Top three mistakes rookies make,,,

P.Brewster said:
Senseless frugality, senseless frugality, and senseless frugality. Time is money.
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Use sandpaper like it's free. This extends to belts too. I've spent far too much time trying to finish a bevel on a worn out belt only to change it an hour later and be done in three minutes....
 
When will I stop grabbing hot metal with my bare hands? I have that bucket of water right there for a reason!

Thats the only thing I need to get past! *Almost 5 years now and everyday I do this.
 
Also know the difference between "Grinding" and "Sanding"

Once your handle materials on glued on you should be done grinding. That means no more removing metal and only removing handle material.

That little guide line will keep you from grinding into your tang and will keep your pins and bolts safe while the handle.
 
-Over grinding the past the witness lines for pre-heat treat
-over grinding during finish grinding and having to walk back the belly or losing the tip
-Tossing out everything because it isn't right and not just finishing one all the way through. One needs to also develop practice with all the other parts of the process beyond grinding
 
1. Rushing and being impatient.
2. Using a belt too long.
3. Not wearing proper PPE.
 
The one I still struggle with, is when to stop chasing mistakes. I get in a loop where I spend time trying to correct an imperfection, and in the end I've either gotten nowhere, made it worse, or created another issue.
 
Love the overusage of sanding belts reference by many here. My best friend, also a knife maker, gets hell from me for that. I’ll accuse him of trying to get $20 worth of grinding from a $3 belt all the time.

Another thing I’ve noticed is new makers thinking they have “arrived” after making knives for a year or so. They’ll see a knife of mine go for, say, $250 and think theirs is worth the same even though their finish work is nowhere near what it needs to be. I’ve had them look at mine, ask what I’m getting for them, then remark “looks like I need to give myself a raise then!” Its sort of a “paying your dues” thing...don’t expect to get Loveless prices until you up your game a bit.
 
1. Ask yourself before you begin each build, what are you striving for in each knife? Edge geometry, aesthetics, ergonomics, etc.
2. Learn to take SOME advice. Allow me to clarify, there are many makers who do things a certain way because it is what they were told/taught and therefore believe it to be the only way to do things. Are there certain processes which are pretty much universal truths in this craft, sure. But find what works for you with YOUR abilities.
3. Clean your shop.
 
JoshRG said:
1. Ask yourself before you begin each build, what are you striving for in each knife? Edge geometry, aesthetics, ergonomics, etc.
2. Learn to take SOME advice. Allow me to clarify, there are many makers who do things a certain way because it is what they were told/taught and therefore believe it to be the only way to do things. Are there certain processes which are pretty much universal truths in this craft, sure. But find what works for you with YOUR abilities.
3. Clean your shop.
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Yup, but I still don’t do number 3 very good after 41 years making knives.

Hoss
 
Trying to hold a bar of steel with your hand while cutting a blank
Buy cheap....buy twice..or three times
Not researching your research
 
Making the same mistake over and over but instead of fixing the mistake... Learning how to cover it up. Haha. There is a reason I go plungeless on most of my knives:rolleyes:

Really want to work on that this year!
 
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