Knife makers:what do YOU do with blades & knives that aren't quite "perfect"...?
- Thread starter Ironwolf
- Start date
Jeff Pearce
KNIFE MAKER
I have seen pictures....
CDHumiston
KNIFE MAKER
I never plan to do this for a living so if there is a small flaw I give the knife away to a friend or family member. If there are major problems I grind on them for practice then throw them away.
If I were planning on putting my stuff out there to compete for sales with the some of the great knife makers on here I would never let a flawed blade out of my shop...my $.02
If I were planning on putting my stuff out there to compete for sales with the some of the great knife makers on here I would never let a flawed blade out of my shop...my $.02
A flawed or not up to par blade always seems to come back to haunt you. Regrind, rehandle, recycle, rethrow in back yard. if you want to give one away make it good just don't finish it past 220 grit. I always have a give away for a young person at shows. The sign of a great knifemaker is learning to fix the screwups. If your name is on it, it should be the best you can make it.
A.W.Stovall
Well-Known Member
When I mess up before heat treat I keep going till its exceptable this one started out 8.5" and ended up about 5.5" but then again I havent made many so none have turned out that great.
James Terrio
Well-Known Member
I bet most us have made 3/4" x 3" blades, that started out as 1" x 5" blades. I sure have a bunch like that, and heck yeah, correcting mistakes/redesigning blades is a part of knifemaking. It's sure taught me a lot. One of these days, I'll get it right the first time 
I remember breathing a HUGE sigh of relief when I first watched Harvey Dean's flat-grinding video, because he had the guts to admit he sometimes makes a goof, and shows how to fix it.
I'd never let a knife leave my shop if I thought it would fail/break/fall apart, etc. Call it pride or ego or whatever you want, I just don't want a client sitting in the woods with a broken or dull knife.
When I talk about my "seconds", I mean knives that I'd trust if my own life depended on it, but they're not as clean and pretty as they should be. For me, it mostly means sloppy plunges and I'm working on that. I'm really anal about it, due to the high level of craftsmanship folks have come to expect, and that's a good thing. IF I sell any of these, they won't have my name on them, and the buyer will know exactly why.
I remember breathing a HUGE sigh of relief when I first watched Harvey Dean's flat-grinding video, because he had the guts to admit he sometimes makes a goof, and shows how to fix it.
I'd never let a knife leave my shop if I thought it would fail/break/fall apart, etc. Call it pride or ego or whatever you want, I just don't want a client sitting in the woods with a broken or dull knife.
When I talk about my "seconds", I mean knives that I'd trust if my own life depended on it, but they're not as clean and pretty as they should be. For me, it mostly means sloppy plunges and I'm working on that. I'm really anal about it, due to the high level of craftsmanship folks have come to expect, and that's a good thing. IF I sell any of these, they won't have my name on them, and the buyer will know exactly why.
Steve Randall
Well-Known Member
like everyone else I try and fix the problem, most of the time it is turned into a shop knife or destroyed for testing ( I have a lot of shop knives). That said I just finished one with a flaw in the handle I couldn't fix, the blade was fine so I did sell at a reduced price. I would not sell one that had a blade problem or performance issue....Steve
Paul Mathews
Well-Known Member
I don't think I've made perfect knife yet either. Some of mine hang on a nail over one of my benches to remind me not to make the same mistakes.:34: Some of them get used for design testing, changing the profile to experiment with blade or handle shapes.:les: I used a couple of them to practice tapering a tang.
With some of them, I just push through and try to make a serviceable knife. Those that are mostly cosmetically flawed usually end up as shop knives or as a utility knife in my kitchen. I've also given a couple to brothers-in-law to use at the camp.
And, of course, a couple of them just ended up being somewhat stubby "one off's".
With some of them, I just push through and try to make a serviceable knife. Those that are mostly cosmetically flawed usually end up as shop knives or as a utility knife in my kitchen. I've also given a couple to brothers-in-law to use at the camp.
And, of course, a couple of them just ended up being somewhat stubby "one off's".
Ironwolf
The Knife Poet
As some of you know,I'm not a maker,yet. I'm a knife 'builder':
I buy finished factory knives,or blades from a couple knife supply outfits,
and also, Jeff Mutz has made a few for me from one of my designs (the Maverick),
with more designs in the works.
I add my file-work,handles,mosaic pins,etc. and sheaths.
My customers know where/who the blades come from,as I believe in full disclosure.
Once I am making my own blades, I'll randomly choose a blade from time to time to do evaluations on,
including testing to destruction.
Those tests will be video documented,and results posted for customers to see...
my sig line tells the reason why.
A couple of you wondered if there might be a market for cosmetically flawed knives:
I've been thinking about this lately,and believe there is.
I'm limited (physically) as to options for generating an income these days, and there are others like me out there:
I'd love it if I had a couple hundred $$ (or more) to buy a knife (or two...or 3 ) from each of you guys,
but,unless I win a lottery, that's not likely to happen...
To me,a knife must Function well,and if it looks good doing it, all the better.
