Well, 1ST KNIFE DONE!!!!! here's the WIP and things I've learned... Wathcha Think???

scubasteve4sq said:
fantastic job! im currently working on my first knife and you have set the bar high! i love how you etched your logo, i've been cringing looking at the 200 dollar etchers, could you explain a little more about how you did it? i think i get the premise, but more details would be great. i cant decide if i like your patina finish or the mirror finish better, they both look great.
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What you do is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhWNmNYT-Q4&feature=related

Except that I used Nail Polish and scratched my mark into it, cleanly.
Use lots of q-tips.
If you use a 9volt battery, check to make sure its not getting too hot, and switch for a new one if your fizz starts slowing down.
If you don't like the design, don't start etching!! redo!!

Thanks for asking! 1st time I have helped someone else :D
 
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That is a great first knife. Differential heat treat is a pretty advanced attempt on a first knife, back yard heat treat.

If the steel actually took a differential heat treat, you can still bring out the hammon. There are several tutorials on here. Takes a lot of work, and an exact touch to get them to show up.

I made my first (and only finished knife), with basically the same tools. Except for the fact that I had no power drill. I used a hand crank drill!


Tip on the patina, you really don't need any heat to get a patina. It just takes longer, but then you are not worried about cracking or drying out the wood.
 
Get the Craftsman 2x42. Mine was a workhorse for several years and worth every penny. I eventually put a 1/2 hp motor behind it to slow it down and give it more power. It is a great machine to use while you save and build a 2x72.
Jason
 
Absolutely awesome! I'd be interested in your etching technique as well. Details, Man!

Again, great go at it. Love the design.
 
I didn't go into it earlier, but there is little likelihood that a clay coated spine will produce a hamon on 1084, especially with a back yard HT and canola oil. What you did was fine, but the steel type has too much manganese to form more than a hint of a hamon, and the heat has to be fairly well controlled to get even that. The quench speed needs to be a bit faster than canola,too. Water/brine is the best quench media for hamon formation, but it is also the worst media for breaking blades. Fast oil ( Parks #50) is suitable for shallow hardening steels like W2 and 1095.

As suggested, do all the blade work and when the blade is done ( and patinaed) ,tape it up and install the handles.
One common situation for new makers is to make the blade and then quickly put on the handle without putting the same attention to detail they spent on the blade into the handle. Taking the time to properly attach, shape, and finish the handle can really make the difference between an OK knife and a good knife.

I don't know where you live, because "High in the Mountains" isn't a real place, but they have regular classes and ABS hammer-ins over in Clyde, NC at the Haywood Community College and also at Montgomery Community College in Troy, NC. There is a very active bladesmithing club/group in western NC. You should check it out.
http://ncknifeguild.org/North_Carolina_Custom_Knifemake/About.html

Get hold of the guys at Big Blu and they can steer you where to find the activities and makers in your area.
http://bigbluhammer.com/index.php?route=information/contact

Other good people to get with are the Tarheel Cutlery Club, which meets in Winston-Salem


Note to all with fictitious/humorous locations:
Many great makers will be glad to help you learn and may offer all kinds of materials, info, and help, but if they think you are some silly kid or don't know where you are, they may not even reply. I put up the above info because I am a moderator and also like to go the extra yard, but most won't. Filling out your real location is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do when registering on BF.
 
Thanks Stacy... you know you have a bit of a fatherly quality as a moderator ;) Profile updated! I'm going to check out those groups!

I feel better about the hammon failure. I'm going to keep trying. It looks like I might be using 1075 from now on cause 1084 is a bit hard to find, that might help the hammon.

I did rush the handle... I got hung up on using Apple because I live in Apple Country... I think I'll be making micarta from now on (1. superiority 2. its another aspect I can create), or using stabilized wood when I want a pretty factor.

Thanks for the Craftsman 2x42 feedback!! I have 2 requests for custom blades already, and one is a 12" fighter and I REALLY don't want to hand-file those bevels!
 
Call Aldo Bruno for 1084 and ALL of your steel needs

www.njsteelbaron.com
I think I can say with confidence that he supplies the best for the best who make the best... and he has the best prices, best customer service, best... Well, Aldo is just the BEST
Jason
 
Congratulations on that knife!
I love the fact that you didn't even have a vice!
 
- kAd - said:
I have 2 requests for custom blades already, and one is a 12" fighter...
Click to expand...

I fully support what you're doing, your obvious skill and attention to craftsmanship, and your enthusiasm.

But!

I strongly suggest that you build at least a dozen smaller knives like the one you've shared here, before you tackle a 12" fighter. It's a whole different ballgame. With each smaller knife, you will come to grasp subtleties and tricks, that will eventually make the difference between a large but poorly-balanced "fighter" and something you'll be proud of.
 
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