What do you do with first knives?

J

JN7556

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Aug 17, 2015
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Just some boredom-fueled curiosity here. What do you guys do with your first knives after you've shown off or refined them? Do you use them until their useless, get all nostalgic and put them somewhere special, or are you like me and put it somewhere for a moment, then get distracted by a completely unrelated event, and end up completely forgetting about it for a while?

-John
 
Myknifefromthekith031.jpg
Kept a few, most went to the local land fill. As some point around #25, I decided that I would not try to "fix" any more blades, Within a couple of months after just thawing away like 15 or so more blades, I was not ashamed to have them seen in public. This little hunter is actually the fist one of mine that was offered up for public consumption to someone other than a family member. It was a KITH knife from 2007 IIRC.
 
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My first knife and sheath are hanging on my electrical tool belt. I use it when I need to strip electical wire or make-up recepacles, stuff like that.
 
I practiced etching my name and played with some texturing. I also messed around trying swedges. I don't get too nostalgic so i don't mind if i ruin them.
 
first knives? I hide them and thank god every day I didn't have a touchmark back then:D Also use them around the farm for general cutting chores..feedsacks,haystring,etc..
 
My Dad has my first one. This is good because it just sits in a drawer. No one gets to see it!
 
Sell them for... One million dollars! >:D or not, and hide them in a deep, dark corner of the shop!
 
Used my first this weekend to help my brother skin and quarter the first deer of the season (nice doe he killed with his bow). The knife in his hand at the time was my second!

It just goes to show that if you are patient and use the resources on this forum you can make some very functional knives right from the start. I've said it before but this is a good reminder; Thanks to all of those on this forum who so freely give advice to us rookie knife makers.

BTW I don't intend to stop using that first kinfe anytime soon, as it holds an edge way better than my old Buck 110.

Cheers

Jeff
 
First one actually came out pretty well if I may say so myself, it was a gift to a friend, and still looks pretty good to me except for that stupid little protrusion of wood. There were, however, a few serious misses on knives 3-10 or so. Most were given away, one I use to open packages with new knife making materials, thus completing the circle of life.
 
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My first ones that are now 30 years old are still at work and can be found in the kitchen drawer. A few others can be found around the house in the drawers of the shop.
 
first%20knife.jpg my first knife.jpg My first knife disappeared before many of you chaps were born, then re-appeared a few years back in a box of old tools. It makes me feel really old to think that it was made nearly 55 years ago. What makes me feel better is to see how much better I make a knife today :)

Blade is made in GGS ( Grandpa's Garage Steel). Handle from a deer dad shot. Rivets from 16 penny nails. Handle "antiqued" with a blow torch.
 
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Went with antler on your first! Nice!

I have stuck some of mine into my tempering (read toaster) oven as thermal mass. I think it has helped the thing as the good thermometer I keep inside of it stays within a 2-4 degree range.
 
my first knife , 2004. i use it for the things i would not want to use my nice knives on.
 

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My first is in the kitchen knife drawer. It is a pretty decent utility knife. My second "knife" is a cutoff from that first file knife that I made into a woodworking striking knife. It actually works very well but the handle is hideous so while I use it constantly, the only person to share my shame is my wife. I have not had time to make another yet but I have some 1084 now and the shop is almost done.
 
When I take one of those first ones I made into my hand I can still remember grinding them out and the feelings of pride, ambition and the anticipation of the future. The critical side of me looking the knife over for blemishes that are still on those blades today. Learn and move on to the next ones, so went the hobby for 30 years. Today I only make a few, enough to satisfy the urge.
 
I went all out on my first. I have it, but I hope to give it away this year. The second one was successfully gifted away, and I will probably also give away the third when it gets done.

After that, I think I can feel good about selling a stock removal knife.
 
I've made a few 8" long x 1/8" thick blades out of 10" long by 1/4" thick blades :D

Testing, breaking, cutting, practice etching, messing around with different edge angles/styles/finishes, abuse and neglect, more testing/cutting/breaking... that's part of the fun and frankly I feel it's all pretty important to understanding what works and what doesn't.
 
I actually made a "knife" when I was about 8 or 9 years old. The blade was aluminum, because metal was metal in my mind, but it was shaped with files and sanded to a nice satin finish, the handle had peened pins and if I'm remembering right, a little american flag painted on the side. It was part of my extensive wooden weapon arsenal. My mom kept some of my best stuff from those days, but that one is unfortunately lost to history.
 
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