New girl on the block:-)

[LLeith]

Hi everyone:-)

I'm relatively new to knife making and The Knife Network has come highly recommended!

I've been learning to make knives since last November. I've come a long way but I still have tons to learn.

My fiance is a professional blacksmith so I'm VERY lucky to have access to awesome equipment, including industrial belt grinders and propane and coal forges.

To date, I have only worked with 1095 high carbon steel. My greatest challenge continues to be beveling, but at this point I can do a fairly decent flat or convex grind.

I'm also still on slab handles. One of my favorite hobbies is wood carving with hand tools, so I'm hoping to progress to tangs soon... I've been carving handles in my spare time for motivation:-)

Right now I am trying to learn more about Edge Geometry, and I am very curious what everyone thinks about the merits of different types of steel.

I'm also curious about what long-time makers found to be the hardest part of the process when they were new!

I am having a LOT of fun looking at everyone's knives:-) There is some AWESOME work on here!

-Leslie

[Ed Tipton]

Leslie...Hello, and welcome to the forum. Always glad to welcome newcomers, and answer their questions. Of course, with having a blacksmith to answer your questions, you have a headstart on most others. It is always a good thing whenever you and your significant other have similar interests.
My only suggestion to you is that you would probably find 1080 more forgiving than 1095, but if you are having success with the 1095, I can understand your reluctance to change.
The grinding and the HT are definitely my two biggest areas of greatest difficulty. I also sometimes have difficulty in marrying the handle to the blade. I've done both slab scales and stub tang styles. In my opinion, the stub tang is easier, but the slabs are more secure, but I think it's challenging to get the whole thing to look like you want it to look.
You've landed in a good place here, and there is a lot of experience and good will for you to take advantage of.
You're lucky to have so much equipment to work with. Most "newbies" struggle with their equipment until they findly figure out what it is they really need...and then getting the money to purchase everything can be difficult....even though as hobbies go, this one isn't among the more expensive. Once you get past the initial purchase, it isn't too bad.
Visit us often, and keep on keepin' on.

[paul savage]

Welcome to the forums Leslie. It is an addictive pastime that can be very rewarding and create a lot of new friends. This is a good place to have questions answered and put up photos for show and tell. Paul

[Ray Rogers]

Welcome Leslie!

Edge geometry varies with the blade and it's intended purpose. There is no set formula but the idea kinda goes like this: light cutting that requires a very sharp edge (think sushi knife) would have thin blade stock and very thin edge geometry. A heavy camp knife/chopper would have a wide angle for the edge (about 25 degrees). Everything in between falls in between. Best advice: make lots of knives and try the different geometries. Don't be afraid to break them.

Same with steels, different steels excel in different ways. There is no 'best' steel just as there is no best edge geometry for all purposes. If you have an electric heat treat furnace then you can expand into stainless steels, otherwise ignore stainless unless you are willing to send it out for treatment. So, if you tell us what you want the knife to do then we can throw about a hundred different steel/edge geometry solutions at you that could get the job done ...

[xspook2158]

I'm also curious about what long-time makers found to be the hardest part of the process when they were new!


-Leslie[/QUOTE]

Leslie

Before I answer this question that I singled out. I would just like to repeat what everyone else stated, Welcome To The Forum and the addiction....

First of all I am just a Fly Tier that makes knives, No Where Near as Good as Most of these Guys. But that is what makes this such a Great Forum, Everyone is willing to help and add there 2 cents.

It will always be up to you to decide and choose which advice to take then to choose another?s, if you don?t get the results you are looking for.

Now back to the question ( I'm also curious about what long-time makers found to be the hardest part of the process when they were new! )

For me the hardest thing was always and will always be getting started. I tend to over think my designs and my methods. This goes for whatever hobby, craft or job that you are involved in.

So my advise is not over think, listen to good advice and follow your instincts you will make mistakes and hopefully learn from them.

WOW, I don?t think even I have been this long winded before.

Jeff

[Doug Lester]

Leslie, welcome aboard. Why don't you post some pictures of what you've done so that we can give you some suggestions.

