My new carving knives

[jojo]

Since I seem to be getting back into wood carving recently, I have made the first 4 of a set of wood carving knives. Truly handmade the handles are handcarved and only lightly sanded with 400 grade, so you can see and feel the carving cuts on the wood. I like the patterns on the wood and it's make it less slippery too. All the handles are 6 1/2" long

The blades are interesting too. The two longest, all purpose knives, are 1 1/2" long, with the widths of the blades about 1/2". The two smaller, Detail knives, are 1 1/8" long, with blade widths of just over 1/4". The next ones in the series will be smaller detail blade about 3/4" long. To make the blades I have used floor scrapper blade steel. I don't know what the steel is but I believe its the same as Stanley blades are made of. About 0.8mm thick, it's tough metal, I tried to break one, trying to replicate the stress they would be under when in normal use as carving tools, without success.

It's quite difficult, but necessary, to cut and keep the metal cool at all times as they are already hardened/tempered.

Some pictures:

1 1/2" curved blade, I don't know what the wood is, but it's beautifully patterned, heavy and hard to carve!

1 1/2" straight all purpose. The handle is Yew.

1 1/8" detail curved blade. The handle is Plum wood, gorgeous, cuts beautifully. Quite light and fairly hard.

! 1/8" curved blade, a knife to use for slicing cuts. Yew handle. 6 sided handle, hand carved.

I'll post pictures when I make the next smaller ones.

Enjoy.

 

[Dreadhead]

those are awesome love the woods you used and the finish left, straight up work there

 

[mousey]

OOOOooooooo

Very nice - makes my wookwork look *ahem* rustic

 

[Dannytsg]

Very nice work there.

 

[juttle]

They're really nice! The unknown wood looks like laburnam, by the way!

 

[Baggy]

Very, very nice

 

[HillBill]

I thought laburnum too.

Nice work Jojo.

They're really nice! The unknown wood looks like laburnam, by the way!

 

[Androo]

Really nice! Are the handles all made from green wood?
Love the Yew handles, been working with some heavily seasonsed yew myself and it's a pleasure to carve.
For what it's worth, I think the first handle looks like a piece of oak straddling heart and sapwood, but I'm most probably wrong!
Your knives would sell very well no doubt, nice work.

 

[HillBill]

Jojo, to make it easier to cut/grind out hardened steel. May i suggest a wet stone bench grinder? They run slower than standard grinders and are designed to keep the temper when grinding metal. The blades are only small and thin, so it'd be a reasonably quick fairly risk free job.

If you have already thought of it, my apologies.

 

[Hugo]

Like the new blades Jojo, handle shape is to my liking as well.

 

[Shinken]

they are proper those mate. really nice

 

[Tiley]

Fabulous! Those will be a real pleasure to use.

 

[jojo]

Thanks for the comments gents.

The unknown wood looks like laburnam, by the way!

Laburnum? Thanks for letting me know. It's nice wood to carev and nicer to look at!

Are the handles all made from green wood?

Nope! All nice and dry...and hard!

May i suggest a wet stone bench grinder

I have used a wet stone grinder before and i can't say I was too happy with it. I am too impatient! So I used the belt sander and lots of blade dunking! Not a simgle mishaps....yet anyway

 

[paul atkin]

nice looking blades, and dont it feel good to make your own stuff. Cheap and very rewarding