My On The Bench Today Thread

[Stuart Mitchell Knives]

On another forum, I have the same thread running, and I thought there might be interest here as well.

Just the occasional photo of the knives that I am making at that time, and some of the processes involved.

I have been predominantly blade grinding these last few days, so I will start with this.

One of these days (if I remember, which I won’t), I’m going to weigh a batch of blades pre and post the grinding process.

Assorted blades from kitchen to filleting and gralloching, various thicknesses of 2, 3 and 4mm stock, all bevels ground and some tangs.

I do wonder how much steel has actually been ground away.

 

[Stuart Mitchell Knives]

Just this morning, I also discovered on said other forum that it is possible to share Instagram posts, so I might include a few of those along the way, too.

These four blanks are also in that first photo above.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Stuart Mitchell Knives]

Just this morning, I also discovered on said other forum that it is possible to share Instagram posts, so I might include a few of those along the way, too.

These four blanks are also in that first photo above.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

So much for that

 

[Stuart Mitchell Knives]

Not quite bushcrafty

Ground yesterday, 4.4mm stock, deep hollow grinds.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Thanks for sharing.
On the latter picture, what size wheel do you use for the deep hollow grinds? Is that surface ground finish from a hard wheel or a belt system? Will you refine it before HT, or just wait to clean up post heat treat?

 

[Broch]

My knifemaking experience is limited, so please excuse what may be a naïve question, but what is the purpose of the ground 'point' at the end of the handle section and how will that be incorporated into the handle?

I'm in awe at the quality of grinding

 

[Stuart Mitchell Knives]

Thanks for sharing.
On the latter picture, what size wheel do you use for the deep hollow grinds? Is that surface ground finish from a hard wheel or a belt system? Will you refine it before HT, or just wait to clean up post heat treat?

Hi Chris, how's things mate?

Those grinds were done on a wheel around 6" in diameter, and the surface grinder is a hard wheel (stone) one.

That blade is already heat treated, I do all my grinding post HT these days.

My knifemaking experience is limited, so please excuse what may be a naïve question, but what is the purpose of the ground 'point' at the end of the handle section and how will that be incorporated into the handle?

I'm in awe at the quality of grinding

Thank you.

Commonly known as a glass breaker pommel. Although I did do some work for a UK special forces outfit, they called them a persuasion tool

 

[Billy-o]

You are getting quite good at this. Have you been doing it for a while?

 

[Stuart Mitchell Knives]

Todays image.

Is it just me or does anyone else see the Halloween pumpkins?

 

[forrestdweller]

w

On another forum, I have the same thread running, and I thought there might be interest here as well.

Just the occasional photo of the knives that I am making at that time, and some of the processes involved.

I have been predominantly blade grinding these last few days, so I will start with this.

One of these days (if I remember, which I won’t), I’m going to weigh a batch of blades pre and post the grinding process.

Assorted blades from kitchen to filleting and gralloching, various thicknesses of 2, 3 and 4mm stock, all bevels ground and some tangs.

I do wonder how much steel has actually been ground away.

what's the second blade (from left) for?! looks like a somewhat unusual shape...

 

[Nice65]

w

what's the second blade (from left) for?! looks like a somewhat unusual shape...

Sharpened within the curve, it unzips deer and game without poking holes in guts and other organs that taint the meat.

 

[HillBill]

Todays image.

Is it just me or does anyone else see the Halloween pumpkins?

You've piqued my interest here Stu. What wood is that?
Nice grain, nice colours...

 

[HillBill]

w

what's the second blade (from left) for?! looks like a somewhat unusual shape...

Its called a Gralloch knife. As Nice65 said above, its for opening the belly, without cutting into the guts.

You make a shallow incision near the anus with a regular blade, then use a gralloch to go into the incision, and run it down the length of the belly and on to the throat without cutting into the innards. The sharp edge is the side facing the top of the handle. The tip is not even close to being sharp

 

[k9trev]

Not suite bushcrafty

Ground yesterday, 4.4mm stock, deep hollow grinds.

Very nice indeed

 

[Stuart Mitchell Knives]

w

what's the second blade (from left) for?! looks like a somewhat unusual shape...

Yep, @HillBill and @Nice65 have nailed it, it is a gralloching blade, for doing exactly as they describe.

Here a photo of a finished one, you'll see that the tip is left totally unground.

 

[Stuart Mitchell Knives]

You've piqued my interest here Stu. What wood is that?
Nice grain, nice colours...

Rosewood in particular it is Javan Rosewood, renowned as being the most sought-after timber originating from Java.

It is referred to there as Grandfather Wood, it is actually now extinct in the 'wild' and is only grown in community plantations, all of which are been passed down through generations, planted by the elders of families year after year for future generations to harvest and reap the returns.

Then I get it pumped with resin (stabilised).

 

[HillBill]

Rosewood in particular it is Javan Rosewood, renowned as being the most sought-after timber originating from Java.

It is referred to there as Grandfather Wood, it is actually now extinct in the 'wild' and is only grown in community plantations, all of which are been passed down through generations, planted by the elders of families year after year for future generations to harvest and reap the returns.

Then I get it pumped with resin (stabilised).

I like it. Very striking scales.

 

[forrestdweller]

Its called a Gralloch knife. As Nice65 said above, its for opening the belly, without cutting into the guts.

You make a shallow incision near the anus with a regular blade, then use a gralloch to go into the incision, and run it down the length of the belly and on to the throat without cutting into the innards. The sharp edge is the side facing the top of the handle. The tip is not even close to being sharp

thanks for enlightening me google tells me it might be originating in Scotland, which might explain why i never heard of it before (= never hunted deer myself, only smaller animals (including a short time as pest shooter chasing wallabies on a farm in the Northern Territory); but the deer hunters i met in Saxony, Aotearoa and Japan used other types of blades...)

 

[HillBill]

thanks for enlightening me google tells me it might be originating in Scotland, which might explain why i never heard of it before (= never hunted deer myself, only smaller animals (including a short time as pest shooter chasing wallabies on a farm in the Northern Territory); but the deer hunters i met in Saxony, Aotearoa and Japan used other types of blades...)

The design is indeed of Scottish origin. Very practical and effective they are too. Probably designed for the Red deer and cattle they have up there. They're both pretty big animals with tough skin. Scottish steel also wasn't so great until relatively recently (1800's). When you have animals with tougher skin, fairly long hair, often full of grit etc... its far easier to cut from underneath, than go through all of that to get to the skin.

 

[Stuart Mitchell Knives]

I like it. Very striking scales.

It scrubs up well.