On my way here-----yikes

[JawJacker]

Here is my first go at a knife (1075)

After 3 weeks I figured its GO time. I only have the very minimum in tools at home right now so I'll get as far as I can go. I found a knife pic in the gallery and used it hope thats not an issue (copying)
I know its thick 1/4 but.......That was my first mistake. I used a sawzall (one new blade) to cut it out, then a hand held grinder to clean it up. I guess now I'll file the profile clean. I'm headed to Lowes to pick up a belt sander cheapy and a bag of belts.
I have a load of walnut for handles I just need some brass pins and some poxy

If I still have the fever after this first one I'll pull the trigger on a knife grinder. Appreciate and tips that will help out. Thanks Dave

[DaveL]

Okay, a start is a start. There was a time when a lot maybe most knives were made out of 1/4. that is only to say you are okay on thickness and just need to get going and complete the knife. I am pulling for you.

[Ray Rogers]

Ya, 1/4" will do but thinner might have made things easier. The good news is it looks like you chose to make a short blade rather than some 10" survival monster like lots of first timers so you're way ahead of the curve on that.

The other pitfalls that many first timers run into is trying to do fancy filework decorations and/or trying to mirror polish the blade. Don't do either of those things. Trying to get fancy right now just puts more hours into something that, statistically, doesn't have much chance of being the best work you ever do on a knife so save that stuff for later and concentrate on learning to make a functional knife first. You're off to a good start.

I see you have a respirator and that's good. Be sure to wear eye protection, especially when using that sawsall....

[JawJacker]

Ray, thanks for the advice. I work about 60hrs a week so. I wont be doing more until next week, I'm thinking.

DaveL thanks also.

[NJStricker]

That's looking good so far! The pattern looks like one of Brian Goode's--I like his designs.

Nothing wrong with walnut for handle material. For pins, you can use 1/8" brass brazing rod. A couple of bucks will get you about 3 feet, which will be good for plenty of knives.

For the epoxy, use a good slow setting 2-part epoxy (the kind that will need to set overnight). I've had good success with Golfsmith shafting epoxy in the past.

[BCROB]

That's an interesting avatar pic !! reminded me of Wilson over the fence !!
congrats on your first knife , looking really good so far and oh ,you may not know it yet but your already hooked !!! Ray made some great points about keeping it simple........the best part in knife making is watching your work get better and better and better as time goes on as your skills improve

cheers Rob

[metal99]

So far so good, look like your on the right track. I was in your shoes not overly long ago. I'm hooked and have lots of money invested already lol. The only advice I can give you at this time is to take your time don't rush it and things should go smooth.

[JawJacker]

I finally had a couple hours free, busy week. 2X42 craftsman arrived with Trugrit belts a few days ago. Today I put it together no mods yet, the motor seems to run hot I checked the motor temp with one of those laser jobs after 10 or 15 min. it read 150 degrees. I wasn't leaning on it I was going nice and EZ.

I used a red 120 belt to finish the profile I was amazed at how hungry the new belt was.
That grinder gave me a serious safety lesson, I had the blade flat on the belt vertical with the point resting on the work table, little did realize The gap between the belt and table was too large. The belt SNATCHED the knife from my hands, shot it straight down into the table @ I think mach 4 scared the sheeeet out of me. Lesson learned.

Anyway I'm ready for the next step. I'm going to flat grind the blade tonight.

[Ray Rogers]

You were lucky. I was free handing a blade last week but forgot to remove the platen. My blade wasn't resting on the platen and my gap was much smaller than yours but when the blade got low enough to touch the platen the belt pulled the blade out of my hand and snapped it back against the very tip of my index finger. We're talking movement of maybe half an inch but with so much power than it made a blood blister on the tip of my finger, completely numb for half the day. By some miracle it didn't hit my finger nail - would have crushed it and that would have really hurt. Another good argument for freehand grinding whenever possible ...

[NJStricker]

Did you mean to have that front hole that far forward? If so, I assume you are planning for a fairly large ricasso?

Since you are using 1/4 inch stock, you might want to consider drilling more holes in the handle to improve the balance. By the time you grind the blade and then add handle scales, the handle will be pretty heavy.

[JawJacker]

Well just came in had to hack up the grinder, belts were binding and that table makes it impossible to get the belts on and off so I made the recommended mods. I''ll get some more done Friday.

Ray, Scary caused me to go allot slower and I hate gloves.

NJ, Yup just shot two holes to see how my bits would go through I don't have a press yet. Swiss cheese is on the menu if the grind turns out ok

[Crex]

JJ
I can see difficulties on the horizon with your pin hole placements. My concern is they appear awful close to the ends of scale placement. This will make the scales prone to crack at the pins. Even stabilized wood and micarta "move" at different rates than the steel with variance in temp. Eventually cracks will form from the outer sides of the pins. If you still have enough room between the existing pin holes and your weight reduction holes, would recommend redrilling the pin holes further in. Also the forward pin hole is in a "weak" part of the blade design (of course at 1/4", not so weak). That is the highest stress area on a knife, not a good place for an extra hole.
Hey, you are doing a good job and learning a lot as you go. Watch those power tools!
Grinders can sling one pretty quick, but a large buffing wheel can snatch and sling with even more force. So, if you wind up deciding to get into buffing, be aware. We all have "war stories" to tell and scars to show. Keep your wits about you at all times.

[C Craft]

Originally Posted by Crex

JJ
I can see difficulties on the horizon with your pin hole placements. My concern is they appear awful close to the ends of scale placement. This will make the scales prone to crack at the pins. Even stabilized wood and micarta "move" at different rates than the steel with variance in temp. Eventually cracks will form from the outer sides of the pins. If you still have enough room between the existing pin holes and your weight reduction holes, would recommend redrilling the pin holes further in. Also the forward pin hole is in a "weak" part of the blade design (of course at 1/4", not so weak). That is the highest stress area on a knife, not a good place for an extra hole.
Hey, you are doing a good job and learning a lot as you go. Watch those power tools!
Grinders can sling one pretty quick, but a large buffing wheel can snatch and sling with even more force. So, if you wind up deciding to get into buffing, be aware. We all have "war stories" to tell and scars to show. Keep your wits about you at all times.

As too the design of the blade. I like it however I agree with the assessment that you may be headed for problems with the pin hole placement, for possibly a slightly different reason other than the handle cracking!
The hole nearest the riccaso is also large and in line with the finger coil. IMO that put a stress failure area in that area. Draw a line from the top of the finger coil to the front pin hole to the top of the knife, and you begin to see if the the blade is ever stressed by sideways movement that is the most logical place for it to crack and break!

[JawJacker]

I had an unexpected day off whahoo.

I started free handing the flat grind, only it wasn't flat, the grind or the knife. The blade must of bent from that mach 4 launch, it also gashed (small one) the drive wheel. Machine seems ok
Tried to grind the blade flat took awhile but I think I'm ok for now.

O yeah the platen bent from the snatch N grab think I have it straight now, going to make my own soon.

I made a jig for the flat grind. 2'' angle aluminum, works ok considering a twisted platen and blade. I burned the tip, think it was to thin. Fixed it.

Next up drilling some handle holes and pin holes.

Crex, C Craft thanks for the advice. That all makes sense.

[JawJacker]

When I use the walnut for the handle can I get away with just coating it with epoxy??