Would anyone be interested in a ongoing build challenge thread of sorts?

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Steelhog

Steelhog

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Hey all. Would anyone be interested in a ongoing build challenge thread of sorts? Perhaps a random monthly friendly challenge to expand horizons and a fun project build. No pressure, just for fun. Participate if you want or just enjoy others build photos. No real hard parameter's, just a general knife type to work on and share progress and photos when done. Some could be complex and others super basic so anyone could have fun and participate.

(Example / November Build Challenge - Kephart Knife)
(Example / December Build Challenge - Billhook/Hawkbill Knife)

Respond if you have any interests or if you think this would be fun. If people are interested perhaps members could trade off selecting the knife/challenge type and manage posing that months challenge.

Edit - seems like there is interest so I posted the challenge. (https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/shop-talk-q4-build-challenge-kephart-knife.1957154/)
 
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Richard338 said:
Could work. We tried it at least once before.
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Yeah, I figured surely this has been tried before at some point. Looks like the last time I was tried was well before I started making knives. I think would be fun and if others are interested it's worth a shot. I will let others chime in if they are interested......

Also I figured on keeping it pretty casual. Posting a thread title (Month* Build Challenge - knife type) at the start of the month with just a small amount of info about that particular knife type or design and just letting others participate as they chose or just watch the thread.
 
Way-Barney said:
I am all for trying to improve my skill, causing me trepidation though depending on the style. There is a lot i do not know how to do.
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You and me both. In and ideal world beginners to advanced would participate for fun and along the process beginers could ask what the best approach for X problem would be and others further along in the process or more advanced could chime in with the solution.
 
Something else to consider is making a WIP thread out of a project or two. I did several of them in here and had lots of people chime in with advice or encouragement.
 
A Work In Progress (WIP) thread is one where you post your design and plan and then updates along the way. It can include struggles, mishaps, fixes etc. I did several as a beginner and got some good advice. In the past we used to see them occasionally from master smiths and seeing all the steps of their process can be awesome. Those can be more like tutorials.
ETA: Here's a good one from the past.
 
I agree about once a month being tight.

I send out for HT.

Even every other month would struggle.

But if we did a faster pace, then maybe a itinerary?
We could blank, and send out multiple possible months for treatment ahead of time....
 
Richard338 said:
Could work. We tried it at least once before.
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It was a big challenge then to make *Kris* knife. . . . :thumbsup:

I never make Kephart knife so I am *IN *

If anyone know dimension it would be nice .Length of blade and handle , thickness of steel ? Original Kephart have no *full flat grinds ** as far as I know ? Bevel are flat to some point and then somehow bend towards spine ? I mean on something like this ?

73dmTsM.png
 
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Natlek said:
It was a big challenge then to make *Kris* knife. . . . :thumbsup:

I never make Kephart knife so I am *IN *

If anyone know dimension it would be nice .Length of blade and handle , thickness of steel ? Original Kephart have no *full flat grinds ** as far as I know ? Bevel is flat to some point and then somehow bend towards spine ? I mean on something like this ?

73dmTsM.png
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Awesome. Yeah if enough people are interested I will create a designated thread for the build and I was hoping to include at least some of the background or history on the knife. At some point I had stumbled across a video with one of the early ones that I believe is owned by Ethan Becker now. For the challenge I would guess some would take a modern\tribute approach and others would try to stay super historical. Really up to you and what you want to make as I would like as many people as possible to be able to participate. No hard rules, just have fun.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
I agree about once a month being tight.

I send out for HT.

Even every other month would struggle.

But if we did a faster pace, then maybe a itinerary?
We could blank, and send out multiple possible months for treatment ahead of time....
Click to expand...
Yeah quarterly might be the best approach to get the best participation. Q4 is of course already a month in but if we chose a simple knife design like a Kepheart I think we would be okay if we started soon. And with quarterly it'd be fairly simple to pick out four knives and make a schedule. I'd really like to keep all of the builds somewhat apoachable for all skill levels but open to ideas and suggestions.
 
I'd be up for a kephart.... I've never made one before, and I've often said it's the best (my favorite design)..... Probably why I never made one.... Cause it's perfect already. I didn't have to fix it.... 🤪
 
I want to learn how to make a Bowie Knife, It would be great if that was on the list and some more experienced guys helped along with advice.
 
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