Where do your "mistakes" go?

KnifeHead

KnifeHead

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
5,561
These days, my mistake/finished knife ratio ain't too good. I will get what I think is a nice even grind after HT, clean up the plunge, all looking good. Then, I put the finishing touch with a swedge(false edge) and blow it. End up chasing it back and forth till it almost looks like a Pakky dagger :D. An otherwise very useable blade but....THAT UNSIGHTLY SWEDGE!!!:mad: Drat and doggonnit! Ofcourse this is only one example of how I have discovered to screw up an almost finished blade but this will suffice for this discussion.

I'm still learning and fighting the feel for putting on a good swedge. I get a good one now and then but it's few and far between. I seem to do better with a 14" wheel but it isn't in my shop.

Anywho, what do you do with these almost-a-good-blade mistakes?:rolleyes: Here are some of my ideas:

1. Wind chimes
2. Use them to make a diabolical, spring loaded mole killer
3. Finish and give to mom or similar caring family member(someone that likes anything I make, even if it's crap)
4. Make a much smaller, ugly knife
5. Use it as a paint/wood scraper
6. Convert it to a edge scriber. This will aid in making the next mistake much quicker
7. Throw in a "learning box" so that I can refer back to what NOT to do.
 
I too am a newbie and he VAST majority of my blades have ended up in the "screw up" pile. Even ones that I usd to cut down and try to make into a smaller "rescue" project would get screwed up TWICE...lol. I swore that off when I started up again in October. If it doesn't work the first time, startover with a new piece of steel. (i forge so i fortunately am not throwing away expensive pieces of S30V or anything like that) My orphans end up in the local landfill unless it is something really minor. I have one now that is darn near perfect other than the fact that my tendonistis did not allow me to stamp it deeply enough. You don't discover that until it is too lateand I have had no luck in the past restamping. That one I plan to complete for my own use and "testing" The swedge and a number of other things have gotten MUCH easier since i got my VS KMG. I just crank that thing down to slow speed and it makes life a lot easier. Some guys do the swedges with files.
 
There are two of my knives in the white mountains that someday may be found. I took them on a camping trip, walked offtrail and pounded them 5-6" deep into a tree. Sometime, someday, someone will come across them and wonder how they got there. They may rust apart before that happens, though! Ive wanted to go back and see if they are still there for some time now....

For the most part, failed knives of mine are given away or simply heat treated, then destruction tested. If a grind is off or a swedge is chased too far, that doesnt mean the balde is useless. Sometimes the knowledge of your HT is worth more than the sale if it had turned out fine.

One maker here posted how he got rid of bad knives. it amounted to a big hole, knives in the hole, covered in salt to speed up rusting. That will work every time!
 
If I screw up a damascus blade (which really makes me mad, since I have sooo much time in the welding process), I cut those into smaller pieces to be welded up in a can with 1084 powder. It makes for one of a kind, weird looking damascus, with unpredictable, but sometimes extremely attractive results.
 
I stick mine in the wall next to the grinder and when I get really frustrated (yes, the swedge, the dreaded swedge), I take one out and grind the hell out of it. I put on an old nappy belt first, of course. It makes me feel better.
 
I always wonder about people having swedge problems. I grind them first. Theyre no harder than setting the initial 45 degree bevel...This one was hard, though..At least the curved junction part of it:
newclay.jpg
 
Any I thought I was the only one with a pile of screw-ups. I have 5 of the same design in that pile. It's just not meant to be. Yet...
 
I just take the mistake out and make a smaller knife out of it. :)
if it's in the handle, well that's what I believe inlaying and work like that are for.. there are many ways to get a round so called mistakes,
your only limited by your mind in ways to fix them.. of course if you have a certain patern you have to use then it's starting over again on that one, but now you'll have two knives to sell..:)
 
Hey Dan.....do you have any of the John Deere steel?
 
Kerry Hampton said:
1. Wind chimes
2. Use them to make a diabolical, spring loaded mole killer
3. Finish and give to mom or similar caring family member(someone that likes anything I make, even if it's crap)
4. Make a much smaller, ugly knife
5. Use it as a paint/wood scraper
6. Convert it to a edge scriber. This will aid in making the next mistake much quicker
7. Throw in a "learning box" so that I can refer back to what NOT to do.
8.
striper28 said:
They get turned into throwing knives.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

I have the wall of shame :o most of my screw ups get flung into the wall!
those screw ups also make some pretty wild noises when you quench em in water :eek:
 
I set mine aside for when a family member says, 'hey when you gonna make me a knife?' Then they get one. Hey its free. So what if its a second. They want the good ones they can buy it like everyone else. :D

STR
 
If i can grind a smaller blade I do, if not they turn into dammit tools. everyone needs something to fling and scream DAMMIT.
 
haha i dont know throwing about a foot of sharpend steel could be dangeros to yourself and others :>
 
1. Hand tools sometimes save time--by allowing you to finish the knife slowly rather than ruin it quickly.

2. Destructive testing.

John
 
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