(the only ugly knife is a dull or broken one )
If you makers have knives that are strong,honest and healthy,but are maybe a lil' crosseyed, or gap-toothed,
and you feel ain't fit for the public to look on, hell, let me know;
I'll give 'em a good home, and love 'em even if they are a tad ugly...
('cause they'd be just like me!:biggrin: )
Seriously: I'm willing to bet there are others like me who would be more than happy to give your 'ugly' knives a happy home.
You could recover your material costs,we would have Good knives that would serve us well.
(my buddy with the Activators that I screwed up is happy as a clam; he didn't even notice the flawed file-work until I pointed it out to him, and is simply pleased to have tools that spent some time under my hand: and he now has a couple knives that he wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise.)
I buy finished factory knives,or blades from a couple knife supply outfits,
and also, Jeff Mutz has made a few for me from one of my designs (the Maverick),
with more designs in the works.
I add my file-work,handles,mosaic pins,etc. and sheaths.
My customers know where/who the blades come from,as I believe in full disclosure.
Once I am making my own blades, I'll randomly choose a blade from time to time to do evaluations on,
including testing to destruction.
Those tests will be video documented,and results posted for customers to see...
my sig line tells the reason why.
A couple of you wondered if there might be a market for cosmetically flawed knives:
I've been thinking about this lately,and believe there is.
I'm limited (physically) as to options for generating an income these days, and there are others like me out there:
I'd love it if I had a couple hundred $$ (or more) to buy a knife (or two...or 3
) from each of you guys,but,unless I win a lottery, that's not likely to happen...
To me,a knife must Function well,and if it looks good doing it, all the better.
(the only ugly knife is a dull or broken one
)If you makers have knives that are strong,honest and healthy,but are maybe a lil' crosseyed, or gap-toothed,
and you feel ain't fit for the public to look on, hell, let me know;
I'll give 'em a good home, and love 'em even if they are a tad ugly...
('cause they'd be just like me!:biggrin: )
Seriously: I'm willing to bet there are others like me who would be more than happy to give your 'ugly' knives a happy home.
You could recover your material costs,we would have Good knives that would serve us well.
(my buddy with the Activators that I screwed up is happy as a clam; he didn't even notice the flawed file-work until I pointed it out to him, and is simply pleased to have tools that spent some time under my hand: and he now has a couple knives that he wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise.)
johnny warner
Well-Known Member
Depending, If it is a new blade design then it becomes a steel template rather than a paper or plastic one. If it is a cosmetic flaw then a friend receives an unsigned gift or leave it at the deer camp. I have never made a perfect knife either. I once asked Bob Willis if he ever made a perfect knife and his reply was no and when I do if will retire from knifemaking knives. He is currently retired from knifemaking, I never asked why he quite!
Ironwolf
The Knife Poet
lol,the truth is, there will never be a Perfect Knife unless God Himself comes down and fires up a forge :biggrin:
My personal feeling is that Bruce Bump and a few others are about as close as it gets,and only hope I live long enough,dig deep enough (and am lucky enough) to discover that level of skill,and learn well enough to get that good.
I may never reach that lofty goal, but all I can do is put one foot in front of the other and do my best,
and,God willing, if I do, I'll do it for as long as I can...
My personal feeling is that Bruce Bump and a few others are about as close as it gets,and only hope I live long enough,dig deep enough (and am lucky enough) to discover that level of skill,and learn well enough to get that good.
I may never reach that lofty goal, but all I can do is put one foot in front of the other and do my best,
and,God willing, if I do, I'll do it for as long as I can...
whiteeugene
Well-Known Member
Since I’m just a beginner I haven’t sold many knives I’ve made some for cost of materials for friends just to get the practice. I enjoy making them and learning new designs and easier ways to do things. I like making EDC’s because there useful and not to complex and you can design many different sizes and shapes. Having spent a few years in the ARMY in some pretty crappy places with little to work with I have great respect for a good working knife, one that is useful and sturdy and it doesn’t need to be pretty . I have a few friends that are contractors in Iraq & Afghanistan as well as two sons that did multiple tours there. I do a run every month or so of practice knifes and sheaths 1095 blades and kydex sheaths and send them to my friends, I tell them if they run across a solder that looks like they could use one give them one, these knifes are UN signed and UN marked. I get to practice and somebody gets a tool that they can use. So if you have a few lying around that aren’t up to par you could probably do the something I don’t think these guys care if there are a few scratches in them.
Ironwolf
The Knife Poet
now that is a fantastic thought... Doug, I tip my hat to you!
Justin King
Well-Known Member
I use them for destructive testing or hang on to them. They can be useful as patterns, shop knives/tools, and experimental guinea pigs. I'm convinced that technology will one day bring us an ecomomical home-smelting device and when that happens I should be set for steel for life...
An unrecoverable mistake will pretty much put an end to any motivation I would have to finish a piece to any reasonable level. Shop knives often end up with duct tape grips.
An unrecoverable mistake will pretty much put an end to any motivation I would have to finish a piece to any reasonable level. Shop knives often end up with duct tape grips.
Chuck Gedraitis Knives
Well-Known Member
I used to turn them into throwing knives.
Steve Davis
Well-Known Member
Trash can, shop knife, and one early blade that I shot @ 100 yds with an AR-15.