Doug

[metal99]

Welcome to the addiction! I am also pretty new to knife making. You have found a great forum Leslie. The people here are all very kind and helpful can't wait to see some pics!

[Crex]

Welcome Leslie.
Been doing this so long, I'm not sure what was the most difficult to master. I do know my worst fault was not searching out local competent makers and spend time with them. A little too intimidated. I visited Blackie and Michael Collins' shop with Allen Ford back in the late 60's, but was so overwhelmed I chickened out on going back even though invited....so........I learned the hard way. They were very friendly and incouraging I was just stump dumb to not take advantage.
In short - don't do as I did. Of course Al Gore hadn't invented the internet back then either and there was a bit of a shortage of decent books on bladesmithing as well. This and other forums are a tremendous source of seriously good info (and some seriously flawed). Learn who knows and who doesn't and you'll be ok.
Great that you are associated with a pro smith, knocks a lot of milage of the trip.
Carving steel is a good bit different than carving wood, but can be learned with practice and more practice.
Although I do have a bit of a time making up my mind on handle applications, the only part of knifemaking that I like the least (actually 2 things).....fitting guards and selling.

I too, look forward to seeing some of your work.

Might I ask what part of SC?

[LLeith]

Thank you, everyone, for the warm welcomes!

Ed, I met my blacksmith last year and it was love at first sight;-) Until I met him, although I have always thought knives were very, very cool, it never occurred to me to make them. He makes a lot of stuff, knives included, and he gave me an awesome chef?s knife he made out of 1095 high carbon steel, his preferred knife steel.

Let me tell you, that knife changed my entire life in the kitchen, as well as my relationship with knives in general!!! I love to cook, and had always thought I had the best knives ever with my Wusthofs. I had never used any knives before except for stainless, and I could not believe the difference in performance! I immediately developed a whole new respect for knives and what they can do.

Learning to make knives has been a total blast! I do feel very, VERY lucky for my access to equipment, instruction and knife-making supplies. My fianc? is an excellent (and patient!) teacher, but because he is a full-time smith without a ton of free time, I?ve learned a lot of steps and motions without knowing the 'physics' behind them. So I hope it makes sense when I say I?ve learned to ?do? many steps without a full understanding of all the ?whys.?

My need to learn the basics of edge geometry was apparent when I made some small blades out of scraps of bar stock I found on the shop floor. I thought my blades looked really cool, but with one in particular made out of a very small piece of very thick stock- 3/8th I think- my fianc? (very nicely) said it was hard to see a ?purpose? for that knife. He suggested I spend some time researching edge geometry to understand ?why? each knife is shaped and beveled the way it is. It?s not as big of an issue when I?m following his exact instructions, but if I?m ever going to develop my own personal ?usable? designs, I need to study outside of the shop.

I haven?t learned much actual smithing outside of what?s involved in making stock removal knives, but I hope to soon. I've seen some awesome forged knives! As the saying goes, I need to learn to walk before I can run;-)

I want to address everyone?s responses and I will do my best to get that done soon. Please know I appreciate ALL of your comments and encouragement☺ (Crex, I?m in York County. We travel a LOT, so it?s only my stuff that?s here year round.)

I will get some pictures of my blades up soon. I don?t have many examples of my very own ?designs?, but those are the ones I will want to share here. I have recently done a couple of functional ?minis?, although I realize they are not very practical. But they sure are fun to make! The only part that?s not fun about them is how incredibly fast they generate heat on the grinder...

Thank you all again,
Leslie

[Ed Caffrey]

Welcome to KN Leslie!

You've gotten yourself into a spot that will likely become a life long pursuit. Most of love what we do so much that we joke that we will continue to make knives until we go broke!

You've asked a very good question when it comes to edge geometry.....as has been mentioned, it's different for each type of blade. The other aspect that is an integral part of geometry is heat treating. Personally, my goal is to produce blades that have the finest edge geometry possible, for the knife's intended function. Finer edge geometry equals less cutting resistance. The "trick" to the whole thing is to figure out the proper heat treat, for the given geometry you apply to a blade (and the steel you use). It will take much trial & error, but it is achievable......just takes some time and experience.
The key is to seek improvement with each successive knife you create, and never settle for "it's good enough". In reality, knifemaking is all about the journey.....not the destination.

