WIP The most EPIC kitchen knives ever! WIP

Hi Randy,I like the results you got with the mokume. Knife looks great. Is your wife asking for any to make jewelry from? Thanks for sharing.
 
Sry for the delay in the progress here. Its been a crazy couple of months.
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Its time once again for a update and some pictures!



So I initially planned on doing stainless damascus for these. Jr forged the damascus. I turned it into the 3 blades. But when I etched them. I just didnt care for the look and felt they were lack luster at best. and not what I would want to use for the 3 knives. So I spoke to my client and he being the awesome dude he is. Gave me the green light to make a change. So I tossed the ss damascus knives to the side and had Jr start over. This time with a Carbon damascus mix. BLUE @2 steel and 15n20 with some 1084 as well. so it should etch 3 different colors..


Just to recap. Im making 3 knives. a 8ish" chef, a 6ish" chef and a paring knife. These will have the Gold and silver mokume front and butt caps. With Walrus ivory for the main part of the handles. There will be file work throughout on the knives and the mokume will be carved as well.




I also had originally planned on traditional Wa style handles. and was going to do frame style handle so I could use the materials best. But after switching to the new Damascus. I went with full tang construction. But still Wa shaped.


Today I cut the blocks of Mokume in half. and flat sanded them.


Then I started cutting the Walrus Ivory. Thats when I remembered to grab the camera and take a few pictures.
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If you ever try to cut a roundish shape object like this with a band saw. Please be careful. I have years of practice and have learned the hard way what not to do. :D


So here they are rough shaped. for the three knives.








I cant tell you how amazing this stuff is. First off the depth of color on this tusk, then the color itself being black. Both make it more beautiful. But also much more rare.


Just to give you a peek at what I knew was hiding underneath the crusty outsides of this piece. I sanded one of the end cut offs and buffed it a little.








Then I made a cool little tooth pick!







Time to fit the bolsters to the blade.






After removing some of the excess materials and get them closer to the handle size.






This is as far as I was able to get today. :) Stay turned Ill be updating this as I get time and make progress.


Blessings
Randy
 
Back at it again These have been a fun distraction in the mists of the rest of the knives!! I LOVE my job!!





Made a toothpick for fun.




 
Its been a long road. This project has challenged me on many levels. and I am happy to have been able to share just a little of the process with you guys.

The last part of the process requires lots of mock ups. for fitting everything. as well as the butt caps needed to be fabricated and fitted.

So when I left off. I think I had the bolsters shaped and etched. The walrus handle slabs were rough shaped and close to finish thickness..

The last part of this process is making the butt caps.

First I rough shaped them to each handle. After that the surfaces are flat sanded. Then I sorta decide how I want to cut and file them to expose the mokume patterning. For this step. I eye ball top and bottom and draw a few baselines to follow when hand filing.

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Now to the "fun" part. Hand filing each one with a unique pattern. I liked how the first knifes butt cap turned out. So I went with a similar style cut.


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Sorta crude but effective. Both my style and execution!

The process is slow, I use a series of files and sand paper wrapped files.


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That was all fun. turning large pieces of Gold and silver and copper mokume into small pieces and lots of shavings!! lol But it really doesnt get good until I patina the copper!!!

BLAM!!!!!


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And to close out this update. a peak at them installed and a look at the bolsters.

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I really love the effect and look of this material. Somthin bout gold.. The only thing I can say is this whole experience has been EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blessings
Randy
 
As promised. I have pictures!!!!

Im sorta sad these are competed. YET Happy knowing they will be well used and cherished . Then passed on to the kids and God willing Grand kids etc...

Blessings
Randy

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WOW!! well let me be the first to say that those turned out great! no.. Incredible!! Great work as always man, that is a lot of work and with some very pricey materials none the less, which would no doubt be more scary than fun for myself to work with, but of course I'm nowhere near this level of knifemaking... well, not yet at least ;) lol Thanks for sharing and taking us along through the process, it was very enjoyable. Hey is that a different mix of mokume on that paring knife's buttcap, just gold and copper without the silver perhaps? Thanks again for sharing, and I hope you do post more WIPs in the near future!

God bless brother :)
 
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Wow, somebody slap me and wake me up, that is insanely beautiful work, I can't even comprehend where to start a project like that. I've been waiting to see these guys done probably as much as you've been wanting to get then done, congrats on some of the nicest knives I ever seen.


Wayne
 
Thank you guys for the nice comments and checking out the thread. This was a fun and challenging project. I have mixed feelings now that its done. sorta sad its over!! Yet on to the next amazing adventure in knife making!! :)

Blessings
Randy
 
There has been discussion in the past questioning weather knifemaking/HT'ing is "Art" or "Science" - Well, Randy has shown the knifemaking part is art for sure. I still think the HT'ing part is science, but Randy's build - WOW!!! Art on the highest order.

Ken H>
 
Phenomenal knives. Wonderfull Work. Beautiful.
Mr. Randy, could you explain how you fix the knives bolsters.
Regards.

Alessandro
 
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