Dream Knife Give-Away-- Feedback Wanted

Bill T

Well-Known Member
Hey Dogs , I had an idea for a Give-away .
What I wanted to do is make a knife - from someone else's , (the winners) , design .​
By that I mean I am willing to do all the heavy lifting - grinding and drilling . Leaving the winner with the task of finishing - hand sanding the blade and applying the handles .​
That being said , it makes no sense to open it up to all , only to those who have NO grinder . Hence the Dream Knife title .​
I'm making this a preposting so you guys can give me some feedback .
This is what I have thought of so far ....​
  1. A blade ground and drilled to winners design using what I have on hand
  2. Open to Anyone without a grinder (honor system please) no makers
  3. Winner MUST agree to finish Knife
  4. Winner MUST agree to a photo filled WIP posting
  5. Heat Treat and handle not included
Any of this can be open and subject to change due to the fact that I know I haven't thought of everything...​
The knife design will also have to be flat ground , as that is all I do , not hollow. I was thinking of a limit of 12" long and 1 1/2 wide . I only have some 1 1/2" bars on me right now .. Also no guards or bolsters ..
Plus the winner must know I do this spare-time . After work and family ... This is a medium length project and should take some time to finish between 2 people ..​
I must reserve the right to make other limitations ... again I haven't thought of everything ..​
I'd also like some Mods and Admins to chime in with some advice as how to make this go smooth........​
Thanks ,Bill
 
Sounds good to me, Bill.
I think it gives a lot of people a chance to make a custom designed knife. You may want to consider throwing in the heat treat because guys who don't grind probably won't know a heat treat guy. Maybe one of the HT guys here can help out.

Let me know how I can help. I can throw in some scales or something.

Great idea and a great opportunity.

Steve
 
sounds great I have lots of ideas and no grinder I do have the file skills that can pay the bills ( anyone hiring?)
 
I have a small Delta benchgrinder (which sees very little use) and a Rigid belt/spindle sander
but no real grinder...
and no means or experience to h.t....
I am so very in for this opportunity!!
This fits right in with what I do now: modify and customize finished factory knives, or blades I buy from supply shops or custom makers...
This is an awesome GAW idea!
Just out of curiosity,what kind of steel are you thinking to use?
 
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Actually the belt grinder I'll be using is a Craftsman 2x42 . So I'm expecting entrants to have less .
The steel I have now is ATS in 3/16 & 3/32 x 1 1/2 . And 1080 in 3/16 x 1 7/16 . Also some D2 in odd sizes all 5/32 thick .​
I could always put it in when I heat treat , but I do that only 2 or 3 times a year as I try to work in batches . I am planning to have my next batch out by mid Oct .​
 
Bill, I'll donate a foot of steel.

On hand, I have.....

1095 HR in 3/16" and 1/8" x2"
1084 (Aldo's) in 1/4" x 1 1/2"
5160 (Aldo's) in 1/4" x 2"
1095 (Aldo's) in 3/8" x 1 1/2

I also have some 1095 CRA on the way in 5/32" x 2".

Just let me know which you would like for me to send you for the project.
 
Bill,
I would be up for that. I have some stabilized waterfall bubinga that I've been saving for something so a custom design would be a fun project.

Hey Murph, very generous to offer donating the steel too!

Bruce
 
Ain't much,but I have a set of mosaic pins from another project I could kick in (1/4" diameter)
 
well tnx for doing this especially if HT is included
I would be willing to participate in this and i meet all the requirements
no grinder, greenhorn, and few knife handle materials on the stash, but i am over the pond that is the biggest problem for me
design is no problem, I have a full portfolio of the matter in case :D
 
Good on you Bill,for doing this.I know it ain't much,but,I have
some brass Colby's.If the winner would want to use them.

God bless,Keith
 
First off let me thank you all for your offers .
I knew you guys would be right there to offer more ... That's what makes Knife Dogs such a great forum .​
When I told Rudy about the GAW , just before I posted it , he offered up some handle material immediately . You guys are all so very generous...​
So what I'll do about that is leave these offers standing in this thread ; to be decided by the winner , if that's all right with you .​
One of the main reasons to prepost the GAW though was to fine tune it .​
The reason I had thought to leave the heat treat and handle material up to the winner was to get entrants that were committed and serious . I thought if someone spent a few dollars on the project , they'd be more likely to finish it .​
I'd like to get some of the new members signed up as well .. It seems the new guys are shy , even when it comes to the freebies .​
We have Collectors , Sheath Makers , Dealers and Suppliers ; you just have to be willing to get a little dirty and do a little work .... and share it with all of us ...:biggrin:​
 
Bill, I would love to participate as an entrant. I don't own a grinder of any kind - I have an antique 4x36 belt sander and a whole bunch of files. Quite frankly, I am getting a little tired of filing, drawfiling and then filing some more. Denny
 
I thought if someone spent a few dollars on the project , they'd be more likely to finish it.

