MEMBER ITEMS FOR SALE
Custom Knives | Other Knives | General Items
-------------------------------------------
New Posts | New PhotosAll Photos



Go Back   The Knife Network Forums : Knife Making Discussions > Custom Knife Discussion Boards > The Outpost

The Outpost This forum is dedicated to all who share a love for, and a desire to make good knives, and have fun doing it. We represent a diverse group of smiths and knifemakers who bring numerous methods to their craft.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-21-2003, 07:53 PM
cactusforge cactusforge is offline
Guru
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Quartzsite Az.
Posts: 1,482
Favorite part of knife making

What part of knife making do you like the best, such as forging, grinding, fitting handles & etc. Also what do you like the least?
I have wondered about this for a long time and thought that it would be a interesting thread. Let's see where it goes.
I'll start by saying that the hands down favorite activity is the final forming & finishing of the handle and guard & forging the blade.
The least favorite is doing a mirror polish.
Gib


__________________
  #2  
Old 04-21-2003, 08:05 PM
cordless101's Avatar
cordless101 cordless101 is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Palmer, IA
Posts: 188
My favorite part is forging. Even if I have had to do it with a rosebud on a torch. Finally made a small forge, now to find time to use it, working 70 hrs. a week. And reading all the helpful things on these forums. The forums have helped me get this far. Be lost and wayyyyy behind where I am now if not for them.

Least favorite is what I'm worst at - fit & finish. And I try SO hard!

Charlie
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-21-2003, 08:09 PM
Josh Blount Josh Blount is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wytheville, Virginia
Posts: 165
Well, I'd have to say exactly the same thing you did, Gib. I love the forging of the blade and the final fit of the handle and bolsters/guard. I guess that's when the knife finally takes its shape and you can really see what it's like. I don't mind doing a hand-rubbed finish (I've never done a mirror finish) as long as there's something interesting on the radio I really don't like grinding.

Josh
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-21-2003, 09:06 PM
Coutel Coutel is offline
Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: NE North Carolina 27909
Posts: 816
I like this thread.

My favorite part (after forging the blade) is when I remove the last piece of masking tape on my blade which has been wrapped since I fitted the guard and handle to stop it getting damaged...Its the first time I get to see my knife completed.....I always get pretty excited, its a bit like unwrapping presents.

My least favorite has to be drilling, filing and slotting the guards

Kevin.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-21-2003, 09:12 PM
SVanderkolff's Avatar
SVanderkolff SVanderkolff is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Mildmay, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,472
My favourite seems to change depending on my moods, sometimes its the grinding others it sitting for hours handsanding to 2000 grit to get that perfect mirror finish about the only parts I don't ever seem to like is making the mosaic pins and getting that one tiny little scratch out from the back side of the bolster.
Steve


__________________
Stephen Vanderkolff
Please come on over and check out my website. http://www.vanderkolffknives.com/
Thanks
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-21-2003, 09:21 PM
Dana Acker Dana Acker is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Mt. Airy, North Carolina, USA
Posts: 1,888
Charlie and Steve, welcome to the forum. Glad to have you drop in on us. Hope y'all won't be strangers.

I enjoy forging the most. After that, I like it when it has all come together and IS a finished knife. Least favorite knifemaking activity--guards.


__________________
http://www.ackerforge.com
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-21-2003, 09:29 PM
Guy Thomas Guy Thomas is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Posts: 152
I love forging, but it is demanding work. It's great though when that blade really starts to take shape the way you want it in the forge. The only grinding I like is profiling, the shape of the knife will really pop out at you. What I love is getting lost in draw filing blades, and I really like filing handles to shape too! Knifemaking is such a holistic experience it's hard to put a finger on a favorite part. That may change when I've made hundreds of knives rather than a mere handful. I used to hate drilling but now that I've learned that there is something of an art to drilling it's more interesting too.


__________________
Guy Thomas/Thomas Knives
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-21-2003, 11:48 PM
Raymond Richard's Avatar
Raymond Richard Raymond Richard is offline
Hall of Famer
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Gresham, Oregon
Posts: 3,358
Finding out some old fart made a hawk out of my favorite hammer.

Forging by far is the most liked. I struggle with everything after that. I go threw stages that I just can't finish a knife or a hawk. I'll start putting one together and get another idea and light up the forge. Sheaths always get put on the back burner but I try not to get to far behind anymore.


