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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 04-20-2013, 05:27 AM
Ed Tipton Ed Tipton is offline
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Food for thought

Last xmas, I made a knife for my wife to give to her boss at work. He is an avid hunter and she had told him that I made knives and had asked him what type of knife he preferred. He told her that he did a lot of deer hunting among other things and that a "standard" 4-6 inch bladed hunting knife worked well for him. He had no idea she was planning on giving him a knife for Xmas.
After giving me all the details, I made him a knife and sheath using deer antler for the handle. The knife turned out really well, and when she gave it to him, he was very pleased with it and told her he really liked it. So far...so good.
After the holidays, he took a few days vacation, and went hunting for boar...I think in Texas.
Upon returning to work, he was telling her about his vacation and the hunting trip. He told her that his group had indeed gone boar hunting, and that they had used dogs to run the boars. He then told her that what his particular group did was to get the dogs to run the boars, and then specially trained dogs would attack the boars and while the boar was pre-occupied with the dogs, the hunter would then jump onto the back of the boar and proceed to kill it using only a knife.
He showed her the pictures from the hunt, and exclaimed that the knife she had given him was very popular among the other hunters, and that he had killed his 260 pound boar by using that knife.
I was both terrified and proud at the same time.
I do take pride in my work, and I do try to do the best work I am capeable of ...but had I known what that knife was going to be used for...I may have opted to not make it for him. Can you imagine how I would have felt had that knife failed in that scanario!!
Soooo, just food for thought. You never know how the knife you sell or give away will be used. I never in my wildest dreams would have forseen that scene coming. I'm glad I made him a good knife!

Last edited by Ed Tipton; 04-20-2013 at 05:44 AM.
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Old 04-20-2013, 09:00 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Knives are tools, we all know that. But, knives are a special kind of tool in that they are more likely to be in a position to influence a person's survival than most other tools because you are more likely to have one with you when a problem occurs, if for no other reason. A simple pocket knife can make the difference between life and death for a person lost on a day hike, or someone trapped upside down in a wrecked car by a jammed seatbelt. Certainly, people involved in extreme sports, like your hog hunting friend, or a soldier would want the very best knife they can get.

It is because we can never really know how our knives will be used that we must make the very best knife we can make every single time. And then test the blade AND the handle under hard use conditions even if the knife is only a kitchen knife (I split small logs with mine) to make sure they are as good as they should be. Someone's life might depend on it some day ...


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Old 04-20-2013, 11:16 AM
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R. Yates R. Yates is offline
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One thing I know for sure is that any knife I have ever made is always done properly . the metal,handles and the fit and finish . to the best of my ability at the time I make the knife . If used correctly it will function with the up most ability . also if my name goes on it it better be right or it will not leave my shop . after al my name is on the line and any one that makes knives knows this is true .

Sam


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Old 04-21-2013, 10:10 AM
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cbsmith111 cbsmith111 is offline
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They actually make speciFic knives for that purpose. Could be a potential sale for you if you did some research.
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Old 04-21-2013, 11:09 AM
Jefte68 Jefte68 is offline
 
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Boy Ed, I am not sure what to say. I am a native Texan in the process of relocating to Mooresville and I am accustomed to pig hunting with dogs. Being on a hog that size is no time to find out your knife is not up to the job. . I am sure the guide checked it out to avoid any problems.
It sounds like yours was just right. What was the blade length? The tip being correct for stabbing and the length being correct for reaching the vital stuff makes things a lot easier and safer. That pig hide is tough.
Thanks for sharing.
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Old 04-22-2013, 04:07 AM
Ed Tipton Ed Tipton is offline
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The blade measured 5 1/2 inches in length, was about 3/16 thick and had about 1 inch in width. it was well sharpened and was made of cru5v steel. I have made many knives from this steel, and really do love the toughness.
As I have already stated, I take my time and try and do the best job I can do on every knife I make. We all know that our knives can get some pretty rough treatment and that the public is very proficient at abusing knives, but it had just never occurred to me that the knife would be put to such a field test as that.
I honestly don't know what more I could do to ensure that the knife is capeable of holding up to such a rigorious field test. I do test my knives periodically to see just how much they can take, but testing in a shop under "safe" conditions is not the same thing as jumping onto a big hog and endangering life and limb. All turned out well, and the knife did pass the test, but it was definitely food for thought.
In the future, I intend to be more aware of just what a knife ...and it's owner...may be subjected to...and to test every knife before it goes out the door.
In retrospect, I doubt that the knife even approached the type of stress that it could have handled, but when the endangerment aspect is added into the mix, the picture becomes quite different. It just puts a different slant on things when you realize that someones life and well being rests on something you have made performing satisfactorily.
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Old 04-22-2013, 07:46 AM
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cbsmith111 cbsmith111 is offline
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That seems a little short for that purpose. Sounds like he knows better than I do though. It seems like the boar knives I've seen before had about an 8" blade. They usually have a very substantial Guard to keep your hand from sliding forward. I believe spears are commonly used as well. It sounds like a lot of fun, but...
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Old 04-22-2013, 10:45 AM
Ed Tipton Ed Tipton is offline
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As stated earlier, The knife was intended to be used as a general hunting knife, and not made specifically for hunting boars. I have no idea as to what a "boar knife" would be dimentionally, I just made him a knife to be used as a general hunting knife.
Personally, I wouldn't jump on a hog regardless of how long the blade was, but apparently he had no such problem.
To me, it seems to be a foolhardy thing to do. There are enough things out there to endanger life and limb without going out and looking for things. Just my $.02, but perhaps my 67 years have imparted wisdom beyond his years.
I'm all for having fun...but I do have my limits.

Last edited by Ed Tipton; 04-22-2013 at 10:47 AM.
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Old 04-22-2013, 01:06 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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Ya, I hear you Ed. Our advanced years have taught us that we're too old for that sort of thing.

Doug


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Old 04-24-2013, 02:51 PM
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GHEzell GHEzell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray Rogers View Post
It is because we can never really know how our knives will be used that we must make the very best knife we can make every single time. And then test the blade AND the handle under hard use conditions even if the knife is only a kitchen knife (I split small logs with mine) to make sure they are as good as they should be. Someone's life might depend on it some day ...
Well said...


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