That's a good point. I did a lil GAW last spring with a file, chunk o' steel and some other stuff... some other fellows chipped in lanyards, HT service, etc... haven't heard from or seen the winner around here since. :( If you're out there, don't be shy! I'm not mad, just would like to see what you came up with.
 
Was he a Regular here?
Maybe he was someone who hadn't done any knifework before and found he'd
just bit off more than he could chew?
 
Was he a Regular here?
Maybe he was someone who hadn't done any knifework before and found he'd
just bit off more than he could chew?

I wouldn't say a regular, no. I think you're right, the fellow either lost interest or gave up. It's too bad but not a big deal. Stuff happens. Maybe the poor guy got hit by a bus or something:52:

Anyway, I think Bill's idea is a good one and more likely to get finished.
 
The completed knife is obviously the prize but so many other things can be learned in doing this build by a beginner.
Such as sourcing your materials and services, and the trials and tribulations of execution we all go through. Whoever wins has got a great head start with just the ground blade and the pearls of wisdom found in this forum. If he's real lucky (Fletch) he could make a complete knife from GAW's. Keep it simple Bill.

Rudy
 
Hey Guys , I think Rudy hit the nail on the head ...
I'm not just trying to give away a knife , as much as help build a knife maker ..
That's why I'm trying to figure out how to do this so its full potential is realized ... By that I don't mean only the knife , but the maker as well ...​
If you're on this forum then you have to know the answers to most beginners questions can be found right here , just spend a little time with the Search funtion . If not there , then ask us ; I know the answer WILL be found for you .​
I wanted part of the process to be a picture WIP so all can be part of it .. Did you see how fast members reponded with more free stuff to sweeten the pot ? They deserve to be part of it as well ...​
The Least the Winner must do is hand sand the flats to a satin finish before and after heat treat . Now to get one blade heat-treated by any of the supply houses runs around $20 or so w/shipping . I don't think that's too much to ask . I think it will appeal to only realistic entrants . If you're not the kind of person to finish things you'll only get a piece of unhardened steel that LOOKS like a knife ... After all , it's your dream ..​
Another part of it is to be my portion . Where I show (hopefully) how to grind a decent blade with a $140 machine and do the drilling with a $90 drill . Something I hope will show that it doesn't take a ton of money to get it done .​
I'm also thinking that when it's time to post I'm gonna ask for 2 things . One , is the basic idea of the knife you would like to have . Two would be what equipment , if any , do you have . Alot of people Do have a drill press , so that would let the winner do that much more on their own ,if they wanted ...​
For one type of winner this is a great way to get a cool knife .. For another type this could be a great way to check out knife making ... Either way , It offers something for us all . Keep letting me know what you think . I want to put this up on Tues or Wed .
Bill​
 
Im a grinder less knife maker, Im pretty new and would expect the knife blank to be given to a regular here that seems to be working diligently even without a grinder. So my suggestion is that they have completed 2 knives already and displayed them on the board.

With that said, You guys are a knife makers dream already! The information and helpful nature on this board has put me 2 years ahead of where I was in a month of being here. While this will give the opportunity for someone to make one heck of a knife, its only giving someone a fish and telling him, he has to clean it, you guys teach a man to fish in most every post here. I went to the guild show today and bought some 1095 that I had while looking at all the knives, no less then 15 people stopped me and offered to help me on my way to being a knife maker. I was given 7 home phone numbers and told to call if i needed help with anything. The Knife Makers I have seen so far have been some of the nicest folks I have ever met and now I want just as bad to be part of such a great group of guy as I do build some knives. The inspiration gathered from all the different knives i saw will carry me through all year!

Sorry to say but my own suggestion for qualification of the contest disqualifies myself. No fear though, I'm going at it strong with my files and maybe in a few weeks ill have some to post up here and show off.

You guys are great, Thank you!
 
Thanks for the input SOL , It's just what I'm looking for in this thread .
I have to disagree though on just one thing . The winner will have more to do than just Clean the fish ..​
They will have to start with designing a realistic blade , working out proportions and and flow . Decide pin or rivet and lanyard hole placement . The grinding is a part , but not everything . Then the winner must satin finish the blade . I'll get it to where they can start at 220 grit , but there are always some stray deep scratches that show up . Then off to heat treat . When it comes back , satin finish again . Depending on what has been decided about handle material , it's time to true up the slabs , finish off the front , then glue up . Next is cleaning it all up with files and sandpaper .​
It sound fairly simple and staightforward ; but how the winner approaches each of these steps will decide the level of knife at the end ...​
Thanks , Bill​
 
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