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

Forgot to add, this knife was a self imposed challenge, I had the blade hardened flat with only the holes drilled, I set a goal of finishing the entire knife in an hour. Imposible in an hour for me if the knife has a ricasso. It took me 100 minutes and this includes taking the photos.

The sequence was: 40/60/120/norax 30, then at the bench boride 320 cs-m stone to remove all the vertical lines remaining and also cs-m 400. Then a dip in ferric chloride for 10 minutes to slightly etch the dark steel, then I phosphatized the blade and then polish to pop the 15n20, cut drill and finish the front part of the handle, 10 minutes epoxy and corbys and then back to the grinder to finally shape the handle. Polished the handle with white buffing compound on a loose polishing wheel. Lasered my makers mark, etched the handle perimeter to black, sharpened the knife and took the photos. The sheath I had one in stock because I usually make knives this size.

It was a nice challenge, I think I can shave 10 minutes or so if I preheat the phosphatizing bath instead of waiting and using all brand new belts.

Do you guys self impose challenges like this one?

Pablo
 
PEU said:
Forgot to add, this knife was a self imposed challenge, I had the blade hardened flat with only the holes drilled, I set a goal of finishing the entire knife in an hour. Imposible in an hour for me if the knife has a ricasso. It took me 100 minutes and this includes taking the photos.

The sequence was: 40/60/120/norax 30, then at the bench boride 320 cs-m stone to remove all the vertical lines remaining and also cs-m 400. Then a dip in ferric chloride for 10 minutes to slightly etch the dark steel, then I phosphatized the blade and then polish to pop the 15n20, cut drill and finish the front part of the handle, 10 minutes epoxy and corbys and then back to the grinder to finally shape the handle. Polished the handle with white buffing compound on a loose polishing wheel. Lasered my makers mark, etched the handle perimeter to black, sharpened the knife and took the photos. The sheath I had one in stock because I usually make knives this size.

It was a nice challenge, I think I can shave 10 minutes or so if I preheat the phosphatizing bath instead of waiting and using all brand new belts.

Do you guys self impose challenges like this one?

Pablo
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Pretty rare that I impose any type of challenge on myself, I just try make the best knife I can. Usually my focus is on fit and finish, and I try to make a sheath that compliments the knife.
 
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PEU said:
Do you guys self impose challenges like this one?

Pablo
Click to expand...
I think at your level Pablo, challenging yourself with self imposed limits is good, and keeps life interesting.

At my level, just completing a knife is challenge enough! Lol!

I think that's the real differences between you professionals and us amateurs!
 
A.McPherson said:
I think at your level Pablo, challenging yourself with self imposed limits is good, and keeps life interesting.

At my level, just completing a knife is challenge enough! Lol!

I think that's the real differences between you professionals and us amateurs!
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I think you hit the nail on the head, I make about 10 knives a year. And with all of the home improvement projects I have going on I don't know when I'll get out to my shop to finish the one I've started.lol
 
Scott Hanson said:
Pretty rare that I impose any type of challenge on myself, I just try make the best knife I can. Usually my focus is on fit and finish, and I try to make a sheath that compliments the knife.
Click to expand...
There is of course the implicit challenge to make it as good as any of my regular work, it has to be sellable, otherwise is not a challenge but a waste of time. Even after many years of fulltime knifemaker I try to find new ways to improve processes.

Pablo
 
PEU said:
There is of course the implicit challenge to make it as good as any of my regular work, it has to be sellable, otherwise is not a challenge but a waste of time. Even after many years of fulltime knifemaker I try to find new ways to improve processes.

Pablo
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I'm blown away that you can go from 120 grit to a finishing belt and then handsand in under an hour. That takes some serious skill.
 
1.4 mm M390 @62 hrc paring knife with red canvas micarta and black G10 details.
But I suspect it won't make it to the kitchen, and be EDC'd instead...

gS1kPX9.jpeg
 
Getting closer with the saya. Its glued up, I'm not done with the finish on it, and I just need to drill out the hole for the pin.

It's for a nice friction fit. Shown in the second picture, but I think having the pin for extra security will be best. Also i hollowed out some extra space, and put felt in on both sides to hopefully keep any potential scuffs at a minimum on the soft steel towards the spine.

https://imgur.com/a/smSRsfH

I did my best to have a book matched type effect on the two sides. But doing most of the fine work with a coping saw, meant I had to do some more material than i would have liked to, to get a better fit at the glue up points.
 
N.W. Gean said:
I'm blown away that you can go from 120 grit to a finishing belt and then handsand in under an hour. That takes some serious skill.
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The true hero is not the norax belt but the CS-M 320 stone. And yes, even after a few years in my pro knifemaking career the belt sander was not 100% under my control, now it is for flat bevels. That and throwing away belts that years ago I would kept using.

Pablo
 
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