Hunter for My Uncle- Finished pic

Kevin Zito

KNIFE MAKER
This is a cpm 154 cm 7.5 inch drop point hunter for my uncle for free lol (he wants to pay me, but I’m not ready for that... way too insecure). Handle is African Blackwood and Koa with grey/green fiber spacer. I used, same on the last 3 or 4, acraglass gel... I’ll never use anything else. It has proven itself to me .... unbelievably strong and water/heat resistant. I took this knife very seriously as I wanted to get the splice right... the acraglass was the key to this victory. I also wanted to pay closer attention to curves and to the overall finish and feel of the handle. I went much slower really ... trying to get the curves right and even. There are still many, many mistakes, but I’m noticing, at this time in my development, that every knife seems to be exponentially better than the one before.... better in my eyes I should add lol.

I can’t really explain my next comment, but I have a feeling that you guys will be able to relate. For some reason, again I can’t explain it, when I hold the knife in my hand, it “feels enpensive.” Maybe the weighting/balance? Fit n finish? Maybe it’s just because I’m biased? No clue. Maybe it’s just a good fit for my hand? It just feels like it cost $1000 lol.

Critique the heck out of it... I need to improve. Thanks for looking.

PS Nothing above was intended to sound arrogant or or overly impressed with myself lol. I’m a total noob as you all know. I guess I’m just trying to explain how the knife feels in my hand.


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Looks good Kevin, your uncle will love it. I'll add some critiquing, try to keep you grind bevels from going to high into the spine. if you look down the spine you'll see where the thickness changes just ahead of your scales, that will be an eye catcher for anyone handling the knife. on your blade finish, try going down to a finer grit or use a scotch bright belt, scotch bright belts leave a nice satin finish. of course the best satin finish would be hand sanding parallel to the blade. keep at it, as long as you have the drive you'll only get better.
 
I forgot about your tore up shoulder...nix the hand sanded blade. you might want to check out the scotch bright belts though.
I don't really use them much on knives but their nice to have around, I just used one today to clean up two pairs of scissors a friend uses for cutting fiberglass, they were beat, all rusted up and dull. he's in for a surprise tomorrow.
 
Thanks guys and all great comments. I have a tube that I’m going to put in ... I’m just waiting for it to come in the mail. And I’m definitely gonna hit with a scotch bright belt... I know I should have done it already but I got excited lol.as for the spine thickness issue, I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about... I definitely have to work on that. Like you said it definitely catches the eye. Thanks again!!
 
I think you did a nice job with this one. The handle profile looks good to me. Like stated above breaking the spine on the plunge is a bit distracting. The other thing might be that rear pin looks a tad off I cant put my finger on it but maybe tad high from the other. Just some friendly critique, other then that I think ya did good!
 
Thanks! Yep that pin is off... I noticed it too. I think you may have hit it on the head with it being too high. It’s so weird how the smallest inaccuracies can make such a huge impact on the overall look of the knife. Details details details.



I think you did a nice job with this one. The handle profile looks good to me. Like stated above breaking the spine on the plunge is a bit distracting. The other thing might be that rear pin looks a tad off I cant put my finger on it but maybe tad high from the other. Just some friendly critique, other then that I think ya did good!
 
I used, same on the last 3 or 4, acraglass gel... I’ll never use anything else. It has proven itself to me .... unbelievably strong and water/heat resistant. I took this knife very seriously as I wanted to get the splice right... the acraglass was the key tois victory.

Kevin, tell me more about the acraglass, where did you purchase it? Have you used the liquid, how does it compare to the gel? Were you using G Flex prior to using acraglass?
Thanks!!
 
I got it from amazon lol. I love the stuff. You mix it 50/50 cures pretty good in about an hr. The consistency is pretty much like butter, and that stuffs gets hard as a rock. I was using the five min devcon stuff lol. The way this stuff spreads is a home run in my opinion
 
Kevin I am liking what I am seeing from you these days!

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As already mentioned a lanyard tube is a good thing, done properly!! Looking at this pic, I would advise you to move in a bit more with the next one. You left very little material between the back of the lanyard hole and the end of the knife. A drop on the butt of the knife will more than likely split the end ot the handle!!

Lanyard holes are something more of a personal experience IMHO! I have dressed and skin-it small and large game and when a knife handle gets to where you are having trouble hanging on due to, too much blood and crud. Well the only thing I know to do is wipe it on the grass or wash it in the stream. Now working in a stream, that is the only place I can see using a lanyard. I would hate to drop my knife and not be able to find it!! However personally I believe unless we are talking moose or buffalo I believe I am gonna drag the critter up on the bank!!! However if you are going to abuse or baton a knife like they do on FIF, well........................! Like I said if you ask me for one I will do it but if you don't specifically ask for one you probably gonna see one on one of my knives! Unless it is a filet knife. There is another place I have seen the need. Then again you still have stop every so often and wipe or clean the slime!! :D

As for the pin being off, that is something the eye will pic up right away. I will also tell you the "camera don't lie". Your eye may miss it but the camera doesn't miss it!

I once posted a pic of a knife I had made and while I am doing an explanation for what everyone is seeing. I see something I had never noticed! I had left epoxy on the blade at the end of the handle at the ricasso! I looked at the pic and thought that must be just a shadow. So I go and get the knife and, sure enough what appeared to be epoxy in the pic. Was truly epoxy I had missed. Even though I had cleaned that area with Q-tips, and acetone and thought I had gotten all of it , I hadn't and the camera caught it!! I learned to take pics and then study the pics. They will show a flaw quicker than your eye will pick it up!!

Listen to the advice, pins, breaking the spine and lanyard holes need to be lined. You will be three steps ahead on the next one!!! As already said, I am liking what I am seeing from you lately!!
 
Thanks, CC! You make some very good points. I just gotta learn how to not grind out the spine. The rest I think I can handle. Thanks again for the input ... can’t tell you how much I appreciate it!
 
100% dry and finished... I used scotch bright on the blade which you can’t tell in this pic... I can’t take a pic to save my life. It’s the sharpest one I’ve made by far. I think I may be getting better at sharpening though. Handle is waxed and I put “super sheen” on the leather. Thanks for all y’alls help!! I’m fairly happy with it, but I have to get better at grinding.2EE72860-F845-4599-A429-B694FFAF27D0.jpeg
 
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