What's going on in your shop? Show us whats going on, and talk a bit about your work!

[Omega Leather Works]

Will, lovely work! What do the pins in the back of the guard do? Some sort of locating?

 

[Jesse Latham]

Ian, Mondo cool! Is that ground both sides? Jess

 

[Mike Gesualdo]

Decided to give the whole hamon thing a shot. Had no idea what I was doing, so there isn't much of any activity (or I lack the skills to get it to show), but there's a lot of contrast so I like it anyways

Also on a little bit of a straight razor kick. This one needs major finishing work, but I figured I'd sharpen it up and give it a little test run. Happy to say, my face is still fully intact (minus parts of my beard).

 

[Salolan]

Here are a 3 variations of paring knives I've been working on for my wife. I think she only said it because she didn't think I would do it, but she said she wanted pink and purple handles.

They are made from Cupples .065 15n20. I did a forced patina using vinegar and my etched makers mark still shows, though the crappy camera doesn't show it very well. The vinegar left a pattern, especially on the wharncliffe. I wiped them down with alcohol but I must of left a residue trace of something accidentally. Here they are awaiting handles.

Thanks for looking,
Chris

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Weebus, those are sweet! Love the profile on the knife. The cutting edge looks ultra useful.

Are straights hard to grind? Where do you learn the proper geometry? I guess buying a good example would help. I've always wanted one, and figure that once I have a way to hollow grind, making one is probably the best bet.

What will you make the handle out of?

 

[Willie71]

Here are a 3 variations of paring knives I've been working on for my wife. I think she only said it because she didn't think I would do it, but she said she wanted pink and purple handles.

They are made from Cupples .065 15n20. I did a forced patina using vinegar and my etched makers mark still shows, though the crappy camera doesn't show it very well. The vinegar left a pattern, especially on the wharncliffe. I wiped them down with alcohol but I must of left a residue trace of something accidentally. Here they are awaiting handles.

Thanks for looking,
Chris

That middle blade is AWESOME!!! It is nearly a perfect pattern. Make 50 of those!!!!!
I will buy one of them if you make them.

 

[Willie71]

Decided to give the whole hamon thing a shot. Had no idea what I was doing, so there isn't much of any activity (or I lack the skills to get it to show), but there's a lot of contrast so I like it anyways

Also on a little bit of a straight razor kick. This one needs major finishing work, but I figured I'd sharpen it up and give it a little test run. Happy to say, my face is still fully intact (minus parts of my beard).

My first hamon looked like a smudge on the blade. Each one got better with practice. It takes years to get good at it. Keep going!!!!

 

[Will Morrison]

Will, lovely work! What do the pins in the back of the guard do? Some sort of locating?

Thanks mate.

You're right about the pins. Locators for a piece of mild steel which I attach to the back of the guard while I'm shaping it. Keeps the back edge of the guard nice and crisp.

 

[silverforgestudio]

@Weebus- a double-shot of questions please...What steel did you choose for the razor and is that a 10" hollow? Looks to be a 1.5 in wide blade... How thick? Looks great!

 

[Mike Gesualdo]

Weebus, those are sweet! Love the profile on the knife. The cutting edge looks ultra useful.

Are straights hard to grind? Where do you learn the proper geometry? I guess buying a good example would help. I've always wanted one, and figure that once I have a way to hollow grind, making one is probably the best bet.

What will you make the handle out of?

Thanks! That one was actually my contribution towards a thing on another website. They held a "best knife design" contest, a few of the knifemakers over there agreed to turn the winning designs into real knives, just for fun I had to make some changes to make it a more usable knife... and since it wasn't my own design, I figured I'd have some fun with it (hamon, etc).

I'm thinking blackwood with a copper liner will look slick for it. I've been meaning to do that combination on something for a while, but always end up going another route when I get to that point.

Here is what the design from the contest looked like with my adjustments in uber high tech pen shading:

As for where I learned "proper" geometry for the razor... I kinda just winged it. My friend is super into straight razor shaving and after seeing one of my knives posted on Facebook, he asked me if I could make a straight razor for him. All he told me was that it needed to create a 15-16 degree angle laying it from spine to edge, so I did the math and ground away. It ended up being a lot of dancing between my stones and the grinder to get everything honed in. I send my first to my buddy after completing it, and he said it shaved as well as any he owned... so I guess it worked out Here is that one:

As for the handle on that one, I'm actually sending it to the friend that I gave the first one to. He refurbishes old razors and does a lot of rescales, so he offered to do the polishing, honing, and make some scales for it as payment for the first Edit: Forgot to add, he's also sending me some old razors that are beyond refurbishing as a further study on proper geometry.

My first hamon looked like a smudge on the blade. Each one got better with practice. It takes years to get good at it. Keep going!!!!

I'm excited to try another after this. I kind of just slapped some furnace cement on the spine and hoped it would do something. Didn't expect much at all. I followed Ryan W's method of bringing it out, and it worked quite well! Makes me wish I put some more thought into the clay coating, though...

@Weebus- a double-shot of questions please...What steel did you choose for the razor and is that a 10" hollow? Looks to be a 1.5 in wide blade... How thick? Looks great!

