New guy here

[Michael Stein]

Hi guys.
I have been making knives for a some years now. And have recently really wanted to try my hand at making the Loveless patterns. I was so lucky that a knifemaker friend of mine had a copy of some of the original patterns lying in his shop. So i am currently making a small batch of a dixon fighter, hideout, dropped hunter and a stiffhorn. So far the finishgrinding of the hideout and the dixon is kicking my ass.
But i will get a hang of it i hope.

I know that some of you guys have actually been working with Bob and Jim. My question is, is it ok to try and make their designs? My idea is that i will try my best to get as close to the originals. ( although i know that is not gonna happen). But it gives me a goal in my knifemaking. And i find myself not trying to take shortcuts, like maybe leave a scratch, which could happen on my own designs.

I hope it is ok to post here. I?ll probably be back with more knife related questions in the future.

By the way. I dont know if there is some of you that live in europe. But i seem to have a really hard time finding 416 ss here. I am currently making brass guards. but i would rather make them out of 416. and the ss i can find here is gumming up my files. and are impossible for me to work with.

Cheers
Michael Stein


Here is a picture of the stiffhorn i just finished. blade is ats-34 and the handle is walnut burl.