So Close with Pics

Kevin Zito

Kevin Zito

KNIFE MAKER
I’m almost satisfied enough with this one to finish it out. It is 154 cm steel ... 9 inch oal... 4.75 ish inch blade.... hollow ground with false edge at the top. Spine is .150 inch. I’m still not quite happy with my skills especially when it comes to the grind line. I’m doing it all freehand, and I’m really starting to “feel” the grind. I’m pretty sure that I can tighten up the grind line on this one and make it halfway decent looking. Critique it to pieces please, also any advice and recommendations are always welcome. Thanks for looking... I couldn’t do this without y’all!4EC0CC32-8487-48AC-A3B5-9D181E9016FB.jpegA7800D8C-D3E2-45D7-B988-49BB7D142692.jpeg08E1F01D-3304-4CAA-8972-E85F4A7A5E43.jpeg
 
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You did a fine job with this one!

Ok,,, So,, Just wondering. Because I'm a machinist this stuff just jumps out at me. Why is your first dimension in metric and the rest in English.

Ps: can you send that to me!
 
I think your grinds look real good. I did recently try some Norax belts (structured abrasive). They seem about twice as easy to maintain a crisp line.
 
Nothing to critique in the grinding of that one especialllly at this early stage of its finish it is crisp and clean, but for me personally the big finger notch is a detractor as it dictates hold with discomfort for any other hand position. Be different if it was specificlly for choping but that would need a longer blade. This is purely personal on my part as many like the finger notch.
 
Von Gruff said:
Nothing to critique in the grinding of that one especialllly at this early stage of its finish it is crisp and clean, but for me personally the big finger notch is a detractor as it dictates hold with discomfort for any other hand position. Be different if it was specificlly for choping but that would need a longer blade. This is purely personal on my part as many like the finger notch.
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Thank you... and I agree with you 100%. It feels good in the hand, but the pinch grip position is a little weird. I think it looks kinda cool, but I’m a pinch gripper through and through... especially for skinning. I could see this knife being used for cutting heavy stuff... maybe rope or leather, but a skinner it is not.
 
I think it is awesome Kevin. Where will your scales end? Are you going to cover the entire finger well? If so, be careful I-have seen scales break at the end of the finger well because that little leftover piece will be unsupported. If you are not going to cover the entire well is the front pin too far forward? Not a critique (your work is better than mine) just questions. Again, awesome knife. It will sell.
 
Kevin,
I think it looks great. The SWEDGE is a great touch and well done.

I'll give you a couple things to consider.
1. the sharpening notch should be 2x to 3x deeper. Most of that will disappear with the first sharpening. Make a notch that will last several sharpenings.
2. At the top of the of the plunge to the tip of the blade, the grind line should not "sag" down below the top of the plunge so it looks like a smile. Yours doesn't so much but there is a dip. Lets call it a grin. This is purely opinion and choice. Personally, I always make the effort to not have a smile in the grind line. That's rookie stuff. This is a choice and entirely opinion.
3. The plunge could be softened. Sharp plunge cuts used to be the style. They aren't any more. This can be softened by running a Norax belt 1/16" to 1/8" off the wheel and then push the plunge (lightly, on slow speed) into the plunge. The Norax belt is cloth backed and will bend and gently roll back giving the plunge a nice smoothed transition. Again this is done on very low speed, like 20% speed or less. Sometimes the wheel is barely moving when I do this. It also helps clean up grind lines in that stubborn area right in the plunge.
4. You didn't show the other side but the grind lines should start and end and look exactly the same on both sides.
 
Chris Railey said:
I think it is awesome Kevin. Where will your scales end? Are you going to cover the entire finger well? If so, be careful I-have seen scales break at the end of the finger well because that little leftover piece will be unsupported. If you are not going to cover the entire well is the front pin too far forward? Not a critique (your work is better than mine) just questions. Again, awesome knife. It will sell.
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Thanks, Chris! I’m planning to cover a good bit of the well but not the whole thing. I’m going to Swiss cheese the tang and drill new holes for pins. I thought I wanted the pins there but have since changed my mind.

mike miller said:
It looks good but if mine I wuld drill a series of holes in the handle to lighten it up. My preference is not to have a handle heavy build.
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Thanks, Mike. I’m definitely going to put more holes in it and taper the tang. It is currently wayyy too heavy for my taste.
BossDog said:
Kevin,
I think it looks great. The SWEDGE is a great touch and well done.

I'll give you a couple things to consider.
1. the sharpening notch should be 2x to 3x deeper. Most of that will disappear with the first sharpening. Make a notch that will last several sharpenings.
2. At the top of the of the plunge to the tip of the blade, the grind line should not "sag" down below the top of the plunge so it looks like a smile. Yours doesn't so much but there is a dip. Lets call it a grin. This is purely opinion and choice. Personally, I always make the effort to not have a smile in the grind line. That's rookie stuff. This is a choice and entirely opinion.
3. The plunge could be softened. Sharp plunge cuts used to be the style. They aren't any more. This can be softened by running a Norax belt 1/16" to 1/8" off the wheel and then push the plunge (lightly, on slow speed) into the plunge. The Norax belt is cloth backed and will bend and gently roll back giving the plunge a nice smoothed transition. Again this is done on very low speed, like 20% speed or less. Sometimes the wheel is barely moving when I do this. It also helps clean up grind lines in that stubborn area right in the plunge.
4. You didn't show the other side but the grind lines should start and end and look exactly the same on both sides.
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Thanks! You have given me some fantastic information. I will deepen the notch for sure. Now, as for the grin in the grind line.... it makes me frown! That is my number one issue. I took your advice with slowing everything down and it worked... I guess it just takes time and practice. I worked on it a little bit this morning and have it considerably straighter, but not quite there. I’ll post a new pic this evening to show the progress. By the way, the no show side actually has less grin, but is just about identical to the show side. If I can’t get that grin out, this one will join it’s brothers and sisters in the box of shame lol.


Thank you all for the kind comments and help.
 
Kevin when I get that "smile" I take a large sharpie and color the blade and go back on the grinder and move it up a little at a time and get it where I want. Obviously the sharpie shows you your progress!
 
Gliden07 said:
Kevin when I get that "smile" I take a large sharpie and color the blade and go back on the grinder and move it up a little at a time and get it where I want. Obviously the sharpie shows you your progress!
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Thanks for the tip. I normally use dykem but a sharpie would be faster for sure. The extra inch or so of blade length is eatin me up also I think. Its harder for me to keep it straight for the longer pass. Every time I grind I can control and “feel” it better and better, but I think I may also have to work on my hold and my stance.
 
Kevin Zito said:
Thanks for the tip. I normally use dykem but a sharpie would be faster for sure. The extra inch or so of blade length is eatin me up also I think. Its harder for me to keep it straight for the longer pass. Every time I grind I can control and “feel” it better and better, but I think I may also have to work on my hold and my stance.
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Ya know how it goes Kevin!! PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!! And your still gonna mess um up once in a while!! LOL!! In all seriousness that Sharpie works good for me! I also run the belt slower and just work the middle where the lower part of smile is and work it up to the higher ends, once it's all evened out a couple of full passes to blend all the grind Mark's then finish as you would!
 
Von Gruff said:
I see you have ground beyond the sharpening notch Kevin. That is something to watch
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lol that’s funny, Garry! Literally 2 seconds before reading this, I was looking at the knife thinking that the notches on my knives are always messed up. I’m thinking I should probably file the notch before I start beveling, right? The thickness of the ricasso vs the blade pushes the file toward the point.
 
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