You Know You're a Hardcore Knifemaker...

When you run out to get something and people in the stores look at you like you're a vagrant (cut up hands, burnt up clothes, that greasy soot on your face from all the dust and smoke). And I don't know how many of you guys are young and single still, but try telling a woman you've just met that you make knives for fun - oh well, more money for materials:D.
 
Matthew Gregory said:
Two weeks ago I was getting the mill scale off of 5 blanks had rough profiled... I was tired, and had wrecked a knife that I'd sunk 12 hours into that morning. I had the mindset that SOMETHING was going to work for me that day...
...so after wasting a 60 grit belt and still trying to get more life out of it by pressing ever harder, I hit my index finger knuckle against the small wheel of the top of the platen.
Stopped, wiped hands off with windex, wrapped finger in paper towel and electrical tape, and continued...
...after the second knuckle/contact wheel encounter (same wheel, same spot on knuckle), I realized the belt was spent. Replace knuckle bandage, fresh belt on the machine, pick up where we left off...
...third time is the charm. Not paying attention, I DO THE SAME THING, this time running a fresh 3M 80 grit 967 through the paper towel/e-tape booboo cover, into the hole on my knuckle, and scuff the bone.
No matter what I did, it wouldn't stop bleeding, and when the piece of steel I was working kept slipping out of my hand (amazing how well blood acts as a lubricant!), I finally too the hint to walk away.


....my bride didn't even want to know about it. Smart girl.
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I laughed out loud (or lol-ed for you internet geeks) and actually called my wife in from the other room, and read this to her and she laughed (with the occasional "eww" and "oh my gosh" thrown in)

Funny stuff, unless it has happened to you. I took off the tip of my index finger on a 12 inch disk grinder with a brand new 60 grit pad on it. I still am missing some meat there.
 
Matthew, A good day is when you don't burn the shop down. You got a bunch of knuckles. I'd call it a day after 3 even though one was a double hit.
 
You know you're a hardcore knifemaker when:

Your wife is jealous of the cabinets in your shop!
 
Raymond Richard said:
Matthew, A good day is when you don't burn the shop down. You got a bunch of knuckles. I'd call it a day after 3 even though one was a double hit.
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You're right, Ray.... and the worst day I've had in the shop is still better than work! I know that's cliche, but completely true nonetheless!


-btw, it was the same knuckle each time, and right in the same spot! Guess I should have changed grip point.:confused:;)


And steelshaper, you hit the nail right on the head -- the only type of social activity is with you guys, otherwise I wish I was down in my cave making sparks!
 
steelshaper said:
When your only social interaction takes place on bladeforums shop talk.

When you bring up things like the increasing scarcity of L6 and 1084 in casual conversation like people would care or even know what the heck you’re talking about. And you don’t notice that they are walking away.

When your wife knows what L-6, O-1, 1084 or 15N20 is
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I started teaching my friends how to forge, it has 2 benefits, I now have people who don't get bored stiff when I talk steel at parties, one of them has a garage that I can work in in the winter. :D

here's one, I just got multicolored plasticine so I can work out damascus patterns when I can't get to use my forge

-Page
 
Aldo Bruno said:
When you hoard more steel than you could possibly use in a life time.(and you know it!!)
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Now just how much is too much??? that's like a collector asking a knifemaker, How many drop point hunters do I really need? My answer, Just One More!!!:D:D I guess with steel, steel another 1000lbs. Mine comes in this week.
 
Maybe you knife makers could adopt this practice we used in the steel mill . When we picked up a piece of steel that we forgot was hot we would never shout or display any indication that it was hot .We calmly put it down quickly and and casually said 'gee, that got heavy fast ' !!
 
....when your garden has piles of steel grindings and slag where you dump out your slack buckets.
 
.....when you eat bites of your supper from the plate on the workbench between passes on the grinder.

...when you have to pull up a pants leg to check for shaving sharp because there's no hair left on your arms.
 
fitzo said:
.....when you eat bites of your supper from the plate on the workbench between passes on the grinder.

...when you have to pull up a pants leg to check for shaving sharp because there's no hair left on your arms.
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That happened to me Saturday, my fiance had a baby shower at the house (for her sister, not her) and they brought me a plate of finger sandwhiches into the shop, I had them on a stool between the grinder and bench vice, go to the grinder grab a sandwhich, head to the bench vice, grab a sandwhich. :D
 
When you have to wait till you are ready to draw a blade to bake a lasagna.

Dam...I seem to resemble these.
 
when you ask all of your family members how they like the knife you just made including you 2 daughters and 3 month old son
 
bartblade said:
when you ask all of your family members how they like the knife you just made including you 2 daughters and 3 month old son
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Ha! After I finish a knife (and frequently during the process) I hand the blade to my wife, she comments on it, hands it off to my 14 year old son, (who is blacksmithing now) who comments, and hands it to my 11 year old daughter (who loves to draw pictures of knives) and finally back to me.

I guess I'm hardcore now, because I can relate to pretty much everyone's experiences so far. Me and my perma-stained jeans, burnt shirts, bald arms, and my former 2 car garage turned full time smithy. :D
 
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