Spotted Spine

backtines

backtines

Well-Known Member
Hey Guys ,
I finished flat grinding a piece of 5/32 1095 . Drilled all my holes , heat treated , got everything flat and installed my bolsters. Upon getting ready to glue my scales in place I noticed a divot right in the middle of the spine . If the handles were in place , this void would stick out like a sore thumb. I have no idea how it got . LOL ) I put my dremil and files to work and this is what I came up with .. Its a little different then what I normally would make , but I think it came out pretty cool.

Thanks for looking and as always , critique welcome .
Mikey D

1095 5/32
8.25 OL
3.25 T to Bolster
Cocobolo Scales
Mosaic Pins
.030 liners ( red and brass )
.025 Oak Spacer
8/9 oz Leather / Java Brown Stain













 
What divot are you talking about? As Makers, we are our own worst critiques.

The thing I see about your designs is that you tend to play it safe, nothing wrong with that, clean lines, fit and finish or great but I'd like to see some well placed curves, it doesn't have to be extreme, that wouldn't flow, I guess something a little subtle to start with, maybe on the front bolster area to give the handle more of a natural guard. NOT a critique, more of a suggestion, your knives are looking fantastic, but it is so easy to get into a certain shape or style. To me, it's a pitfall that can make all of your knives end up looking the same and I'm not saying all of your knives look the same.

I'd also suggest experimenting with some different material, while brass is classic, there are so many other types of material that can freshen up any design, I'm guilty of that myself, because all of mine are either SS or NS, BUT I suck at guards so there aren't that many of mine like that out there! OK, I've done 1 where the guard turned out good enough for me not to scrap, and it is as close to perfect as it (I) gets! But now I have a NEW secret weapon!!!!!! I'll share that later! Great work, Rex
 
Had a Fellow explaine to me the diffrence between a Craftsman and a Maste Craftsman was the ability to incororperate "goofs" into your final design!

Great looking knife and sheat work!!

God Bless
Mike
 
McClellan Made Blades said:
What divot are you talking about? As Makers, we are our own worst critiques.

The thing I see about your designs is that you tend to play it safe, nothing wrong with that, clean lines, fit and finish or great but I'd like to see some well placed curves, it doesn't have to be extreme, that wouldn't flow, I guess something a little subtle to start with, maybe on the front bolster area to give the handle more of a natural guard. NOT a critique, more of a suggestion, your knives are looking fantastic, but it is so easy to get into a certain shape or style. To me, it's a pitfall that can make all of your knives end up looking the same and I'm not saying all of your knives look the same.

I'd also suggest experimenting with some different material, while brass is classic, there are so many other types of material that can freshen up any design, I'm guilty of that myself, because all of mine are either SS or NS, BUT I suck at guards so there aren't that many of mine like that out there! OK, I've done 1 where the guard turned out good enough for me not to scrap, and it is as close to perfect as it (I) gets! But now I have a NEW secret weapon!!!!!! I'll share that later! Great work, Rex
Click to expand...

I hear you loud and clear , and Ive made many other knives using different materials , but every knife that Ive showed on KD are sold . I dont have one knife in " stock " ..
Ya see , when I make a knife for someone , they pick it up where I work . Upon waiting for the customer to pick up the knife , other people see them and say " Id like one just like that " So I dont really step outside the boundries too far because Im trying to make something close that the customer ordered . I guess when I have some "free time " I can step outside the box a bit and come up with some more and different ideas , but as for now ? Im just making what the customer wants ..

I have some mokume chucks , beautiful diamond woods , mamoth ivory and so many other different material waiting for their turn in line too .

Thank you for sharing that suggestion with me , Im all for it ! You will see some cool changes in the future , Just need to play catch up on a bunch of orders.
 
backtines said:
I hear you loud and clear , and Ive made many other knives using different materials , but every knife that Ive showed on KD are sold . I dont have one knife in " stock " ..
Ya see , when I make a knife for someone , they pick it up where I work . Upon waiting for the customer to pick up the knife , other people see them and say " Id like one just like that " So I dont really step outside the boundries too far because Im trying to make something close that the customer ordered . I guess when I have some "free time " I can step outside the box a bit and come up with some more and different ideas , but as for now ? Im just making what the customer wants ..

I have some mokume chucks , beautiful diamond woods , mamoth ivory and so many other different material waiting for their turn in line too .

Thank you for sharing that suggestion with me , Im all for it ! You will see some cool changes in the future , Just need to play catch up on a bunch of orders.
Click to expand...


Mikey, with that said, it is ultimatley the customers that come first! No doubt about that! I know if I had mokume on hand, it'd be killing me NOT to put it to use! And having orders to fill, well that is GOOD BUSINESS!!!

I guess I was thinking from an artist perspective, I don't take orders, I have to be "into" the knife I'm making, almost possessed by it! Then I take entirely too long to finish it. I don't take orders because when I make a knife it has to be what I want to make right then, NOT good business, but it's best for my work to turn out the best it possibly can, I hate deadlines. And once an order it taken there is an expectation that has to be met. I guess one day, I will have to do that, unless I can keep a stock of knives that are a good variety that will appeal to a lot of different people. That has never happened, once I get a knife made, it finds a home one way or another, usually it's the ones I want to keep for a little while, you know,... for "testing"!

I was in no way saying anything negative about your knives, everyone I've seen has been NICE! I just wanted to point out that they all were very similar to each other but there is a reason millions of Buck 110's have been made and are continued to be made, because there is a market for them! You have a market for yours, and that is fabulous! Keep up the great work, Rex
 
I like it. There really is nothing there that doesnt please the eye. good job! I like the leather too!
 
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