Knife Making Options

[CP]

Bet your dad is going to love that first Nessmuck style, it turned out very nicely!
I really like the style of the Nessmuck too, look forward to seeing this one progress. If you do choose to go with detail filing vine work with it that will really be a nice finishing touch for sure!

[swizz]

Well... Dad opened his birthday present early and he loves it! That was the perfect thing or him.
Maybe I'm back in the will.

I just ordered a set of diamond needle files for $20 from Jantz.... what a deal! That should make the detail work a little less painful.

[swizz]

Quick progress update on the Muk II.
The diamond files worked great.
I'm about to start the laborious process of creating the primary bevels (draw-filing) but thought I'd show a quick pic of a tool that I fabricated to help the process.
It is a 'file-guide'. I made it from two pieces of leftover billet steel. It sandwiches the bade where the bevel-plunges will start and will keep them symmetrical throughout the process.
They cost anywhere from $40+ but I was able to make this for pretty much free.

[swizz]

This is a billet of metal that Woody gave me and will not be a knife... just a practice piece to get better at detail filing.
Here I have filled in the file-work with a pigmented epoxy (black) and wanted to see if the black epoxy would stain or bleed into some red spacer material. The spacer material is vulcanized paper and it worked well. I had to try it before doing it on the real thing.

[Denise]

That looks great Chris, sweet design detail!!

[swizz]

Thanks!
I now have this one ready to be sent off for heat-treat. I will be using 8 of the holes in the tang... the rest were drilled to achieve balance.

[swizz]

I sent the Muk 2 to Texas for heat treat & cryo. It won't be back for a week or two.
Meanwhile I'm working on another stock-removal.
This will be a drop-point camp knife or small hunter.
First I designed and drew the knife (center).
Then I put it on my copier and cut it out... traced it onto a steel billet.
Next I used an angle grinder and bench grinder to cut the knife profile from the billet (bottom).
Once the profile was created I traced it onto my design sheet for future use, labeled "template" (top).
The steel I am using here is CPM154CM and superior to anything I've used thus far. A little more pricey. "CPM" stands for "Crucible Powder Metallurgy". The process creates an extremely uniform and stable steel matrix.

[swizz]

[CP]

Whew! Looks like that's a job in itself right there and x 2 for the reverse side.
Nice work Swizz.

[Denise]

It's looking great Chris, coming along very nicely. Looks like you have a sweet vise set up to do what you need.
Careful though, your leather gloves has holes and you don't want to find one of those with the knife blade.

[swizz]

Thanks Denise!
No worries on getting cut. The cutting edge of the knife will remain dull (thickness of a dime) until after heat-treatment and handle assembly. Shaping and sharpening the cutting edge is the final step.
The vise is such a big upgrade, especially for detail filing. It's all-steel with rubber jaws, and fully universal... still can't believe it cost only $20! Univesal Knife Vise

[swizz]

The Drop Point knife is almost ready for heat treat.

[Denise]

Not a bad price for the vise at all! Projects are coming along nicely Chris! I can't wait to see the finished pieces with the wood you are going to use for the handles.

Sweet fossil specimen also!!!

[swizz]

Hi all,
Just a quick update on my knife work for anyone interested.

This is the Nessmuk I was working on. I got it back from heat-treatment and was ready to begin finish work. I noticed a slight bow in the knife and attempted to straighten it using a table vice and three dowels. I put incredible stress on the knife while attempting to correct the problem and.... SNAP! I never had high hopes of straightening it after heat-treat. Not a big deal and I'm moving forward with other builds. The billet I made the Nessmuk from was bowed when I bought it. I had corrected it prior to heat-treat but I believe it recurred during the process. Lesson learned with the steel. I'm now working with "precision ground" billet steel which arrives perfectly straight and flat.
Here's the Muk


Here are two Drop Point Hunters I'm currently working on (from precision ground CPM154CM). I'm still working with hand files and sandpaper so these took an incredibly long time. They are almost ready to send in for heat-treatment (one still needs to be drilled).
Two different hunter-style blade shapes here. The top one is what I would consider a "classic hunter" and the bottom will be a "hunter/skinner".


I am fabricating bolsters from 1/4" thick brass billet.

[Denise]

That really stinks about the Nessmuk snapping, but was definately a live and learn. The precious ground billet steel sounds perfect for what you are doing.

Your work is looking great Chris, thanks for the updates. Very interesting stuff to learn.