This Made An Old Hillbilly Cry. No Blood.

B . Buxton

B . Buxton

Joined
Jul 8, 2001
Messages
3,623
I just finished up this folder yesterday, that I've been working on forever. I had everything fitting together well, bolsters,and scales so I took it to the belt sander to do some final sanding before I finished up with hand sanding. Well I wasn't paying attention as close as I should have and sanded though one liner into the stop pin, :( .

You talk about a bad moment. This folder is as smooth as butter and the mosaic damascus is a one-of-a-kind. But its mine now. So anyway I went ahead and finished it totally. The liners have been heat colored purple/blue, screws heat colered gold. The thumbstud is damascus to match. I throught about making a new liner, but once the tears quit flowing I realized that, that would mean new bolsters and scales too, so this was a very painful lession, that will remind me every time I pull it out of my pocket. I'm just thankful I didn't use the elephant ivory scales I just required from another maker.

You can see the boo-boo in the last photo, enough whinning back to work.

Bill
 
That's too bad Bill... that's a REALLY NICE piece!

Look at it this way. You've got some really good advertising to take with you everywhere you go now. I don't think you can buy that kind of advertising anywhere.

Truth is, most folks wouldn't even notice... but I know how you feel. I think for myself, it somehow hurts even more when it's one of those little tiny things like that.

Now put that sucker in your pocket! :D

-Nick-
 
These things happen occasionally, Bill. :( At least you'll always have a helluva knife in your pocket.

Very cool steel. :)
 
Bill
sand it smooth and even so both sides are the same
remove the pin and bur the ends of the holes
and replace the pin with a heat blued pin and call it a custom job :D
if it's tight I don't think it will bother and who will know it wasn't suppose to be that way :)
well we all do now.. :rolleyes: :D

B . Buxton said:
I just finished up this folder yesterday, that I've been working on forever. I had everything fitting together well, bolsters,and scales so I took it to the belt sander to do some final sanding before I finished up with hand sanding. Well I wasn't paying attention as close as I should have and sanded though one liner into the stop pin, :( .

You talk about a bad moment. This folder is as smooth as butter and the mosaic damascus is a one-of-a-kind. But its mine now. So anyway I went ahead and finished it totally. The liners have been heat colored purple/blue, screws heat colered gold. The thumbstud is damascus to match. I throught about making a new liner, but once the tears quit flowing I realized that, that would mean new bolsters and scales too, so this was a very painful lession, that will remind me every time I pull it out of my pocket. I'm just thankful I didn't use the elephant ivory scales I just required from another maker.

You can see the boo-boo in the last photo, enough whinning back to work.

Bill
Click to expand...
 
I feel your pain, Bill. Usually when I do that kind of thing, I set it down, turn off the lights and call it a day. I'm screwed for the rest of the day anyway...preoccupied with the mistake...only to make more...

Glad you were able to capitalize on it and finish it up. I've carried a few "reminders" around my shop that will never leave my side. I'll never forget the first knife I broke while testing it. Learned some hard lessons that day.

I agree, though, with the consensus - that folder is still dang nice. The oopsie only downgraded it from A+ to A-.


At least you can now afford to carry one of your own. :D
 
Still beats the hell outa anything comin out of my shop :D
I know how you feel though. Just be glad you didn't do like I would have and chuck it at something. Probably wouldn't look so hot after ricocheting off the anvil, skipping across the bandsaw table and landing in the quench tank..... uh...no I've never actually done that I swear ;) :rolleyes:

You still got a nice carry peice. Just try try to tell youself you saved money making it instead of buying it from someone else.
 
I can understand you not wanting something that doesn't measure up to your specifications one hundred percent coming out of your shop, but it still looks pretty good to me. Can those spots be covered up?
 
I'd throw it away (please email me with the date you throw the knife away, address and when garbage pickup happens so I can dumpster dive first!). I look forward to the day that my mistakes look that good! Shoot, I'd charge $50 more for it and sell it as a "one-of-a-kind art piece investigating the aesthetic ramifications of wabisabi philosophies as applied to knifemaking art and metalwork." :D
 
There's an easy way to fix this. Replace the stop pin and spacer with a full backbar. That way there is no blade pressure on the liners in that spot. Then just incorporate the break into some filework on the liners.
You might have to re-blue the liners, do some re-sanding, polishing and etching but it beats having to make a new liner.
Hope this helps,
Chuck
 
Dan Gray said:
Bill
sand it smooth and even so both sides are the same
remove the pin and bur (round )the ends of the holes
and replace the pin with a heat blued pin and call it a custom job :D
if it's tight I don't think it will bother and who will know it wasn't suppose to be that way :)
Click to expand...

Chiro75 said:
I'd charge $50 more for it and sell it as a "one-of-a-kind art piece investigating the aesthetic ramifications of wabisabi philosophies as applied to knifemaking art and metalwork." :D
Click to expand...
yeah that he said. :D

chuck.. you'd still have the hole in the linners the more you file the biger the gap will get also..
 
Drill the existing pivot pin holes out for some bronze bushings, about 3/8th in diameter, with the center of them matching the current pivot pin. Drill them at the same time, with the liners clamped or screwed together. Press fit the bronze bushings. There will of course be an area of bronze bushing that's "above" the liner, but it will be equal on each side. Sand that down flush with the liner so that you have the same visual effect on each liner, and charge $100 more for it.
 
Robert you'd have to use a mill to do it that way where it's broke though now
a drill would at the least run out if not bind and then
ouchie
 
Thanks everyone for the comments, compliments and suggestions. This folder has already been retired to my pocket. I've spent to much time on it already and I just don't have any interest in spending any more. Its already made me cry once and I won't give it another chance, next time it would end up under my truck tires. :D Anyway, I would rather be working on a new one, which I am. I've got just enough of that mosaic bar left for another one so its already started. This time I'll probably use the elephant ivory so the first one was just an expensive, time consuming proto type. ;) I know not what to do on this one, if I don't do something I'm not suppose to do on it, somewhere else. :)

Bill
 
Dan Gray said:
Robert you'd have to use a mill to do it that way where it's broke though now
a drill would at the least run out if not bind and then
ouchie
Click to expand...

Yep, after thinking about what you said, it dawned on me that you're absolutely right! I'm glad Bill didn't try my method!!!! Bill, if it's any consulation, I have a box full (and growing) of problem folders, and other assorted problem pieces. It seems to be part of the program :)
 
Just put it in your pocket and use it to scrape epoxy off the floor when you have visitors. This really freaks them out. :D
 
Kim Breed said:
Just put it in your pocket and use it to scrape epoxy off the floor when you have visitors. This really freaks them out. :D
Click to expand...
:)
don't laugh to hard, I've carried one
now for about 3 years I value from another
maker at about $600.00
you won't believe some of the stuff I do with it :eek:
it's what I figure knives are made for right? ;)
 
Dan,
Yes you would still have the holes in the liners but they wouldn't have any stress on them from the blade resting on the full backbar. You could file them out a little and put in inlays in the holes and then incorporate the inlays into the filework. Inlays in te liners are tricky but can also look very cool with the right anodizing.
Chuck
 
that would work but with a lot more work.
but could work nicely and still add value to it....

the fix I came up with would take about 15 - 20 min's.

if one were to spend more time on it,, Bill could make
new liners and just make them a bit over size, the bolsters and handle material would then be relived some
an add a new affect to the job too, adding value and worth the effort...
sometimes repairs let us evolve and come up with new money makers
and add new levels to our work..

something has to be screwed up pretty bad when you can't fix it.. and even make more money for the effort..
it's one of a kind customs at it's best..
 
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