I've heard it said a persons first knife looks like crap but my Wife thought it was a pretty cool birthday present yesterday. Sharp enough to slice a tomato thin enough for your mother in-laws sandwich. ;} If I had more time and sandpaper I may of got a mirror finish. I noticed that the brief contact with the tomato stained the blade. I think I will give it a bit more polish and maybe try a hot vinegar bath. I did a cold gun blue finish on another hc steel knife awhile back with pretty good results but would like to try the hot vinegar bath. I know I should of removed all the file marks because it will be harder to keep clean, but I just wanted it to show its history.
Not to sure why they call it purple heart wood because it looks brown to me. The zebra wood is pretty obvious. Leather spacers was my old belt, black all the way through. I know I need better photo skills. You guys take amazing photos of amazing knives. Hope one day to do as well. The pin was a copper tube from the plumbing department with aluminum welding rod and 5 min epoxy tinted "Christmas Blush" red with acrylic paint from the dollar store. My Kids don't appreciate criticism but I do. Fire away :}
Wow, have to say it looks great for your first knife! I like the use of the cross-cut zebra wood adds a cool effect. The red mosaic is pretty cool too. You are definitely doing something you love. It shows. Looking forward to more. Dan
Thanks Dan, would you make any suggestions for the future ? I'm at the heat treatment stage on the knife I'm making for my sister from her departed husbands shop tools and scrap lumber. Much like my first only larger with mahogany and oak and a small brass bolster that I cast from some brass fittings he had laying on his bench. What do you think about leaving smoothed file teeth in front of the bolster. Big negative or OK. In this case I think she may like it, reminding her of its history. Have you used a hot vinegar treatment on a HC steel ? Or would cold bluing be better ? Many questions, but you can't beat first hand experience.
cool first knife ! Personnaly I think remaining file teeth looks great, reminding where the blade come from, I like when tools have a story to tell. You can also try ferric chlorid instead of hot vinegar. Cold bluing give less consistent and predictable results. Be careful about these products and the final use of the knife, particulary the gun blue, if the knife is for kitchen/food use I will surely not bluing it.
You'll get all the differing opinions on this one. I am not a fan of having places where goobies can hide, especially in kitchen knives. Filework, grooves, cracks in bolster/guard joints, etc. Let's say you cut up some fresh chicken, wipe the knife and put it away. Ya...probably don't want to think about what's going on in those cracks after a day in the block. My personal opinion only though. I do see hunting knives where the makers have left lots of places for bacteria to hide. I would try the hot vinegar etch. There's lots of info online about that process. Safe and easy to do. The best one I've forced patinas I have seen is Andy Garret's using a variety of mustards, hot sauces, horseradish and so on. Truly cool and multicoloured. Google "mustard forced patina" and some of good stuff comes up Cheers! Dan
Thank you all, for your comment's I think I will have build a jig for my little belt sander. Maybe not so hard on the hands. Lol
