evening…

just thought id give you an update on how the project is going. after selling my some stuff i managed to scrape together enough cash to fit out with some of the cheaper tools i needed. this has allowed me to produce the following which are going on test for the next month or so…, everything is made with O1 tool steel (apart from the horn knife as that isnt one of my blades, but i made the sheath), wood and brass handles and hand made leather sheaths. i have had some quality issues as i am running a very small grinder and that has left some areas of finish not how i would like, but it was too late to change. plus some of the leather work is a little off as its the first time ive done anything like that.
what d’you think???
[/url]IMG_2887 by daftvader77, on Flickr[/img]
[/url]DSC_0530 by daftvader77, on Flickr[/img]
cheers

Nice work. I have always considered knife-making an art and admired quality blades as well as someone who can actually make them. Next we hear you will probably be showing pics of your Damascus blades 🙂

Thanks… Damascus is very very pretty, but out of my skill level….. At the moment!! 😉

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQrLPtr_ikE[/video]

Brilliant!

I’d love to get into something like that as a hobby.

Love the top one. I’ll buy one 🙂 need to have a 2″ blade though to live on my keys.

Really impressed with the leatherwork as well. Good job!

@JoeG

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcE0aAhbVFc[/video]

Thanks for the compliments… Loddrik. That Top knife is only about a 2 inch blade, missed a trick with it tho…. Should have made the handle into a bottle opener!!!

For custom knife making, this is something to aspire to, Finnish Pukko, styled after a Japanese Tanto, with damasteel blade:
[/url]Untitled by Adrian Hillier, on Flickr
[/url]Untitled by Adrian Hillier, on Flickr
D-v, nice leatherwork there, the multicoloured stitching is a nice touch, and not something I’ve ever seen before, that I recall.

I’d love to have a talent, and be able to do something creative.
Sadly, I don’t.

I keep going back to this… Love his work.

John Neeman

thanks chaps. CZ the multicoloured stitching is actually mrsvaders suggestion… i wasn’t sure till i made the first sheath then was sold! teetosugars there are some really tallented people out there, i love his videos, wish i had that type of set up!

Is the first one a wee neck knife or something? hard to tell the size.

yup… ive so far made 2 neck knives with a third on the design stage (need some more 3mm steel )… this pic gives an indication if size
[/url]DSC_0435 by daftvader77, on Flickr[/img]

ohhh … knives I like!

Bought a Schmidt Bros Stone Cut Forge 7″ The One recently from TK Maxx for £16.99 because of the shape of the knife. It is ok-ish like a wide Santoku.

😀

That John Neeman link. Want.

Very nice work.

and here is the latest blade just out of the tempering oven about an hour ago… this will have a bullet wood handle, based loosely around the British army survival knife but made out of 4mmm steel rather than 6 and a shorter blade for base camp duties…
[/url]DSC_0540 by daftvader77, on Flickr[/img]

What an amazing talent!

This has sparked something of an interest. Can you recommend some good online reading?

Duffer, get onto British blades forum there is loads of info on there. I’m also a big fan of jacklore knives YouTube channel and L B custom knives. They have a load of quality tutorials, I kind of aspire to produce knives of their quality.

Thanks for the info… Some googling will ensue…

Hmmmm….

That’s actually a very good place to start… Of you have an old file chuck it in the coals of your next bbq to anneal it then the shaping can all be done with an angle grinder and normal files… I’m pretty sure Dave budd does a tutorial on that… But beware, it’s addictive 😆

For anyone who used to watch the American Chopper program a few years ago, one of the very talented metal workers at Orange County Choppers was a guy called Rick Petko.

On his Instagram account he posts up pictures of the knives (lots and lots of motorbike pics but the knives pics are amongst them) that he makes and they look pretty spectacular in my opinion, the picture below in particular, there are pictures showing the process for this one over many weeks.
Rick Petko Instagram

Like I said earlier… Damascus is very very pretty, but outside of my skill set… I may have a word with a local Smith and see if I can get him to make me sone…

daftvader,

You should try to make some carbon steel kitchen knives for sale to get some sort of income while you are at it …

😀

Problem with high carbon steel is that it is very hard to look after… Acid etching of the blade, loses the edge, easily rustable. but sharpens like nothing else… Tbh they don’t do it for me. I like my globals but don’t fancy making any…

daftvader – Member
Problem with high carbon steel is that it is very hard to look after…

Not for me as all my knives are carbon steel or high carbon steel. No problem whatsoever by keeping them dry or if I am very fond of the knife I would put a bit of Ikea mineral oil on them, then only take them out when I need to use them.

