Knife Making Options

[swizz]

Time to learn something new. (I blame Woody for this)
I am going to build a custom knife... and hopefully many more after I get skilled enough.
I've learned a lot through the internet and am ready to get started, I'll post my progress. Hopefully I won't screw it up too bad.

So far....

I bought a fixed-handle knife blank. The overall length is 7" and the blade length is 3-1/4". It is 1/8" thick.
Good steel - 440c with a hardness of 56-58 RC so it should hold an edge really well.
This blade style is called "Western Skinner" and will make for a nice fish & bird knife when completed.


While I'm waiting for parts... I decided to practice some decorative file-work today. I plan to incorporate something like this on the Skinner.
This is a vine pattern that I practiced today on a piece of leaf-spring metal that Woody gave me (also 1/8" thick). I used several different needle-files to do this work. I'm ready to try it on the real thing.

[swizz]

The Nessmuck design is coming along well. I cleaned up the edges with my bench grinder and am currently removing the natural pitting of the steel with my belt sander (mounted vertically).


Meanwhile, the Chef knife is almost done. Here is the rough handle scales attached and pinned (brass pins, peened). I'm about to take it to the belt sander for shaping.