Taking the dive into knife making

Getting some patina. I have abused this knife hard these last few days. Including throwing it at trees a few times, not recommended.


Here's James with the Mudlore




 
Knives are back from field test phase 1. So far I am very pleased with how these turned out and held up. There was a lot of wood splitting, whittling/carving, in some cases throwing, smashing things, butchering game including rabbits and fish, and food prep.

The A2 steel proved to chip and roll a little easier, but stayed sharper. The O1 had minor roll and zero chipping, but dulled sooner.


There's even dried blood that needs to be cleaned up.
 
Gary,
Its great to see you field testing and learn first hand how to make a better knife foe a given task. Keep at it and you will be making better knives each time.
 
rhinoknives said:
Gary,
Its great to see you field testing and learn first hand how to make a better knife foe a given task. Keep at it and you will be making better knives each time.
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Thanks Laurence. I enjoyed feedback from users, and seeing them test the knives out.
 
Split up some wood blocks for future knife handles. I learned the portaband is not suitable for clean cuts on these. Gladly I tried it on the cheaper pieces. It's going to take a lot of time to flatten them.












I forget the name of this wood, but the pattern is unreal.
 
Sweet looks like you used them hard! I have been beating my first 2 up around the garage and rather enjoyed it. I just can't wait til deer season to test them out. That's some wild looking wood

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
 
Glued up some scales today for future knives.
Drewcarta with black fiber liner


California Buckeye burl on black fiber liner


Spalted big leaf maple burl dyed turquoise with red fiber liner


 
Just got these:


Drewcarta


Stabilized Hawiian Mango


Stabilized Oregon Maple Burl


Ancient Bog Oak- 3,720 years old
 
Hey Mud, I am with you! I just started making knives. One complete and i have 9 blades ready to go to heat treat ( I am not set up for that yet). I am working out of my garge in Brea, not too far from you! i made all the blades with a 1x30 harbor freight grinder and a 2x2 craftsman. I just finished up a build on a 2x72 with a 2HP and VFD that i havent even gotten to use yet! Hopefully we can get together some time. Are you headed ot the Califonia Knife Makers show in Brea this weekend??? if so, see you on Saturday.
- Jason
 
Jason Wernli said:
Hey Mud, I am with you! I just started making knives. One complete and i have 9 blades ready to go to heat treat ( I am not set up for that yet). I am working out of my garge in Brea, not too far from you! i made all the blades with a 1x30 harbor freight grinder and a 2x2 craftsman. I just finished up a build on a 2x72 with a 2HP and VFD that i havent even gotten to use yet! Hopefully we can get together some time. Are you headed ot the Califonia Knife Makers show in Brea this weekend??? if so, see you on Saturday.
- Jason
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Ride on, maybe we can meet up sometime, check out knives. I won't be at the show- got a camping trip this weekend. Trying to finish another knife by then.
 
Got a little time in on the grinder today.
Sketched out a slightly longer handle for those with bigger hands.


Three designs I'll be working on in this batch.
Mudlore, MudloreX, SPM1


Dykem on A2 and 1095 then Scribed


Sawing on the Portaband




Trying out the Blaze belt for the first time, I like it a lot. This things hogs steel noticeably more than the VSM's I was using previously. Also cut smoother than the VSM, and tracked better.


Blades rough ground.
 
Some more photos of the templates. I did another new design today.
















Slightly longer handle Mudlore.
 
Cut out the two new blanks today




Tried the Cubitron II belt for the first time. Can't say I liked it more than the Blaze. Although I found it better than the VSM belts. The CII did have a little more control over the Blaze, hogged off more steady with less pressure. Adhesion of the abrasive seems much better- but having only tried one belt from each- I can't say for sure. What I do feel however, is that the Blaze belts might give me more mileage when it comes to grinding out blanks. Also not sure if it's in my head, but the CII belts felt like they cut close to the same no matter how much more pressure I put on it. With the Blaze, I could really lean into it and hog steel. Where the CII started changing in performance a little, but in a way I could not quite figure out. Important notes for the future, with that said- favorite belt for profiling is the Blaze, followed by the Cubitron II, then VSM. From a price point- the VSM has them all beat, but adhesion to abrasive seems the worst of the three, and overall the stiffest.


Blanks rough ground.


 
Gary,
One cost saver that I was shown is to use those fresh new belts for bevel/hollow grinding. After I have used the belt for a few bevels and about half the grit or so is gone, then I use it for profiling at full speed.

I also think you will find how each of these belts works for bevel/hollow work iis the most important test.

As far as which belt you will settle on? Each maker seems to have a little different touch and feel when grinding and we all look at price to performance for which belt works best for us.
 
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Mud,

Your chugging right along with all those blanks, and scales. :35:

I'm digging the drop point. I'm a fan of that kinda design.
 
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