[Crex]

Study the knives you handle and use the most for any given task.........your "Go To" knives. Those are the ones that will most likely have the edge geometry best suited for theit intended purpose. Emulate them. It will all become almost instinctive the more you do, just test each knife style to the fullest. Don't neglect handle geometry and ergonomics in the process. Also very important in a user frinedly knife.

[LLeith]

Crex, that's excellent advice!

I never realized how much was involved in making a good knife. For years I just used whatever was handy, and my kitchen knives were Walmart Specials until my brother sent me some Wusthofs for Christmas a few years ago. I really didn't even know how to sharpen those properly back then, either, and they lost their edges so darned easily.

Years ago I bought a knife from a Cutco salesman. I watched him saw through cans and ropes, etc., and I bought that particular knife, which I eventually gave to a friend in the military who admired it. Seriously, all I ever did with that knife was buy things at yard sales to cut through. I actually went yard-saling with the PURPOSE of finding cool things to cut. My favorite items I ever cut through with that knife were a Stretch Armstrong and an Etch-A-Sketch. (I was curious about the inner workings of both...)

Anyhow, it has seriously only been about a year ago that I caught the knife-making bug. Up until recently, the place I used a knife the most was the kitchen. It was using a fabulous kitchen knife that opened my eyes to how important a good knife is. I still use that same knife almost every day because I love to cook. But even with my Wusthofs, I always felt like I was 'fighting' with my root crop vegetables. I love to use fresh potatoes, onions, turnips, beets, etc. And until I had this knife, I never knew how fun and totally effortless it could be to mince garlic.

I lived in the New England mountains in the middle of nowhere for many years, and I learned to do a lot out of money-saving necessity, like putting down linoleum, fixing the roof of my woodshed, etc. But I never used a truly good knife in any of those projects. And I cringe to think of how much abuse I used to put even my lousy knives through. I wish I had known then what I know now about the intrinsic value of a really good knife! Some of those projects would have been so much easier, and a lot more enjoyable. There is a satisfaction like no other when I slice through something like it's butter and examine a perfectly clean and beautiful cut.

Even the wood carving I did prior to this year was always done with a cheap pocket knife. I hope soon to develop the skills to make high carbon carvers so I don't have to hone as frequently as I do with my Flexcuts...

So now that I'm learning to make knives, I have a LOT to catch up on in so many areas. Every time I need to cut something, I try to match the right 'good' knife and 'feel' its action. I want every project I do that requires a knife to give me that same thrill of effortlessness I get with my kitchen knife, and, of course, I want to learn how to make all the knives I use.

I will start using even more knife styles as often as possible to compare performance, and I'm definitely learning a LOT on this site!

[Ed Tipton]

LLeith...Leslie, what you are experiencing with your various knives will help you more than you know in this hobby.
I have been a life-long ...and very serious pool player for well over 50 years. I have competed in many professional tournaments and I definitely enjoy the back-room "action" although my skills have deminished to the point that I can no longer compete with the "young lions" anymore.
My point in telling you this is that for years I wanted to try my hand at making cus sticks. I didn't want to make just any ol'stick, but I wanted to make a truely good cue. I finally got to the place in my life where I had the time, money, and place to develop my cue work. When I started making cues, I had some machining skills, and a little wood working experience....but the best "tool" I had was my love of playing pool, and I was very secure in my knowledge as to what a good cue should look and feel like.
I eventually got to the point where ultimately I made about 200 cues, and I was able to sell them and recoup some of my investment.
I no longer make cues and restrict my cue work to my own cues, but it was a great ride.
I have found that bladesmithing is another great passion in my life....and I approach it with the same sense of dedication and determination that I devoted to my "pool life".
For me, making knives offers the perfect blend of technical skills and knowledge blended in with enough variation to satisfy my "creative needs", and I still have enough shop skills to "stay in the game".
Good family, good friends, good people, good work, and the desire to create. What else is there?
Life is good.

