Set of kitchen knives

[Ken W.]

Excellent point about full tang knives & scales, Ray, and one I hadn't even considered. I've got serious doubts about how well the CYA is going to hold up even though the knives will be hand washed. I'm still buggering around with 2 of them, wiping on additional layers then rubbing them out trying to get a perfect finish. What a giant PIA! Might have helped if I'd done some research on proper technique before getting started "But Nooo....how hard can it be?? If these scales don't hold up I'll probably pull them off and make new grips by dipping the tangs in multiple layers of vinyl tool grip overlaid on flipflop soles.

Ken

[Ray Rogers]

Ken,

If the knife gets used no applied finish will hold up. CYA is soft anyway. I think the technique was pioneered by Scott Slobodian with the intent of getting a certain look for some of his collector's pieces. Nobody ever said it was a good idea for a using knife but, then again, they saw how good looking Scott's handles were and they never thought to ask the question either.....

[Ken W.]

Ray, as I've mentioned before there is a lot of "crossover" between knife making and the making of split cane bamboo fly rods. Both fields of endeavor seem to draw a similar type of mindset combining precision craftmanship and an artistic eye, machining skills working with both wood and metal as well as a continual drive to push the limits of material and design. On top of that neither the master knife or rodmaker is ever going to get rich, both crafts are tasks of love and obsession and I ain't too sure where the balance point lies between those two driving forces. ( ;>)#

Rodmakers have been using stabilized woods and CYA finishes on reel seats for about as long as those materials have been in use in the knifemaking field. Their online Forums also have eerie parallels with endless threads about "The Best Adhesive", "Heat Treating", "Antiques and Collectibles" etc. etc.

Myself, I'm one of the guys at the dance that stands by the door and watches the experts, bobbing my head to the music and occasionally shuffling my feet in a crude parody of the real deal. I do get a lot of satisfaction when something I make is enjoyed and used by a friend but the main thing I take away from my efforts is a deeper appreciation of the incredible talents of the true experts like yourself and the others here as well as my friends in the bamboo world.

Ken

[Ray Rogers]

QUOTE: Myself, I'm one of the guys at the dance that stands by the door and watches the experts, bobbing my head to the music and occasionally shuffling my feet in a crude parody of the real deal. I do get a lot of satisfaction when something I make is enjoyed and used by a friend but the main thing I take away from my efforts is a deeper appreciation of the incredible talents of the true experts like yourself and the others here as well as my friends in the bamboo world.


And you write well too ...

[Horsewright]

Agreed. Funny thing there Ray was I was thinking the same thing when I read about the "dance". Also great point about the scales on a kitchen knife, a ponderment.

[Ken W.]

Shucks, guys............. thanks.

[ckluftinger]

Thanks for the bit on the grip material, Ray. I see your point and you are surely right that it would make sense to stay away from untreated wood. I have a couple of antique kitchen knives (and other kitchen utensils) with wooden handles which have surely been abused over the years, and most of them have held up well. Walnut seems to have been a wood of choice back then perhaps because it was available in our northern climat, or perhaps because it holds up well? i have one particularly nice, forged meat fork from the fifties which I have carried with me around the world (a real pain at the airport...). Its walnut grip is just gorgeaous. We used it at christmas this year and my mother accidentally put it in the dish washer. AAAHHH! I soaked it in tung oil for two days after that, then rubbed it, waxed it - and kissed it better. Just kidding. Anyway, the point is that our modern cleaning chemicals are probably a lot more efficient - speak corrosive - than they used to be so the materials we use need to be equally more resilient. I never do more than wipe my knives with a damp cloth, no matter what the material. I'll still make my knives with whatever wood, stone, steel, or WHY looks good and warn the user to treat them with respect. In fact they get a page-long do's and don't's of knife care with each knife, and if I catch them putting one of my knives in the dish washer I will kill them... (I can see the headlines now - "Cook killed mysteriously with damaged kitchen knife")

[mesarluiss]

Awesome set of Knives!! They looking pretty good and I really love it a lot! You have done a fantastic job, she will definitely impressed by your work. I wish you all the best and keep up the good work! Thanks for sharing with us.

Pots and Pans

[ckluftinger]

Thanks, mesarluiss. I appreciate your kind comments.