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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 12-13-2012, 10:24 AM
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ricky_arthur ricky_arthur is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2012
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For My First Post, I Give you My Christmas Gifts.

Long story short, about a 2 months ago I decided that for Christmas I would make some Railroad Spike knives for my family for Christmas.

My experience up to that point was making 2 Kit knifes with my son about 5 years ago. I have never forged anything and didn't know where to begin but I watched about 100 hours of youtube videos as I assembled the necessary equipment. Being on a Budget I scrounged the scrap yard and built a brake drum forge and searched for an Anvil with no success, finally I found one I could borrow. My BIL sent me some RR spikes and away I went.

My first try was a success.


And I made about 5 more but I soon realized that All I was really making was interesting letter openers. So I decided to try other options. Some more or less successful. I went to the scrap yard again and brought home a coil and leaf spring from a truck and made a few knives from those. By this point I was already totally obsessed. In my shop till 1AM and back out in the morning before and after work everyday. I really love this knife making stuff!

I finally decided what I wanted to do was make neck knives for My Dad, Brothers and brothers in Law. As of this morning I have 12 knives that I think are fit to give as gifts. Obviously I am a beginner, but I am very pleased with how they are coming out. I chose some very simple designs due to the shortness of time and my inexperience. Most of them are made from Coil spring, some from leaf spring and the last couple from a piece of 1095 I bought. I'm finding the 1095 a little harder to heat treat so I will either order some 1084 or stick with the Spring steel, it seems to be making a very decent blade.

Anyway here are some of them.






Having spent the last few days drooling over all the extremely talented artists on this forum, I hope to keep progressing till I can produce things nearly as nice.

Just wanted to say hello and show what brought me to the forums.

Looking forward to learning from you all.

Ricky
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  #2  
Old 12-13-2012, 10:41 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Welcome to the forum, Ricky! You definitely have the bug and, clearly, you also have skills - those knives are very nice.

If you fill out your profile so we know where you are you may find yourself invited to some other nearby knife maker's shop. If that happens, it will really shorten the learning curve ...


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  #3  
Old 12-13-2012, 12:01 PM
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ricky_arthur ricky_arthur is offline
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Thank you very much. I doubt I will be near anyone since I'm out in the sticks.

I meant to mention that most of the materials used in the knives was free or already around. I used red Cedar and Walnut for some of the handles. I used 1/8 braising rod for pins since it can be bought for less than 2$ for 3 feet. My scarp yard gave me the springs and leafs. I bought 2 G-10 scales. One set are on the center knife. I put one set on last night and finished it up like pictured. Then decided to dremel in some cuts...needless to say, that is the other set of G-10. Ha. It was unsalvageable and had to be sanded off, the holes drilled out and new scales put back on. No more dremel work on handles for me. I'll stick to files.

I keep reading posts and looking at pictures and learning here, Thanks for a great forum.
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Old 12-13-2012, 03:19 PM
metal99 metal99 is offline
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Wow man! Those are some fine looking knives! Keep it up!


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Old 12-13-2012, 07:30 PM
spc13b spc13b is offline
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Those are some really nice knives. I wish I could make some that look that good.....lol
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  #6  
Old 12-14-2012, 05:55 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Looks like you're in for the long haul Ricky. Nice work. Sounds & looks like you're pretty good at "makindo" technology.
Keep pluggin, you'll get better as you progress, it'll all get easier and more fun.
You should know.......Very few survive the 12 step program to quit this addiction!


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Old 12-14-2012, 06:00 AM
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BarryC BarryC is offline
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Very nice! Welcome to the addiction!!


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  #8  
Old 12-14-2012, 10:14 AM
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ricky_arthur ricky_arthur is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BarryC View Post
Very nice! Welcome to the addiction!!
Addiction for sure! My wife came in last night while I was making my first attempt at making Kydex sheaths (success!)and ask for one of the knives to send in a Christmas package. I nearly had a breakdown at the thought of actually sending one away. (Even though that's what I made them for) I told her I needed more time. When she actually chose the one with the red cedar handle (which I cut up on the mountain) I couldn't do it. It took me until this morning to get to the point I could hand it to her and walk out. But only after I had traced a Pattern so I could make another just like it.

I don't normally have any sort of attachment issues but as I sit here with nearly a dozen finished knives I can't find ONE that I want to give away. Despite the fact that I made as many as 5 of the same style. You see each one has a little story...but well I'm guessing some of you understand lol

Here are a few of the sheaths I made last night. The one on the left is the first attempt.


HELP!

Last edited by ricky_arthur; 12-18-2012 at 09:04 AM.
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Old 12-14-2012, 11:18 PM
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ricky_arthur ricky_arthur is offline
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I posted twice to this thread like 12 hours ago and they aren't showing up. Anyone know why?
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  #10  
Old 12-18-2012, 05:36 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Got no idea.....I see your post with the pic of 4 knives/sheaths.

If you love them you have to set them free! (how many times have you seen/heard that in a sappy movie?)
Really though, you will be making more and you will be getting better and better, so don't dispair.

One thing I've found out over the years, it's always the one you want to keep for yourself that everyone else wants, so always make two of them.


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  #11  
Old 12-18-2012, 06:11 AM
Ed Tipton Ed Tipton is offline
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Ricky Arthur...Really nice knives. You are doing exceptional work for being so new to the hobby. For most newbies, we tend to recommend that they work with a known metal rather than "mystery metal". In your particular case, you seem to be doing quite well using your coil spring steel, so for you, my advice would be to have at it.
As you have already found out, changing from your familiar coil spring steel to the 1095 can be an interesting adventure....and so it is with changing to other steels as well. I would still advise you to try some 1080 or 1084 just to develop your technique with a known quantity, but you seem to be doing quite well with your springs. Just keep in mind that all springs are not made from the same type of steel...they are all still "mystery metal", so you will find the ocassional "surprise" package when you go to HT it. You can expect to have the ocassional cracked blade...or a blade that your HT technique will not harden. It's all part of the learning curve...and the fun.

Last edited by Ed Tipton; 12-18-2012 at 06:14 AM.
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