Brandon Miller Knife Maker Extraordinaire!!!

Number 5 and 6 together. I need to come up with a name for this design. I intend to keep making it. I'm thinking "Miller Knife Works" for a business name.

5 is on bottom. 6 is on top. I like the high flat grind of 6 better than the full flat grind of number 5.



 
I prefer the grind in 6 as well but it looks like the top of the plunge us different at each side. It looks like belt tracking to me. Something I learned is to flatten your scales and liners because they are never flat when you buy them. Other than that your knives look good. Better than mine at any rate.
 
Georg Masterman said:
Hey Guys... I need some help... I'm trying to learn how to pin a bolster... This is my first one, be gentle... any ideas?
Click to expand...

A great question no doubt. I have never used a bolster. Try starting a new thread. The other guys here have tons of experience.
 
The wife and 4 kids are at the lake, and I got the house to myself. PARTY! Well a grinding party anyway. I'll take some pics today and post the progress later.
 
Well it's been a long day and I'm beat. Here is the end result. I ran out of new belts and tried making well used belts cut like new. That's impossible for those that don't know. It slowed me down for sure.





 
The larger knife in the top of the last photo is for a 14 year old eagle scout who is taking it to Philmont for a 12 day hike. I'm looking forward to hearing how it does. He doesn't go for about a year, but wanted a good knife.
 
Flat ground a few more blanks and hand filed for what seemed like an eternity. Knife making is hard WORK!





 
Thanks. I wish it was a variable speed. I don't always need that motor running at 3600 rpm. That makes the precision part of it a bit tricky at times. It is getting way easier and faster though.
 
Brandon,
when I started making knives in 1998 I was blessed to be in the shop a few times of the late Mr. Bob Loveless.

i asked him about pricing my first knives since I had no idea what to charge. he said to add up all of my hard costs, the steel, belts, handle, HT costs etc and sell each knife for enough to build three more. I did that and put the money for each third knife I sold in a coffee can for about one year. I had about 900.00 bucks.

I then was able to buy and set up my first real 2 x 72' belt grinder from Norman Coote. a 1700 rpm motor I bought used with a couple of step pulleys from a air conditioning supply house and some link belt and had enough left to buy the belts I needed to be a happy grinding fool! www.cootebeltgrinder.com I think?

The reason for all of this history was you mentioned that your friend paid you the cost of materials for a knife. Get folks to pay three times and you can up grade your machines.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Brandon
Awesome to see your progression! Great work!
One word of advise if you are not already aware of it.
Almost ALL of the stuff we grind as knife makers is EXTREMLY hard on your lungs and sinuses. If you do not have a good 3M or similar respirator with filter cartridges please get one. It isn't something you will notice immediately, but the damage is life long and can be debilitating.
Not trying to bum you out, just make you aware! The $30 or so for a good respirator is a cheap price to pay!

Keep up the good work and keep posting those knives!

God Bless
Mike
 
Good advice from everyone, Thanks. The target price for the blades is going to be $125.00. Only the first one or two did I sell on the cheap. Even at 125.00 I think it represents a good value, and gives me room to increase prices when I feel confident that the work deserves it. A respirator is in the works. I've been needing one and know it. You don't notice it much when you only have an hour or two to spend on knives, but after a full long day on Saturday of riding the grinder, The black boogers where bountiful.
 
I'd give you $125 for another like #6 all day, every day. :)

Great progress and very cool to see it all in 1 thread like this.

Question... are you doing anything to lighten the tang of the knife? They look great as-shown, but since you are gluing up your scales, you could swiss cheese the tang and bring the overall weight down quite a bit.

Something else to think about, from my own trials, YMMV... But I have gone away from the thicker material. Properly heat treated, 1/8" or maybe 5/32" are plenty for a 4-5" camp-type knife. Just my $0.02
 
BRad704 said:
I'd give you $125 for another like #6 all day, every day. :)

Great progress and very cool to see it all in 1 thread like this.

Question... are you doing anything to lighten the tang of the knife? They look great as-shown, but since you are gluing up your scales, you could swiss cheese the tang and bring the overall weight down quite a bit.

Something else to think about, from my own trials, YMMV... But I have gone away from the thicker material. Properly heat treated, 1/8" or maybe 5/32" are plenty for a 4-5" camp-type knife. Just my $0.02
Click to expand...


I have on one or two in the past. I may drill one up and weigh it against another non holy blank. Just to see the actual difference. 3/16" is just what I started with and liked it. I will probably try some other thicknesses in the future. I do like the beefy heavy duty look and feel, though overkill it may be. I'm still learning a lot along the way. I'm wanting to try a kitchen knife for the wifey. We'll see if that works out.
 
Just a word of advise on making your Wife a kitchen knife. I made mine a small paring knife a few years ago. We have been married almost 29 years and I would have to say I have never seen her so possessive of anything! My son used it and didn't clean it and he heard about it for a week! (Wives like knives too!!)

God Bless
Mike
 
My knife number 4 that was my first one to ever sell came back for some mods. My friend liked what I have been doing lately and wanted a different finish. I decided to work on the flats, clean up the tang, reshape slightly the handle scales, and then re fit the sheath. Pretty much an overhaul.

Before



After






 
Here it is folks! The "Miller Knife Works, Roughneck Carry"


1095 Steel at 60RC
6.75" Overall length
1.5" Height.
3.25" blade length
Cold blue and bleach finish
Black and Gray G-10 handle material
Gray spacer
5/16" Corby Bolt fastener
Kydex sheath
Small Tek-lok belt attachment. Adjustable for right or left hand use.
8.2 OZ weight, knife and sheath.











 
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