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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 07-09-2013, 05:06 PM
dwc34205 dwc34205 is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Huntsville, AL
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First and Second Knife

Here are a couple of images of my first and second knives. The first one is 154CM (mirror finish) with Amboyna Burl handle. The second one is D2 (mirror) with Buckeye Burl. A few months ago I contacted one of the knife makers that had replied to the "Visit a Knife Maker in your Area" post and I have been training with him since. The first knife was worked on at his shop under supervision and the second is me flying solo. Lots of time was spent on scrap steel trying to perfect technique. Looking forward to getting some feedback on these two.

Also, the second one was such a hit on Facebook that it sold.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Skinner-Buckeye Burl-2.jpg (115.1 KB, 87 views)
File Type: jpg Skinner-Buckeye Burl-4.jpg (72.7 KB, 80 views)
File Type: jpg 20130427_210330.jpg (207.9 KB, 85 views)

Last edited by dwc34205; 07-09-2013 at 05:10 PM.
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  #2  
Old 07-09-2013, 06:05 PM
Hempish Hempish is offline
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Very well done. Really like the shape and looks of the handle and also the handle material. I think half the fun of the knife is to see what you can use next for handles. Beautiful knives.
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  #3  
Old 07-09-2013, 06:16 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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They're pretty but if you want real feedback you have to take them out and use them, very hard. The mistake most new makers usually make is to spend a ton of time polishing their knives and no time testing them (wouldn't want to scratch up all that polishing). Until you test a few to destruction you really don't know if you made a knife or just something that looks like one.

The workmanship looks good, you have the skills, but if that is your first and second knives then you haven't made any for testing. No testing, no way to know what you have ....


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Old 07-09-2013, 10:58 PM
Bowman Bowman is offline
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Location: Calgary, Alberta
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Very nice. Lines and proportion look good. Finish looks great from here. Nice handle material. They look like time well spent. Great job.
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Old 07-10-2013, 08:43 AM
dwc34205 dwc34205 is offline
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Thanks for the positive feedback. Ray-I guess my definition of first knife is different than yours. I have made a two others that did get used and abused. One is 154CM and the other is damascus (pictured). The one in the picture is bent from where I used it to pry two painted surfaces apart on my mower. I don't consider these two to be "finished knives" since I did not put a handle on them or try to make them pretty or aesthetically pleasing. I have spent a lot of time trying to perfect the techniques before even considering selling one. Good point about the mirror finish. I let the buyer know the risk ahead of time, but he wanted it to remain. I have been polishing the knives so that I can see every imperfection and learn where I am making mistakes or what I am doing wrong. You would be proud of my mentor and his emphasis on making a usable knife.
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  #6  
Old 07-10-2013, 03:20 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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When I say 'first knife' I mean it in the context that most of our newest members use, i.e., their first attempt at making a knife period. You obviously mean a first real knife after having studied, tested, and prototyped. Yours is the right way, of course, but sadly not the method used by all our newest members.

My goal is to attempt to educate our newest members to the fact that the most important characteristic of a knife is that it should perform well as a cutting tool and after that you can worry about making it look good. Unfortunately, getting the heat treatment right is much more difficult than making a pretty piece of steel and wood so many of them choose embellishment over function at first. In my effort to accomplish this task I may occasionally lecture someone who actually hasn't made that mistake and for that I apologize to you now and beforehand to whomever I step on next. And, it will inevitably happen again because I ain't gonna stop until it becomes common knowledge, a rule of thumb obvious to everyone about to make their first knife, that function trumps form - being pretty don't mean squat if it won't cut ...


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Old 07-10-2013, 03:44 PM
dwc34205 dwc34205 is offline
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Ray - I hope you didnt think I was getting defensive. I admire and respect all opinions/advise that come my way. If I didn't I would wind up trying to "reinvent the wheel". My terminology is poor sometimes along with my choice of words. So, again if I sounded defensive I did not mean to. I goofed around forging in a friends shop for a while before I started stock removal. He emphasized quality due to the tests that a knife has to pass for ABS Journeyman.

The point that I should have really drove home with this post is that I want to say thanks for starting the post "Visit a Knife Maker in your Area". The guy that is training me doesn't have much of a filter when it comes to letting you know the rights and wrongs of knife making. One of which is that if it does not function, the only thing you have accomplished making a pretty paper weight.

Thanks again to all that have been patient with me and taking time to answer questions and give feedback. I have been impressed with everyone that I have encountered on this site and at shows. Over the last couple of years I have spent a lot of time reading, hanging out with knife makers, talking to metalurgists and hanging out at shows and have yet to meet someone that was not willing to share their wisdom and experiences. Well, except one guy...not on this site.

Thanks again.
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