I used 52100, about 0.270" thick at the spine, ground on an 8" wheel (all I have haha). It's a big one... width is just under 1", or 8/8 as the razor folks say, about 2.8" long if I remember correctly. As part of the angle calculations, I did the math to see where the distance between tangent circles 8" wheels would be equal to my stock thickness... came out to be something like 0.98", so I went with that for the width (not sure if my description makes sense... I'm an engineer, not a writer) Ordering up some smaller wheels so I can do more "full" hollows. Really enjoying the razors, as they provide an interesting challenge

 

[Jason Fry]

WOW, excellent. The way you jigged up the guard for filing, and the locator pins and sacrificial piece of steel all lend themselves to great precision! Your guard fitup is impressive as well.

 

[silverforgestudio]

Thanks Weebus- Just left your site and saw the blade info there too- and the trig makes sense to me... no worries! Awesome stuff!

 

[HallHandmade]

Will, I'm not sure what I'm doing on the handle yet. I was thinking about trying to give it partial symmetry to the blade.

I'm also thinking about doing a curved and slotted top on the guard, to complement the area where the hollow and flat grinds meet on the main bevel.

Anthony, I'm starting to try to really diversify my style, it seems the more I do so, the better response I get (and its fun)

Jesse, thanks, it is ground on both sides. I can't wait until this one is finished and sharpened. I have a feeling it's gonna be a laser.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Thanks mate.

You're right about the pins. Locators for a piece of mild steel which I attach to the back of the guard while I'm shaping it. Keeps the back edge of the guard nice and crisp.

That's freaking brilliant. Makes me question if I have enough creativity to ever advance in making knives.

Thanks! That one was actually my contribution towards a thing on another website. They held a "best knife design" contest, a few of the knifemakers over there agreed to turn the winning designs into real knives, just for fun I had to make some changes to make it a more usable knife... and since it wasn't my own design, I figured I'd have some fun with it (hamon, etc).

I'm thinking blackwood with a copper liner will look slick for it. I've been meaning to do that combination on something for a while, but always end up going another route when I get to that point.

Here is what the design from the contest looked like with my adjustments in uber high tech pen shading:

As for where I learned "proper" geometry for the razor... I kinda just winged it. My friend is super into straight razor shaving and after seeing one of my knives posted on Facebook, he asked me if I could make a straight razor for him. All he told me was that it needed to create a 15-16 degree angle laying it from spine to edge, so I did the math and ground away. It ended up being a lot of dancing between my stones and the grinder to get everything honed in. I send my first to my buddy after completing it, and he said it shaved as well as any he owned... so I guess it worked out Here is that one:

As for the handle on that one, I'm actually sending it to the friend that I gave the first one to. He refurbishes old razors and does a lot of rescales, so he offered to do the polishing, honing, and make some scales for it as payment for the first Edit: Forgot to add, he's also sending me some old razors that are beyond refurbishing as a further study on proper geometry.



I'm excited to try another after this. I kind of just slapped some furnace cement on the spine and hoped it would do something. Didn't expect much at all. I followed Ryan W's method of bringing it out, and it worked quite well! Makes me wish I put some more thought into the clay coating, though...



I used 52100, about 0.270" thick at the spine, ground on an 8" wheel (all I have haha). It's a big one... width is just under 1", or 8/8 as the razor folks say, about 2.8" long if I remember correctly. As part of the angle calculations, I did the math to see where the distance between tangent circles 8" wheels would be equal to my stock thickness... came out to be something like 0.98", so I went with that for the width (not sure if my description makes sense... I'm an engineer, not a writer) Ordering up some smaller wheels so I can do more "full" hollows. Really enjoying the razors, as they provide an interesting challenge

Ah yes! I remember seeing that copper clad straight. I love that one and have looked at it a number of times. I bet it's easier shaving with a full tang, but cannot know for sure.

Please be sure and post pics once the new straight is handled by your friend and returned.

Amazing talent around here. This has gotta be my favorite thread.

 

[Salolan]

That middle blade is AWESOME!!! It is nearly a perfect pattern. Make 50 of those!!!!!
I will buy one of them if you make them.

Thank you, though I am sure it is a far stretch from perfect. However, if I do take your advise and make 50 of them how about I just send you 1. Do you want number 1 or 50?

I do think I figured out the funny etch pattern on the wharncliffe to be traces of windex acting as a resist. I don't recall washing it as thoroughly as the other 2 after I etched my mark.

Chris

 

[Willie71]

How about the 27th?

To explain my idea of 50- sometimes I assume others think the same way as me, but thank goodness that isn't so. I have been trying a number of variations on skinners/edcs, and have come pretty close to a design I will use as my first pattern. I have three out as testers right now, and the owners rave about them. I want to do a run of 50 knives in several steels and put them up for sale as a named model. I think your middle knife looks like a great design, and if I designed it, would consider it as a standard model.

 

[AVigil]

Finishing up a Kwaiken and a Kiradashi. Waiting for the wraps to cure 100%

 

[HallHandmade]

Nice work everyone. Keep up the posts please.

Brindle Hunter #2, this was a commission I finished during the week.

 

[Eric Kidwell]

Very nice Ian,
May be my Fav from you.

 

[Jetzler1]

Very nice work guys :thumbup:
Ian
You have to do the rest of us a favor and do a video on how and what you grind with. I think most of the rest of us have some catching up to do! I want to see the magic! Such nice grinds.

John