What's going on in your shop?

I haven't been making any knives lately but I have been busy on knife stuff.

We needed a new knife throwing target out back.
throwers.jpg

2ea 4x4"x8" posts sunk in the ground and 2x6" nailed to them. It's a pretty stout target and we can change out the boards as they get chewed up.
target.jpgtarget2.jpg

If a knife is good a hatchet must be better? It kinda is..I drew a new knife thrower model and then I added a hatchet. It sticks----- when thrown properly. This is cut out on the CNC Plasma table.

Some one will ask so here is my opinion on cutting blade blanks via CNC Plasma.
It's done all the time but no one will talk about it. The reason no one will talk about it online is someone *always* and I mean *always* jumps them about decarb on the edge and/or stress fracture along the edge due to the plasma. I would not cut air hardening stainless steels (which is most stainless) on the plasma. It will warp, stress fracture pretty deep and create other issues. I am talking carbon steel. There is decarb but it's maybe only a 1/16" deep so you just grind away that much around the cutting edge and go to work. It is hard to get a hole much smaller than 3/8" using a plasma cutter. It just does not have the resolution other cutting methods have. If you do cut the holes with the plasma, the edge is quite a bit harder so if you are re-drilling it can be dodgy. To put holes in a CNC plasma blade blank, you locate and drill them manually.


hatchet thrower.jpg

This is just mild 3/16" steel. It works perfectly for a thrower and is all we use around here for throwers. I know some guys are making a good living making hardened throwers from carbon steel and more power to them but since I am not a professional thrower, mild steel is good enough. I am rich in 5160 right now and may end up doing a run of throwers if I ever get done with my U Weld flat pack grinder kit.
plasma skeleton.jpg

I also intend to fish my brains out this summer so I will be scarce until fall.
 

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I haven't been making any knives lately but I have been busy on knife stuff.

We needed a new knife throwing target out back.
View attachment 78018

2ea 4x4"x8" posts sunk in the ground and 2x6" nailed to them. It's a pretty stout target and we can change out the boards as they get chewed up.
View attachment 78019View attachment 78020

If a knife is good a hatchet must be better? It kinda is..I drew a new knife thrower model and then I added a hatchet. It sticks----- when thrown properly. This is cut out on the CNC Plasma table.

Some one will ask so here is my opinion on cutting blade blanks via CNC Plasma.
It's done all the time but no one will talk about it. The reason no one will talk about it online is someone *always* and I mean *always* jumps them about decarb on the edge and/or stress fracture along the edge due to the plasma. I would not cut air hardening stainless steels (which is most stainless) on the plasma. It will warp, stress fracture pretty deep and create other issues. I am talking carbon steel. There is decarb but it's maybe only a 1/16" deep so you just grind away that much around the cutting edge and go to work. It is hard to get a hole much smaller than 3/8" using a plasma cutter. It just does not have the resolution other cutting methods have. If you do cut the holes with the plasma, the edge is quite a bit harder so if you are re-drilling it can be dodgy. To put holes in a CNC plasma blade blank, you locate and drill them manually.


View attachment 78022

This is just mild 3/16" steel. It works perfectly for a thrower and is all we use around here for throwers. I know some guys are making a good living making hardened throwers from carbon steel and more power to them but since I am not a professional thrower, mild steel is good enough. I am rich in 5160 right now and may end up doing a run of throwers if I ever get done with my U Weld flat pack grinder kit.
View attachment 78023

I also intend to fish my brains out this summer so I will be scarce until fall.
Sweet! I’ve been wanting to make myself a throwing knife but I have no idea how to make one so it performs correctly so I haven’t just yet. I like yours a lot.
 
Sweet! I’ve been wanting to make myself a throwing knife but I have no idea how to make one so it performs correctly so I haven’t just yet. I like yours a lot.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/365713187577010/files

I couldn't figure out how to just upload it here so I uploaded a .dwg file/drawing of a 12" throwing knife. There are *lots* of free apps that will print this format file out or you can import it to a CAD program. The link above has several pattern files you can download.
 
Turned out these are fun to throw and I’ve had a few local buddies ask me to make some more. These are Mild steel 3/16” thick and make a very satisfying thunk when they hit the target. You can make these pretty easy but we will list these for $25ea or 3 for $60. Hopefully we get them listed by the weekend.

65B4A43C-D361-4C5D-9E03-EBECF8B776BC.jpeg
 
I got the scales all finished for the frame handle vest bowie:



And here's a look at the guard and spacers:
John, I dont do many (hardly any) hidden tang knives with guards. The pins you have in the guard in that picture are for alignment or strength? My second question is how do you drill them out so they all align?
 
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