Hello from Colorado!

funkyjedi

funkyjedi

Well-Known Member
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Hi there! My name is Chris, and I have been stalking this forum for a long while, and thought I should probably become a member...

I am a high school science teacher that spends my free time making knives. I basically make one offs, no two alike. Some have been similar, but no mass runs....yet. :1:

I signed on so I could get some help with my heat treat oven. It looks pretty simple, but once I start getting stuff set up, I'd love a sounding board for trouble shooting, etc.

I think I can build most of it for a couple of hundred bucks, and that is my plan so far. I have 220 wired into my garage that I run my grinder on, and have it set up as a plug so I can then run my oven off of it when its finished. Its a good setup for a small garage that still houses a van and a boat.

Anyway, thanks for letting me snoop, I plan on being a sponge and soaking up all the info I can.

Hello from sunny Aurora, CO!

p.s. I am not sure of the etiquette, but I added some pics to show what I've done... you know, to prove I'm not a HUGE scrub...:13:
 

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Thanks man! I love figured wood and finger grooves...

Hey, I see you linked your facebook page on your post, is that kosher for us new folks, or is that something we have to wait to do?

Thanks for checking them out!
 
Nice knives Chris. Your designs are funky but functional with dynamic lines to make them YOUR style. Love the leather work on the sheaths as well.

I've made a few file knives too and am also new to the hobby. I haven't gotten my bravery up to putting a mirror finish on them yet.

Thanks for posting photos. They are inspiring.
 
Thanks man! I checked out your knives too.. those are some sick blades! So awesome...

I (like most people, I imagine) started with files. I like them. Annealing and working with them can be a chore though. In fact, I'm sure I have spent more money replacing burned up drill bits as I could have spent in pre-annealed knife steel and saved the headache. I do like farriers rasps, though. They come out pretty cool. I had a customer (a guy at church who saw my knives..) bring me two farriers and ask for a matched set of knives. I made them and when he saw them he told me he was going to display them and not use them. They were mirror polish and man was that work. Im pretty sure most knives that get the mirror are close to 8 hours hand sanding and polishing each. A lot of work. But, if thats what the people want, thats what the people get. :)

I am building a heat treat oven next week over spring break. I am planning on that saving me HOURS of time just by getting the annealing done so I can actually remove material when I want to.

I am a classically youtube trained knife maker, and honestly never have seen anyone else do it except on video, so most of the stuff I do is a version of someone elses technique. I am making subtle changes here and there and finding my groove. Its amazing, I can head out into the shop (garage) and work for hours and not even realize the time went by. I think that is the definition of happiness... :)
thanks again for the warm welcome!
 
Thanks for the compliment. I've had a lot of luck with files lately and can get them at local swap meets for about $2 each for the good old ones. I temper them in a good toaster oven using the processes they have on this site (2x at 350F for 2hrs). As for the drilling pin holes, I try not to for these unless i have to but a good carbide bit will do it. Slow and steady is the trick with a cutting oil. I believe they sell the bits at USAknifemaker.com now. Check with the veterans here. When I'm cutting the initial shapes of the blades in the files I use an angle grinder. It saves my other tools and belts a lot of wear and tear. I'm still on a Grizzly G1015 and don't have a proper grinder yet. Once I sell a few more pieces I plan on getting a Bader BIII. For now it's a bit outside my price range. I tell myself, "If I can make a quality product with lesser tools, when I get quality tools I will only get that much better!" Finger grooves are a royal pain with drum sanders and a drill press though.

When it comes to training. I'm the same as you. I've done so much learning on there and on forums that actually being in a shop with someone seems odd. I was lucky enough to have a mentor that has been in the industry for over 40 years now and has shown me a LOT. He wouldn't teach me how to grind though so I had to YouTube it and train myself through practice.

Happiness really is finding that past time like that where you can lose hours on end without realizing it.
 
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I got an LB1000 grinder from Wilmont Grinders, and LOVE IT. I put a 2hp motor on it and it hogs like crazy. I also put a vfd that I found on craigslist on, and I can dial it down to near nothing. I don't grind 8 hours a day, so I believe this thing will last my lifetime. At any rate, its amazing what an increase in productivity a strong 2x72 makes. It was the best money I have spent in a decade. Before that it was money I spent on a little white rock...

Well, I just finished tooling and gluing up the belt loop on a new sheath, and saw the clock. Yep, 1am. Amazing how time flies out there! Good news is that I have spring break next week and can work to my hearts content. Bad news is the controllers for the oven dont show up till the following week :(

First world problems I guess.

Have a fantastic weekend, and I look forward to chatting more about file knives and showing you some of the ones I have done. I also linked my facebook page to my sig, so you can check my stuff out there.

Later!!
 
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