Your Crowning Achievement for 2006 Please post pictures

[Darrel Ralph]

Being the end of a great year and a better one on the way.....lets post our very best knife achievement! Tell us a little about it.

Good Cheer and Happy Holidays to all.:thumbup:

I was happy to start making Straight Razors this year!
Enjoy!

 

[Darrel Ralph]

Supersized!!!!

 

[David Schott]

For me it was forging. After a few years of stock removal, i finally bought a house and got set up for forging. This humble little piece was my first ever forged work, so it means alot to me, even compared to some very complex stock removal projects I have under way:

forged from 1"x1/4" 1084, clay coated with vivid hamon and mirror bevels:

 

[Mike Carter Custom Knives]

I think by best would have to be this Elmer Keith skinner with stabilized maple burl handle. I have always admired Gil Hibben's design design of this knife and he allowed me to copy his pattern to make one of my own.

 

[Phillip Patton]

That would be this one:

Or this one:

Both were "firsts" for me. The top one was the first knife I've made with Ironwood, the bottom pic is my first completed damascus knife.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Very cool straigh razor Darrel, hope you're doing good. Here's two I'm quite proud of. Best Fixed Blade Chicago and Best fixed Blade at The Plaza Show.

 

[Stag & Steel]

I certainly don't play on the same feild as some of you fellers, but I had my biggest year ever (128 knives so far). Here are a couple of ones I was very happy with.
Thanks,

 

[mdoyle]

Hard to post these pics after seeing some of the others but here goes. I'm nearing my one year knifemaking anniversary. It's been great and things are getting better but still a ways to go. Here's a couple more recent.

Thanks for looking and Happy Holidays
Matt Doyle

 

[Kaliandk9s]

A tomahawk destined for the sandbox. I'll let you guys guess his rank and branch of the service.

 

[Darrel Ralph]

Don,
I got to see both of them in person.
They are fantastic! Congrats on the awards also.

To all the knives are great each and every one of them.
You should be proud.

Keep um coming folks.

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

My first true knife completed!!!
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j206/Julikris/IMG_0176.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j206/Julikris/IMG_0181.jpg

Now to finish the other 30 or so I have on the go!

 

[winstonknives]

I think this auto was my best knife of 2006.

 

[Matt Shade]

Its been a really slow year with knives for me, so not too many achievements.
I did start trying to design knives on my computer before I make them and the results have been pretty good. I think I might be finished with the fly by the seat of your pants method and might have to give this marking and measuring stuff a try now
With a little computer work I'm able to work out all the mechanics of a folder before hand so building it goes alot faster. I started this one last night and got from barstock to this point in just over 2 hours:

Thought that was making pretty good time considering how long it used to take, and the fact that I cut it all out with a hacksaw.

 

[J.Wade]

Hi Guys
This is my Fav of the year. I started forging this Summer just love it. I Have started to do more things with knives than I ever did before(hiddden tangs, temperlines) Can't wait to see everyone eles knives.
1075 / cocobolo

Keep them coming
This thread is great.

cya
jimi

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

Good topic! And, funny you should ask! I just completed the knife you speak of yesterday.
Now, I must admit that to some this knife may seem rather plain. It is not the largest I’ve made this year, nor the most complex. It is simple carbon steel and not Damascus. I’ve made some with more parts! More file work and checkering.
Yet, this is not only my most favorite of ’06, (so far!), but probably my most favorite knife of my 9 year knife making career.
I like everything about it.
I forged the W1 blade from 7/8” drill rod.
The knife is made in one of my two Take-down configurations.
I love how the hot-blued fittings compliment the package.
When I got done milling the guard, I walked over to my knife in the vise, and slid the guard on with NO filing required!
It is the first time I’ve used Stabilized Bubinga, and NOT the last! This stuff is totally solid and beautiful. I was very pleased with what WSSI did to it!
The faceted handle came together rather well. It fits so nicely in my hand, I almost hate to sell it! The grinder never once touched this handle – I filed it to shape completely with files so as to not induce any heat into the handle material.
It balances PERFECTLY at the junction of the guard and handle.
I really put all my learned grinding into play and the symmetry of the convex grind is as nice as I have ever done. Beautiful taper on the blade.
Jerry Rados was here on Tuesday and complimented me on the hand rubbed finish! (Compliments from Jerry are FEW!) My thanks to Don Fogg for the finish help.
I heat treated the W1 blade according to all of the stuff I learned out in Ashokan and here of late, from Kevin Cashen and Tim Zowada.
After I got the blade done, I REPEATEDLY stabbed the sharpened point into the contact wheel support bar of my Bader. I buried the point into the mild steel, maybe, 20 times. The little sharpened point STILL sticks into my fingernail and is SCARY sharp.
So, I think I really nailed the heat treatment on this one.
It’s everything I have ever wanted to make as far as a working belt knife.
When this one finds a new home, the customer can know that it’s maker made this one with a great deal of care and pride.
I am proud to share this with everyone.

 

[raylaconico]

Okay, here's mine! 9.5" blade, O1 steel, buckeye and micarta handle....

 

[JayFisher]

It was hard to pick, Darell. This seemed to be a year for pairs, and I had a draw. Too much detail to write about, you can check my website for the details. Gemstone handles, full embellishment.

I'm very excited about 2007!

First it was Tunguska and Manicouagan, two comets in kerambit style.

The knives alone:

Or the Gemini Twins:

Another pic:

 

[joe sangster]

For me , it was the year of the pocket knife. I made my 1st folder in May. Below is my last one completed , the best to date in my opinion.

http://www.fototime.com/DEBA6069B45E69B/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/C8FFEDAEBC848D5/standard.jpg

 

[joe sangster]

<img src="http://www.fototime.com/DEBA6069B45E69B/standard.jpg" border=0 alt="Hosting provided by FotoTime">

Sorry for the double post. I'm pretty new at the photo posting.

Merry Christmas !
Joe

 

[rodkraft]

I am new to BF and just finished my first and only knife for 2006; a retirement gift for a best friend of mine here in NC. Now that I am thinking of retiring, I want to get back into knifemaking seriously and want to learn all I can. Hoping to take a blacksmithing semester class at AB-Tech and also want to learn to grind blades, as well. I also made the box for the knife out of yellow poplar and the pommel has the FS shield. Any and all constructive criticisms welcomed. Thanks........Rod