Adventures in Knife Making

Well it has been awhile since I posted any new work. Back in August I got my left hand run through a piece of equipment at work. It was several months before the doctors would let me use it. Grinding has been a challenge but I think everything is starting to come together again.
I finished 2 knives that I started previously and did not get any pictures. But the last 2 have turned out well. This one is in 1084 and Buckeye Burl.

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The next one is a small EDC that I made for myself. It has some 15 year old walnut that I can not get to show all of the figure in the pictures. The steel is 1095 that I did a brine quinch on. It was going to have a hamon but the clay just blew off in the quinch. It was risky but would have been worth the reward.

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Thanks for looking.
 
Thanks for the compliment Demo. That pattern had become popular. The shape of the handle does make it comfortable to use. I get asked about making them for someone all the time.
 
Part of knife making that I really enjoy is testing. I bought some 1075 and Parks 50 to work on hamon. So everything is new. I made a couple of test knives with the 1075.


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They cycled through the forge like always. I do not have any temperature control. So I go past the point where I would quinch, then the same color as quinch, just past none magnetic, and finally under. Each time letting the blade cool. Then I heat to just past non magnetic and quinch. This has made good knives with 1084. With a temper of 365 for 1 hour and 385 for 1 hour.

With 1075 1 knife was tempered for 350 and 375
The other blade 375 and 400. Edge retention with both was good. No rolling or chipping with the brass rod test. Cutting 1" hemp rope was surprising. They both cut more then any of the 1084 knives I have made. They put up with cutting leather, hardwood, and being dropped tip down on the concrete.
When I hammered the tips in to wood they held up well until the 6th time. The knife with the lower temper snapped.

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On to cutting some nails. Both knives are to hard. They chipped on the first cut.

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I don't think that it is grain growth. Both have small uniform grain. The higher temper knife broke into several pieces when I broke it in the vise.


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I just need to add higher temper. If someone thinks differently let me know. So far 1075 seems like it will preform well.
 
So I just noticed that while I was editing the last post. Some how a paragraph was deleted. I made 2 more test knives. Tempered at 400, 425, and 425, 450. 425 and 450 got the results that I was looking for. Good edge retention and no rolling or chipping when cutting nails. I know that is extreme thing to do on a blade but it can be done.

This is one that I just finished. 1075 and dessert ironwood with a satin finish. This piece of dessert ironwood has a lot of grain to it. I need to finish my light box and work on my picture taking skills.

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Finished a couple of drop point skinners this weekend. Both with 1075 and hamon.
The first one has amboyna burl.

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The second one has buckeye burl. I feel lucky to be the one making this knife. It is a gift for a soldier in 160th SOARS. He is an avid outdoorsman.

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Another hunter with a hamon and dressed in Koa. Wow is all I can say about the Koa. It was the first time that I have used it and it definitely won't be the last.

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I have given up on trying to take nice pictures with my cell phone and a ghetto light box. This weekends project is going to be make a light box, and dig out the old digital camera.
 
Nice! Koa is just about my favorite wood, I love it. Hey, not trying to spam you, but here's a link to the light box that I made and I've been really happy with it. I think the original idea goes by to pro photographer Coop. I've got dozens of nice backgrounds to go with it, check out scrap book paper section at a craft store and the fabric section at a Walmart. You can find a nice variety of stuff for pretty cheap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eltw2JVwNTQ&t=42s
 
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Thanks Anthony. I already plan on using your box. Picked up the supplies awhile back. I just need to assemble them. Thanks for posting that video.
 
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