculpting on the machine, but going to hand work with files and strip sanding works well for me. I wouldn't really recommend strip sanding to anyone though, as you have to be really careful with your backing weight and width for a given grit or else you can do some serious destruction. On the flipside, I find it can work like magic if I get things right.
 
Great series Nick, I'm a new hobby part time maker. I've picked up numerous nuggets of knowledge about the craft from watching your videos and reading your build threads. I'm waiting as we speak for my surface gauge to be delivered by the big brown truck. It will be a most excellent tool to aid me in keeping my handles symmetrical.

Thanks so much for sharing.
 
Nick, your attention to detail is outstanding, I think everyone from seasoned veterans to people just starting out can learn a few things from you. Your videos and tutorials were some of the first that got me started in this craft and it should be known that it is very appreciated that you take the time to explain and post this up for people to learn from. Thank you!


-Tyler Boyd-
 
I watched every one of these the other day in preparation for sculpting the handle on my bowie. Thanks for doing these videos Nick. You contribute greatly to the knife community.
 
I appreciate, look forward and enjoy your videos. I have saved all the ones I have seen, very informative Thank you for taking the time. I don't think you realize all the positive impact the information has made and will make to future makers, keep posting.
 
As a newer maker, your videos have been vital to my learning process. Part of that reason is the small off the cuff comments and explanations that most guys don't mention, or edit out. I know how long it takes me to make a knife and can only imagine doing that while trying to instruct, explain, film, edit, and post the entire process. Your videos have shown me solutions to problems I clearly had but didn't even know about. Your videos about the tools and jigs you have made have also been excellent learning material. I am truly grateful for what you do for the forum, without payment. With all that said, if you decided to put this on DVD or in book form, I would buy it, without hesitation.
 
Thanks fellas. :)

Once I get the shop put together the way I want, and get a better camera... then I might think about trying to publish a DVD...

But don't anyone hold their breath. ;)
 
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