WIP: First Knife

[murphda2]

I decided to start a thread of my first knife I've done start to finish. I ground my first blade last week, but I didn't start it. It was an old blank that Jim Crowell had given me from a batch he did way back in the day. I actually found it in his junk pile of scraps.

So, here it is from sketch to bandsaw work for now. I started by doing a modified design of an Aldo Bruno knife I bought several months ago. I really like the design, but would like to have one a little bit bigger. I kept with very similar lines. You can see my inspiration sitting on the table there.



Using my french curve to maintain clean lines I sketched the design up on graph paper then cut the pattern out with my exacto knife (yes, I know scissors would be easier but, I don't have a pair here in Ms). I then transfered the pattern to heavier stock with a little spray adhesive and re-cut it with the exacto. After prepping the steel with some layout fluid I traced the pattern on with my silver sharpie and then headed outside to start the bandsaw work.




The bandsaw work was a little tricky because I'm trying to save as much steel as possible. This is the only piece of 3/16" I have all the rest I have is 1/4" and everything I have on order is 1/4". Anyway, getting that last turn in the center was a PIA but I finally got it done.




It's almost 1600 and I've yet to eat today. Gotta get some grub and then get these two blanks profiled before the weather gets bad again (I have to wheel my tools out on the deck to work (living in an apartment stinks). I really need a shop to work in.

Murph

 

[Chris Martin]

Thats looking great Murph!!!! Might want to put some shoes on, that metal gets hot....haha

Keep em coming bud,

45

I decided to start a thread of my first knife I've done start to finish. I ground my first blade last week, but I didn't start it. It was an old blank that Jim Crowell had given me from a batch he did way back in the day. I actually found it in his junk pile of scraps.

So, here it is from sketch to bandsaw work for now. I started by doing a modified design of an Aldo Bruno knife I bought several months ago. I really like the design, but would like to have one a little bit bigger. I kept with very similar lines. You can see my inspiration sitting on the table there.

View attachment 948

Using my french curve to maintain clean lines I sketched the design up on graph paper then cut the pattern out with my exacto knife (yes, I know scissors would be easier but, I don't have a pair here in Ms). I then transfered the pattern to heavier stock with a little spray adhesive and re-cut it with the exacto. After prepping the steel with some layout fluid I traced the pattern on with my silver sharpie and then headed outside to start the bandsaw work.

View attachment 949
View attachment 950

The bandsaw work was a little tricky because I'm trying to save as much steel as possible. This is the only piece of 3/16" I have all the rest I have is 1/4" and everything I have on order is 1/4". Anyway, getting that last turn in the center was a PIA but I finally got it done.

View attachment 951
View attachment 952

It's almost 1600 and I've yet to eat today. Gotta get some grub and then get these two blanks profiled before the weather gets bad again (I have to wheel my tools out on the deck to work (living in an apartment stinks). I really need a shop to work in.

Murph

 

[Bill Coye]

Thats looking great Murph!!!! Might want to put some shoes on, that metal gets hot....haha

Keep em coming bud,

45

Now we're talkin' Murph! Get in there and make some dust!

Thanks for letting us in on the fun.

Remember, safety is no accident.

BC

 

[murphda2]

I was being lazy. I kinda slept in today after having a few sleepless nights. I was wearing my glasses and gloves and have every intention of changing into jeans and boots prior to grinding.

Murph

 

[Jeff Pearce]

great looking design...keep us posted...2thumbs

 

[Bailey Knives]

Already looks better than my first one!

 

[John Barker]

Looking good so far. Can't wait to see more pics.
-John

 

[murphda2]

UPDATE

OK, where did I leave off? Oh yeah.....lunch!



After my late afternoon lunch I changed into more appropriate attire (jeans and combat boots). I then wheeled my "rollaway" which has my grinder on top of it out to the deck and profiled the blades. I'm very happy I decided to go ahead and buy that small wheel attachment for my grinder. There's no way I would have had the patience to file these curves out by hand. You'll notice one blade that wasn't there earlier. This is actually the piece that was left over from when I cut the two blades out of the O-1 stock. I figured, why not? Who knows, it may make a good shop knife.




I then applied more layout fluid and marked my center line on each blade.



Then here is the finished product thus far. I did all of my rough grinding first on a 10" wheel then moved over the my flat platten. All of this was done on a Blaze 40 grit belt. I hope I haven't gound these too thin. As of now, they are at approximately 1/16" at the edge. I'm thinking I may need to back the edge up a bit to give me a little more thickness on the edge for HT. I'll probably do that tomorrow when I move to a 120 grit belt to clean the blades up a bit more, then to a 240 grit. Hope I haven't screwed up already.

SO, what do you guys think so far. Feel free to be blunt. I have no problem with constructive criticism. I give it every day while training.

Murph

 

[ChipI.]

knives are off to a great start. Good usable design . Can't wait to see more

 

[Bill Coye]

Okay, so far so good.

