Knife Making |
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Knife Making |
 Jul 27 2012, 07:15 PM
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#61
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 Moderator  Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983  |
I've been without the pc for a week, good to be back and thought I'd do a quick update. Now running Windows 7 Ultimate (instead of Vista), added a 1 Terabyte Hard Drive, and a new graphics card. All sooped-up and ready to rock!!
Jim and D... thanks! That dino piece is large enough to do some cool inlays I think. I'll have to search out Gat's thread with the knife he made. Meanwhile back at the knife bench.  While waiting for my folding knife parts I went back to working on that first build that I was having trouble with. I've managed to resolve the problems and am back on track with that one again. The main problem was a very slightly bent knife blank (near the handle tang). It was very hard to straighten since it is 1/8" thick heat-treated 440C. With my mallet and makeshift anvil... I made due and brought her back to true.  Since then I have installed another set of sugar-maple handle scales (kiln dried) from my scrap pile. This time everything went well. All I have left is to fill the detail file-work on the top of the handle tang (vine pattern pictured waaay earlier). Then it's on to shaping, sanding, sanding, sanding, sanding, sealer, stain, oil finish, and wax buffing.  In this picture I have poured my epoxy mixture into the voids of my vine pattern. Once it fully cures... it is sanded flush to reveal the pattern. Here's where you can learn from a minor mistake of mine. I recommend using masking tape on the wood scales. This sanded down fine after curing but would have been easier if I'd have done that. There are numerous epoxies out there that can be used in knife-making for inlays. Many use a popular golf club shaft epoxy which is pre-tinted black, I haven't tried that. I am using a clear epoxy here which I've colored black with a proprietary pigment paste. I mix the pigment into the resin prior to adding the hardener. This is a slow-cure which will produce an excellent durable inlay material, but it's self-leveling and a pain to work with if not careful. I'll be sanding everything down to #1600 grit prior to buffing and I believe this epoxy will take a nice shine.... we shall see. 
-------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM Referral Code CE213 |
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Jul 27 2012, 07:33 PM
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#62
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Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983 |
This pic is a better example of what I'm trying to accomplish.
I've sanded it flush beginning to reveal the vine pattern. You can see I've taped the scales this time and added more filler to areas which had voids. I've also done some handle shaping. 
-------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM Referral Code CE213 |
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Jul 28 2012, 12:07 PM
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#63
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Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983 |
While that's curing.... the parts for my folding knife have come in and I've begun to work on that. I'm planning on doing a Cocobolo wood handle for this one.
-------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM Referral Code CE213 |
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Jul 28 2012, 01:58 PM
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#64
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Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983 |
So far it's coming together nicely.
 oops....   
-------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM Referral Code CE213 |
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Jul 28 2012, 02:08 PM
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#65
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 Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,187 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4 |
 Sharpness test..........check! 
-------------------- Education is the key to the future,
and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥  |
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Jul 28 2012, 02:30 PM
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#66
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Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983 |
I've disassembled the bolsters and am sanding them. I would like to get these to a mirror finish.
-------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM Referral Code CE213 |
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Jul 29 2012, 11:55 AM
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#67
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 Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 4,149 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 3 |
Oops?!
Looks like a definate OUCH! Glad the bent blank could be trued out and still used. The folding knife looks like it will be a fun project too....well, I'd actually suggest less blade testing during though.  You can definately hit a mirror like finish I bet. Once you've sanded out to 1500 grit pictured, then go to the finer/finest wet dry paper you can find. (2200 should be available) Then you can actually use polish medium just like stone work uses.....red rouge, titanium oxide etc with a wet leather pad for a real nice polish. That will be a nice touch to the finish. Looking forward to seeing them progress, especially the rework to re-expose the vine pattern on the original project.  -------------------- CP-Owner/Administrator
www.ColoradoProspector.com IF YOU USE IT, THE GROUND PRODUCED IT! MINERS MAKE "IT" HAPPEN!! |
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Jul 29 2012, 03:23 PM
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#68
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Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983 |
QUOTE (ColoradoProspector @ Jul 29 2012, 11:55 AM)  Oops?! Looks like a definate OUCH! nah.... it's just a flesh wound  -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM Referral Code CE213 |
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Aug 2 2012, 07:02 AM
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#69
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Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,187 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4 |
 Haha, classic!!....Monty Python
-------------------- Education is the key to the future,
and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥ |
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Aug 2 2012, 08:35 AM
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#70
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Rock Bar! Group: Members Posts: 411 Joined: 20-February 07 From: Richland Mississippi Member No.: 994 |
Good one Swizz! LMAO!!
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Aug 2 2012, 12:41 PM
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#71
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Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983 |
Ok.... I have finished the knife that I had problems with earlier. This is the one that I did the custom file work on.
I'm still working on the folding knife and should have that one wrapped up tonight. My next build after that will be a nice Chef's knife (which I need). I'm going to be making that from a blank as well, so it should be really easy. I also ordered some bar-stock metal... so after that I will attempt to design and make my own blade from scratch. That'll be a new learning process I'm looking forward to.  
-------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM Referral Code CE213 |
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Aug 3 2012, 05:24 AM
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#72
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russau Group: Members Posts: 2,841 Joined: 4-December 03 From: st.louis missouri Member No.: 43 |
IMPRESSIVE!
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Aug 3 2012, 06:24 AM
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#73
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Rock Bar! Group: Members Posts: 411 Joined: 20-February 07 From: Richland Mississippi Member No.: 994 |
Wow Chris that's quite beautiful.
 Uhh my birthday is Monday...hint hint.
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Aug 3 2012, 07:54 AM
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#74
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Master Mucker! Group: Admin Posts: 7,187 Joined: 7-October 03 From: Colorado Member No.: 4 |
 That turned out incredible, you do amazing work. The custom file work looks fantastic! You hit another one right out of the ballpark Chris!  BTW....Pretty sweet looking fossil leaves specimen it is sitting on also! 
-------------------- Education is the key to the future,
and participation opens the door to opportunity. Discover your prospecting independence & success! ColoradoProspector.com Owner/Webmaster Core team member ♥ |
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Aug 3 2012, 08:49 PM
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#75
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Moderator Group: Members Posts: 4,459 Joined: 25-August 09 From: way on up thar Member No.: 6,983 |
Thanks for the kind words you guys.
 The level of building that I've been doing is not terribly difficult to learn or do and I would encourage anyone who's interested to try it. It's also rewarding because you can use, sell, or barter the end product. It's just fun to create stuff. Even with minimal hand tools and a shoestring budget, this can be done by you. I received my (full tang) Chef's knife blank and I'll crank out a handle for it and be done fast. After that I'm kicking it up a notch by making my own blade blank from annealed bar stock (ATS34 steel) then getting it professionally heat treated. That will be my next step to creating original crafted blade designs that I can put my name on. QUOTE (Mrs.CP @ Aug 3 2012, 07:54 AM) BTW....Pretty sweet looking fossil leaves specimen it is sitting on also! hehe... I thought you might like that old fossil plate. I was looking around here for a good background and settled on that one. -------------------- /l ,[____], l---L-OlllllllO- ()_) ()_)--o-)_) BLACK SANDS MATTER! Very Happy CP Lifetime Member CP CORE TEAM Referral Code CE213 |
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