WIP: Newbie First Knife

S

syvmn

Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
169
Many thanks to Kevin for hooking me up with a chunk of 1080 (or is it 1084?). I don't really know why I chose this type of knife, honestly I don't even know what "type" it is. I just saw something similar online and though it would be a good first attempt. I bought a few Nicholson files from Menard's (10" half round bastard, 8" medium mill file, and a 8" medium round file) and used a drill and a hacksaw to get the general shape before carving into it with the files.

Let me know what you think.

Home brewed beer + Home brewed Knives = Awesome
kn1.jpg


Doing some drilling and then hacksawing. Do most people use band saws for this? I know I killed my drill bit so I need to get a carbide one or something.
kn2.jpg


General cut out shape. At this point I decided the blade was too curved. I don't know why I planned it out like that at the beginning but it didn't look right.
kn3.jpg


Final basic shape.
kn4.jpg


Tomorrow will be finding sandpaper to smooth things out and attempt to cut the bevel (is that the right word) for the blade. Kevin recommended finding a pieces of hard angle iron or something like that around 7/32" or 1/4" and place it behind the blade so the file can rest on top of it for an even angled bevel. Well see what happens.
 
The knife looks good so far, and the beer looks great. I really need to dust of my brewing gear and make a batch, I think it's been about 3-4 years.
 
Pretty cool. Nothing more relaxing than a cold beer and making something. Nice job on the knife.
 
Where would I go about finding handle material/handle hardware like the pins or rivets or whatever it is? Is there a tutorial on how that all works?
 
Its 1080

Nice work so far, I like the profile with the flatter belly.

The cheapest pins will be brass round stock that you can get at Menards/HD/Lowes. A hobby store might have Stainless or copper rounds stock as well.

There's a good tutorial in the Newbies good info here (Cheapest way to make a knife?) that gives a good explanation on handles and pins.
 
I think if you Google 'Nick Wheeler handle tutorial' it will find you a good one that Nick did about the process of installing handles and pins. If you can't find the link via a search, I can dig it out for you later.
 
By the looks of the head, I would think it to be an English bitter.

The blade is looking good as well.

Fred
 
Fred.Rowe said:
By the looks of the head, I would think it to be an English bitter.

The blade is looking good as well.

Fred
Click to expand...

Weird things about English bitters is that they aren't very bitter. Pale ales and India pale ales are much more bitter than an English bitter.

Oh...and the start on the knife looks great! Keep us in the loop as you progress. We don't get many first knife tutorials. It's fun to relive our first knives with you. You've made a great start!
 
Thanks for the encouragement guys. I really appreciate it. Its 7PM and I just got home from work so I am going to attempt to cut the bevels before I get to bed. I have no idea how its going to work out but I'm pretty excited to see the shape coming together. I'll post pictures of the progress before i go to bed.

FYI: Its a simple wheat beer...half wheat malt and half 2-row barley. Very simple but very tasty!
 
Its all about the hops, not the name. I make a cherry stout that taste nothing like pie.:)
scottickes said:
Weird things about English bitters is that they aren't very bitter. Pale ales and India pale ales are much more bitter than an English bitter.

Oh...and the start on the knife looks great! Keep us in the loop as you progress. We don't get many first knife tutorials. It's fun to relive our first knives with you. You've made a great start!
Click to expand...
 
I would leave more steel at the bottom of the handle near the butt, and "drop" the top of it. A handle that straight is uncomfortable in my opinion. Other than that, I like your design.

Maybe I'm alone, but I liked the original slightly curved edge better. I find that type of edge slices and whittles very nicely. To each their own! :)
 
Oh man, I've been beveling for an hour and a half and kind of have one side done. Doing this all by hand is no easy task. I'm taking a break for hot ham and cheese. Pictures to follow shortly!

(Tettnanger hops is what is in the wheat)
 
I'm done for the night. Got the basic shape for both sides done. I still need to step down to a less rough file and do some sandpapering, but its coming along. I can see why people use belt sanders. Its pretty hard to get an even edge freehanding it.

kn1b.jpg


kn2b.jpg


kn3b.jpg


kn4b.jpg


kn5b.jpg
 
Keep at it, and try to keep the bevels even all the way along the edge to the tip. It doesn't get any easier to fix if you wait till later... ask me how I know. ;) :o
 
I would love to know how. Getting it even is one thing that wasn't working exactly right.
 
syvmn said:
I would love to know how. Getting it even is one thing that wasn't working exactly right.
Click to expand...

Draw filing is your friend here....Trust me, it's not easier to stay even with a grinder, it just allows you to screw up faster ;)

Clamp the blade with the point facing out towards you. Take a single-cut file (bastard at first, mill after that) and hold the tang in your left hand and the other end in your right, like a drawknife or spokeshave. Pull the file evenly across the bevel from plunge to tip, keep your angle even through the stroke. Make sure to clean the swarf from your file every few strokes. The file will only cut on the pull stroke, not the push. This is the reason for having the tang to your left. If it was to the right you'd be cutting while pushing which is harder to control and can lead to injury if you slip and stab yourself on your new knife ;)

This will help you to get things flat. If you want to see how you're doing for flatness, paint your bevels with dykem or a black magic marker and then make a few strokes with the file. You'll see the highs get cleared off and the lows remain. Keep using this as you work until you flatten out the humps. Then move to a finer file, than to sandpaper.

Keep us posted, it's looking great so far.

-d
 
No updates today. My friend from Kansas came up the other day and I did his engagement photos so I haven't had time to work on the knife. I am going to try your method for getting a flat edge.

I've decided to start looking for a cheap belt sander to help out with the next knife. I am going to finish this one with 100% files just to say I did, but from this point I think a belt sander is the way to go to get a higher quality blade in the end. I don't have 5 years to perfect file knife making.

I saw people talking about this belt sander but I can't tell if they only use it for sharpening, or if it could be used for beveling, shaping etc. I know its nothing fancy but my style is uto use cheap equipment. That's how I brew and they turn out fantastic. What do you think?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2485
 
syvmn: I have that sander, and I use it for finishing shaping, beveling, and getting the edge started for sharpening. You can't do much with it, because it is only 1/3hp, but if you cut out the basic knife shape first, it can do the rest fairly easily. HF only sells two grits of sandpaper for them: 80 and 120, which are very similar. I like having that sander, but once I get enough money, I'm building a grinder.

EDIT: If you buy anything from HF, use this coupon: http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa...rue&r=4137_2323&cust=99999999999&keycode=0000

It's good for any single item, including sales, but can't be used when you use other coupons.
 
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