[LLeith]

I've already posted a picture of a different mini on another thread in the Newbies Arena, but here's another one for those of you who've asked to see a knife and maybe haven't seen the other one. It's supposed to be a mini puukko, but I think maybe the belly should be fuller near the tip without as much slant. This one was more of a challenge for me than the other style, and I admit that I had to change the profile a bit to fix it when I accidentally over-ground on one side of the original profile. It's a flat grind. Right now the flat grind is my best grind. This knife is 1095 high carbon steel, heat treated, and the pattern is an applied patina. The wood is black & white ebony and the pins are brass. I still have this one, and I may keep it because the narrow piece of black & white ebony I used has that lovely, dark chocolate stripe down the center. I've been able to get handles for 3 minis and a handle for a wicked cool blade my fiance made out of that same piece of wood, but I don't have much of it left and would like to keep something from it.

I checked out a thread elsewhere on the forum that questions the appeal of minis. Some people think of them as a waste of time, and some really like them. The appeal for me is simply that I love to make them. They are just plain fun. My favorite response was from a guy who said maybe the appeal was because a collection of minis is easier to hide from the wife, lol. I personally like the idea of functional minis, with blades as strong and sharp as the big ones. My friend who has the other mini that I shared a picture of is an avid outdoorsman and Jack of All Trades. He said he would definitely be using it, and that makes me very happy:-)

I'm not sure what the actual definition is of a "miniature" in the knife making world. (Maybe one of you knows that answer?) I call mine minis, but when I think of "miniature" in the truest sense, I imagine a GI Joe sized knife that is fully functional. But I also imagine you'd need some jeweler's equipment to make one of those if you really wanted to go to town on it, complete with file work and engraving. I admit that idea sounds intriguing, but for the time being I want to focus on usable knives. And, of course, I'm a long way from file work and engraving..

Again, thank you all for your encouragement and input!

xspook: I have a friend back home in New England who makes his living by hosting drift-boat fly fishing trips. I have never tried fly fishing, but I've seen it in action many times, and I've watched some of my friend's fly tying classes. I find it fascinating that people can actually imitate nature through the proper 'bait' and motions to target specific fish. What's the biggest fish you've ever caught with one of your own flies? And, of course, what got you into knife making? By the way, I love to fish, but I'm a "drop & wait, catch & eat" kind of girl;-) I stopped eating quite as many (which means I don't fish as much anymore) after I read a guide up in New England that cautioned people on how many fish it was acceptable to eat from various lakes, ponds, rivers and streams due to mercury levels or other pollutants in the water. That's a real problem in some New England states. I used to live beside a lake that showed up in the guide as a "4 fish" maximum, I think it was per year. I caught a big trout in that lake, 7 or 8 pounds, and I ate that one for sure! Well, I had some help...

Ed: That's so cool about your pool playing! I like to watch the championships on TV, and when I see someone really sink 'em in person, it's quite a thrill. I can't play well myself, but I always have fun when I do. You must have had a lot of fun with those skills, and you must have a LOT of stories about your career. It's awesome that you learned how to make your own cues. As a wood fanatic, I'm very curious what sort of wood you believe makes the best cue.

[Crex]

Nice sub-miniature Leslie. Great contrast on the ebony. I've been making mini's for years, really enjoy making them but I can make a full size 10" blade bowie in almost the same time. Mine are scaled down versions of my full sized knifes, some less than an inch long. They are made exactly the same way and with scrap materials from the large ones, but usually substitute sterling silver on the fittings and pins.
Pretty tedious work....I've probably made a "universal" holding jig for nearly everyone I make.
I now have close to 65 pieces sitting in a private collection in Milano, Italy. He's a good customer.
The market for mini's is limited and specialized as few see how much goes into the details. As you discovered with the one above...it only takes a minor slip to change everything and you cannot make big mistakes. I have a few of them posted over in my gallery at www.georgiaknifemakersguild.com
This one is in another private collection in Scramento.