Acid etching of the blade, loses the edge, easily rustable. but sharpens like nothing else… Tbh they don’t do it for me. I like my globals but don’t fancy making any…

I don’t like anything fancy like etching etc.
The edge of my kitchen knives are mirror polish sharp … 😛

Globals are not for me as I prefer something different.

You should make something like these below with simplicity. These are Thai Kiwi SS brand and a very popular very low cost knives. If you can make the carbon version of them that would be good.

The shape you want to create is similar to the top and the bottom ones. The one in the middle is typical of Nakiri shape.

(Ref: pic from this blog)

😀

Well today has completely vanished.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqUJfGAbFiU[/video]

Great video… Like I said, addictive! Chewy I didn’t mean etching for patterns, I meant acid from food, citrus for example, etching the edge of the blade away. And I’ve had my globals since they were unusual!! 😀

…and another!
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5LXpgSzKyQ[/video]

I can see some serious time disappearing pretty soon!

I’d does get that way… Plus it also gives a valid excuse for new and different tools! 🙂

I want this chef’s knife from knivesbynick. Tried to sign up for another course this year with him, but he was busy when I was free.

and the last one i will make for a while (run out of steel plus i want to try making out of D2 steel for some of the blades) this one i have designed with field archers in mind as it is quite a strong short blade, ideal for getting arrows out of trees!! (i have been there and a strong plade is a must)
whats the oppinions?
4mm O1 steel with Bullet wood handle and brass bolster.
[/url]DSC_0547 by daftvader77, on Flickr[/img]
[/url]DSC_0549 by daftvader77, on Flickr[/img]
little annoyed that the brass on the left has shifted when being pinned. still really happy with the result. just need to sort the sheath out and it’ll be off for testing.
cheers

How’s your fletching DV?! 😉

Lovely work my friend and good to see you’re managing to find time for yourself in amongst the nappies and burping.

Best regards to la famille Vader 8)

cheers slackalice!! minimissvader is doing really well and mrsvader is coping brilliantly as the resident food source, so not much for me to do apart from nappies and cuddles!
im ok at fletching but prefer to use a jig.

OrmanCheep – Member

I want this chef’s knife from knivesbynick. Tried to sign up for another course this year with him, but he was busy when I was free.

Oh … very nice indeed! I like!

daftvader – Member

and the last one i will make for a while (run out of steel plus i want to try making out of D2 steel for some of the blades) this one i have designed with field archers in mind as it is quite a strong short blade, ideal for getting arrows out of trees!! (i have been there and a strong plade is a must)
whats the oppinions?
4mm O1 steel with Bullet wood handle and brass bolster.

Ohh … very nice. I like too!

OK one stoopid question. What is the bolstered guard for? Guard fingers? I mean it will be much more difficult to sharpen? No?

😆

Thanks chewy, Mostly the bolster is to stop the fingers slipping onto the blade if you are digging in a tree for a stuck arrow or using it to battern/chop wood in a campsite. Plus for the aesthetics… Looks better than having the steel poke below the wood. Shouldn’t be any harder to sharpen… It’s should only need stropping even now amd then to keep sharp… It’s currently shaving sharp!!

daftvader – Member
Shouldn’t be any harder to sharpen… It’s should only need stropping even now amd then to keep sharp… It’s currently shaving sharp!!

I am used to sharpening Japanese, Chinese and other Asian knives without finger guard (all chef knives) so perhaps I need different type of sharpen stones for outdoor knives.

I have a reasonably priced Schrade SCHF9 survival knife that I find an arse to be sharpen because of the shape and the design. I should have bought something like BK&T Campanion 2nd Gen, BK&T Crewman or Condor Rodan … arrghh …

😮

Tbh it’s more likely to be technique rater than type of stone… For fast sharpening of flat or scandi grinds I use a piece of p600 wet and dry stuck on a board with a decent amount of cutting oil and then polished off on a leather strop which has green polishing compound on it. In the field I have a small, fine grade, diamond stone and a small leather strop unless travelling light. For the knives with finger guards I generally set up on the edge of a work bench so the guard doesn’t foul. Hth