Winter kith?

There are always questions about "am I ready for a kith?"

Look through the stickies, and see what it takes to make a knife. If you have made a few, and have posted them for feedback, you know where you are at. If you haven't, look through the kitchen kith from this year, and the Christmas kith from last year, and see what people have made. There is a range of skill, and almost all knives are well received. In past years ive received knives better than mine, and worse than mine. When I got feedback from others on where to improve, it was really helpful. The feedback on my handles was very helpful, as the more experienced maker complimented my skill there. It gave me perspective on what I did well, and where I needed to catch up. I also fave feedback for others on how to improve, and I did that in private, through e-mail, pm, or even telephone.

My thoughts are the knife should be heat treated to a functional hardness, and you should be able to get the edge reasonably centered with plunges that are reasonably close. Perfection isn't a criterion. The edges on a few knives I received were quite wide, 0.040" or 0.050". For the newer guys 0.020" is a better goal, as it's more usable. If you are getting great heat treat results, go thinner. Of course a chopper is a different animal. Kitchen knives are often thinner than 0.010".

For more experienced makers, I suggest making a really clean knife to show off fit and finish, rather than going for a lot of bling. Just my two cents, but please feel free to contribute what you like.

My first kith knives were these:

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[/url]100_2274 by Wjkrywko, on Flickr[/IMG]

The fit and finish weren't great. The smaller knife had an offset handle, as it glued up slanted. Both were heat treated well, and were the best I could do that year. Leifjl got the bigger knife, and gave me great feedback on how to improve. The edges were probably too broad, and guard figment was close, but would end up in my scrap pile now. I worked very hard on them, and was proud of what I did.
 
I also sat out for a couple and watched. I'm not trying to discourage anyone either, it was my own personal choice. There are some makers making great knives right out of the gate. Speaking for myself only,I didn't want to accept someone's very nice knife and give them something that should have been refined. Sometimes it's hard to measure your own work. That being said, I wouldn't complain if I end up with a prison shank lol.
 
I live in New Zealand, will this be a barrier for entry to the KITH?

I guess this also makes it a summer KITH for me as opposed to a winter one
 
Callum.D said:
I live in New Zealand, will this be a barrier for entry to the KITH?

I guess this also makes it a summer KITH for me as opposed to a winter one
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European makers have participated in the past. Check shipping to and from the US, and as long as it's not crazy, no reason not to participate.
 
You can count me in, I missed out on the kitchen KITH. I will put something nice togather for this.
Any guidelines as to shape, size or function. Only reason I ask is I wonder if doe people joining have legal limits on blades.

I ask everyone to bring your A game and really push your self. The way I look at it is like this, make the knife you would want to receive. This is in regards to fit and finish not just style. Make a clean blade that you would be proud to show off to other knife makers.

If anyone is having issues with heat treating send me an email. We have started up the "on the side" heat treating "thing" so to speak. Right now I think most other heat treaters are back logged into the new year. We decided for the remaining of the year we would do heat treating for just about free to help out. We have decided on a simple $1 per inch plus shipping it back. So if you need help heat treating a blade for this KITH and money is a problem drop me a line and we will see what we can work out. I would rather help out then have back yard BBQ heat treated blades floating around for this KITH.
 
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I'd like to get in on this one. Thanks!

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Willie71 said:
Hey, cdrew, I just noticed this is your first post. Please fill out your profile, and also tell us a bit about you and the knives you make.

Warren
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I've been on here for a little while but i forgot my name and password so i made a new account. Ive been making knives for about 6 months and still trying to hone my skills. I'm not sure what type of knives I like making best yet but I just finished a mini butcher and had a lot of fun making it. I also like making a hunting knife and a chef's knife(santuko). I've been making pool cues for about 10 years and wanted to try my hand at knife making also.
 
I'm in, as I think this will push me to make the quality of knife I think I can if I just take my time. I have some sweet wood on the way for scales I just need to come up with a good design. JT I will prob take you up on you heat treat offer for this as I want this to be the best that I can offer and just don't have the funds right now for my own propper heat treat set up with Christmas on the way. If I don't feel it's up to par enough I won't submit it.

I may ask a couple people for opinions when I come up with a design.
 
pleasanthill said:
I'm in, as I think this will push me to make the quality of knife I think I can if I just take my time. I have some sweet wood on the way for scales I just need to come up with a good design. JT I will prob take you up on you heat treat offer for this as I want this to be the best that I can offer and just don't have the funds right now for my own propper heat treat set up with Christmas on the way. If I don't feel it's up to par enough I won't submit it.

I may ask a couple people for opinions when I come up with a design.
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The knife you posted in the other thread for feedback is a good profile. If you make a similar knife and utilize the suggestions offered in that thread, you would have a great entry. I'm looking forward to what you come up with,
 
Here are two knives I am thinking I might submit for the kith.

Hitachi white hunter with hamon and fiddleback Koa. I'll likely do a wrought iron guard. I was thinking black g10 at first, but my wrought iron arrived today. :thumbup:

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[/url]IMG_1590 by Wjkrywko, on Flickr[/IMG]


Option #2, hitachi white with clayless hamon. This needs some tlc. It was sitting in a drawer for 1.5 years, so it's scratched. Shouldn't take much to clean up.

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[/url]IMG_1596 by Wjkrywko, on Flickr[/IMG]

I'll probably use stainless in the guard for this one. I've got a nice piece of quarter sawn Honduras mahogany. Simple wood that won't distract from the hamon.
 
Oh I see how we are playing this, picture time I see. I have a few pic of what I'm thinking about submitting.

303 stainless with dons W2 as a core.
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All forged out.
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Oh nice core
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All profiled
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Rough ground
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Heat treated and test etched
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Still sorting out the handle. But I relized when I made this blade it was going to get a cord wrap so I did not drill pin holes befor heat treating so this will be interesting.
 
JT that is gonna be one sweet knife! I am gonna have to get me a forge someday so I can do some stuff like that

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