__________________
Raymond Richard
www.hawknknives.com

Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-21-2003, 11:55 PM
Gene Chapman's Avatar
Gene Chapman Gene Chapman is offline
Hall of Famer
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Kingston, WA
Posts: 2,250
The forging part.


__________________
Happy Hammering, wear safety glasses.

Gene Chapman
Oak and Iron Publishing
www.oakandiron.com/
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-22-2003, 05:13 AM
nifeman's Avatar
nifeman nifeman is offline
Guru
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Harmony, N.C.
Posts: 1,093
Seeing someones face when they get one of the knives (whether they bought or I give it to them). Then I know my design and stlye came together along with all the other aspects of the craft. As far as the least part, it would be the waiting to get it done ... Bud
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-22-2003, 05:19 AM
Gouge's Avatar
Gouge Gouge is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Butt's in Virginia, Heart's in Georgia
Posts: 408
Love forging, Hate guard fitting

Mark
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-22-2003, 07:50 AM
MaxTheKnife's Avatar
MaxTheKnife MaxTheKnife is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Paris, Arkansas
Posts: 581
Like most of you guys, I love the forging part. Oh, sometimes I have to force myself to get out there and start a fire and get with it. But it's usually the coal busting that I hate. Sometimes it takes half an hour of sitting there on my knees with my little coal hammer to bust up a 5 gallon bucket full. I really dislike that part but a bucket of coal will usually last me all week so I don't have to do it very often. And my coal is in big 50 and 100 pound chunks so it's always a chore.

I don't hate the guard fitting, but it's not my favorite part either. My very most favorite part of knifemaking is sitting there in my easy chair after I get the knife and sheath finished, sharpening and admiring my work. Sometimes I'll find a little flaw here or there that I have to go out to the shop and fix so it's not only theraputic but quality control inspecting. Then I'll sit there while watching a movie and absent mindedly hold the knife and put it in the sheath and take it out again. And then I'll remember that I forgot to oil the inside of the sheath and the knife so I'll get the ballistol and oil everything up. And last but not least I'll take a few pics of it to save to my hard drive and email to the new owner to tease them a little. He he. That's the fun part for me. Packing and shipping is always fun too. When you break it down, there's alot to like abuot knifemaking isn't there?
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-22-2003, 08:27 AM
prizzim's Avatar
prizzim prizzim is offline
Guru
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Washington D.C.
Posts: 1,165
I like forging and filing best. Sharpening comes in a close third.

For me, the greates challenge (I like to think of it in positive terms) is the fit and finish of the completed piece. Since I don't pre-draw everything, or forge to very specific dimensions, every knife is kinda free-form. That means that everything is custom-made for every other part. Takes a lot of time, but I don't know how, in forging the way I do, I could ever reproduce something I've made before. Each piece of steel is recycled something-else first, so I don't even have the commonality of bar stock to work from.

Makes for a time-consuming process, but I like seeing each one come out different, and unique, and looking good. Obviously, I still have a ways to go.


__________________


Hammer on!
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-22-2003, 09:39 AM
Sweany's Avatar
Sweany Sweany is offline
Hall of Famer
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Sand Springs OK
Posts: 2,303
My fvorite part is showing somebody how "sharp the blade is.

Swish, cut, flutter, plunk


__________________
NT Barkin Turtle Tribe ~~~Life is what it is~~~
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-22-2003, 09:53 AM
birdog4 birdog4 is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: w.Pa
Posts: 326
my favorite part is when I'm doi' the final sharpening and strop. It means it all came together.
hey Max, i used to crush coal that way til I came up with somethng a little easier. Took a piece of 9 inch pipe about a foot long, stood it up on a stee plate. drop a chunk in and mash with the flat end of the post hole bar. can crush enough for a days forgin' in about 10 minutes. Gives the knees a break.


__________________
If it isn't sharp it's only a screwdriver.
-------------
Birdog Forge,com
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
blade, fixed blade, forge, forging, hunting knife, knife, knife making, knives


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:57 PM.




KNIFENETWORK.COM
Copyright © 2000
? CKK Industries, Inc. ? All Rights Reserved
Powered by ...

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
The Knife Network : All Rights Reserved