John I have a problem with being inquizitive and overly curious. I do have hopes to one day be able to make quality knives that are worth a crap.
There is no easy fix or a quick to do answer for doing anything. I have the springs at my house and was thinking to use as forging practice to learn how the forging process works.
It is true my time has alot of constraints and diverting from my current knives would waste time. Im frustrated with things at the moment such as making the plan to have knives turn out clean and straight and smooth. I know they are going to not be perfect.
I am making a knife for my grandfather out of one of the blades he gave me to use for christmas. I have been working on this knife on and off for months.
I am not abandoning the known steel knives I just wanted to make this knife for him for sentiment reasons.
I made the other two for my buddie to give to his inlaws. I got frustrated and needed a break from being inside and have nothing to do due to the knives being in transit since I thought I had done a good enough job for ht.
That is the issue good enough thinking. There is no such thing as good enough. Is either done or not.
I have squirreled away almost enough to get a bar of known steel. To most reading this a bare of steel is 15 bucks shipped from aldo roughly. To me the spare change is my issue.
I am not looking for any more than I have gotten from every one of you help, wisdom, tips, pointers, and reminders of not to do dumb sht.
My question for all of you is do you remember the frustration of getting a blade sanded to 220 only to look at it from an odd angle in a different light to find a 1/4 long scratch hiding? Do you remember the time spent looking at videos and pics and reading on how to do things right?
The big ideas and dreams of success at doing something and wanting to be able to.do it all?
I am venting my personal bs on here and getting out the frustration I hope all can relate to. I know every one means the best and truly wants me to achieve my hope of actually making a knife to be proud of not the crap that I am making.
I am feeling that this is a trade that isnt for the broke and scraping by.
I have a big issue with highs and lows in life due to ptsd and feeling like no matter what I do doesnt make dam bit of difference.
I have crap for equiptment and am feeling more and more like Im just wasting every ones time by posting anything that I have done with my shitty scavanged free materials. I constantly am fkn dreaming of alm these big ideas and have all my life and 85 to 90 percent of them I make happen.
So if my vent is going to get me booted from here then so be it. I dont expect anything from any one that I havent earned or brought onto myself.
Im my own worst enemy and trying to rush is causing problems for all that I have done or tried to do.
I have big friggin dreams and ideas and dont see eye to eye with everyone else all the time. I am not a fkn quitter and will do what I said Im going to do and there will be knives made from the starter materials I was givin to have a known material to start with.
My problem is that I am essentially starting over on making a knife.
The softer steel is not even close to the same to work with as the planer blades. If I dig too hard on the 1084 it gets a huge gouge and I have spent hrs sanding only to still have it staring at me. I have the blade to a dimes thickness at the edge and feel that Im going to screw it up and waste my effort and time. I guess is gonna be if its gonna be.
I am not meaning any disrespect or to blow off what advice has been given am just frustrated and feeling like a failure.