Snack - check

Funky boxers - check

Combat boots - check

Cool lookin' blanks - check

Looks like you've been paying attention sir.

I'm tuned in!

BC

 

[murphda2]

Well, I hate to say this but.........this thread is dead!!! I picked up my blades yesterday morning to examine them and realized I made an error in grinding the tangs. I had low spots on both blades in the center of the tang.

This obviously frustrates me to no end, but oh well. That's why we practice, right? I'm sure I'm not the first to make this mistake. Anyway, I cut a new blank yesterday and tried to get started but was rained out. The weather is nice today so I'm going to try again.

Murph

 

[Bill Coye]

Well, I hate to say this but.........this thread is dead!!! I picked up my blades yesterday morning to examine them and realized I made an error in grinding the tangs. I had low spots on both blades in the center of the tang.

This obviously frustrates me to no end, but oh well. That's why we practice, right? I'm sure I'm not the first to make this mistake. Anyway, I cut a new blank yesterday and tried to get started but was rained out. The weather is nice today so I'm going to try again.

Murph

Naw...this thread 'aint dead.

We need to see the new blank take shape! This is your thread and you can post all of your new stuff here. It's a great way to have other guys look and help out if needed.

BC

 

[John Barker]

Just drill you holes and taper the tangs. No one will ever know and the knives will look even better. I did a tutorial over on my subforum on how to do it. As narrow as those tangs are you probably don't even need to hollow out the tang.
-John

 

[murphda2]

I'm just really disappointed in the work. I'm going to chalk these two up to being dead and start fresh. I cut a new blank of the same design (I enlarged it a little) from a piece of 1/4" O-1 yesterday.

All I had for work today was my PT test (physical fitness test for you civilian types). I then went to the gym for a bit and come home to relax a while before getting to work on the new blank. I've had my lunch now time to change and get at it. We'll see how this one comes out.

Murph

 

[RAGUEL3]

Dont toss em out,.. you will find sometimes later on in your education in knife work, that you have now either learned to fix one you thought you couldnt salvage,or that will better skills you can now make it into something else.

 

[Josh Dabney]

Murph,
I must be misunderstanding you. Low spots in the middle of the tang aren't even a problem. In fact many would think that taking extra weight out of the tang area to be a good thing. You can also drill a hole through the low spot and in each scale to create a mechanical bond with epoxy (similar to an internat pin) to help protect against shear force against your scales.

My take is as long as your scales will sit flat against the tang all the way around the perimeter your what I would call "Golden" .

For that matter if the problem is to severe you still have the option if converting to a hidden tang construction by letting the bandsaw clean up the mess.

I can relate to how you feel, I've got 4 or 5 blades that never even made it to heat treat due to errors on the grinder. Nature of the beast for newbies, LOL.

Though I'd add my newbie perspective so I hope you don't mind

-Josh

 

[Rusty McDonald]

Murph,
I can relate to how you feel, I've got 4 or 5 blades that never even made it to heat treat due to errors on the grinder. Nature of the beast for newbies, LOL.

Though I'd add my newbie perspective so I hope you don't mind

-Josh

4 or 5! man I've got a 5 gal bucket full of the ones that didn't make it.

Send them anyway and Ill HT them any way I will use the same electricity either way.
You can always wrap them in paracord or something.

 

[Josh Dabney]

Rusty,
I'm currently working at getting #5 completed, LOL.

By the time I reach the number that you've finished I'll probably have 10 gallons of screw-ups.

Number 5 is comming along nicely though

-Josh

 

[murphda2]

UPDATE

Well, I came in from work yesterday to the pooring rain and couldn't take my grinder out on the deck to work (talk about raining on a guy's parade!). After sitting frustrated for a bit I decided to try to fight to get my grinder out the front door under cover and after much trial I made it.

I decided to also take the bandsaw out and cut a few new blanks. I was a bit smarter this time though. I cut three blanks and decided to only work on one of them. Long story short, by the end of the evening I had a heck of a mess on the front porch and a blade that was frustrating me.

I came home today to clear skies and sunny weather, so off to grinding I went. I decided to slow things down a bit and it paid off. I'm much happier with how things are looking with this one. I guess I'll know if I'm happy with it when I get home from the gym in a bit and take a second look at it. Good thing I finished when I did. No sooner had I finished up, the skies opened up again.

Josh, the resaon I was frustrated with the last one is because I had done a tapered tang on it and had low spots in the center of the tang. Looking from the edge, there were concave grinds in the center of the tang when looking from the edge. It should have been flat.

Murph

I'll post pics later

 

[WadeH]

Murph, that is what Josh was saying. Lots of people will hollow out the center to take some of the mass out of the handle. As long as it is flat around the edge it really will not make much of a difference. The epoxy will fill up the middle part of the knife and the pins will hold the scales on. The only real reason for the epoxy most will tell you is to keep the moisture out.