First attempt at knife making...

[PaulSanderson]

Hi guys...

After being given a cracking knife by BCUK's very own Raikey, I felt inspired to have a go myself and here are the results. They are not great examples by any strecth of the imagination, but considering they are my first I'm quite chuffed nonetheless.

Carbon steel stock with oak scales which i chopped from a long dead tree here on the farm, then given a couple of coats of Linseed oil (theyre still slightly wet in the pics). They are VERY rough and ready, but I have learnt a lot during the process. The newer projects I have started are already promising to be better as a result of what I have learnt with these. I managed to somehow cock up the HT and tempering process and ended up with some kind of stange patina, however im really growing to like it. Heat treated to approximatly 57RC-ish...

But at the end of the day, they're going to be solid users, not drawer queens, and theyre hair popping sharp

Thanks for looking. Any criticisms/suggestions welcome.

After making them, a colleague suggested the fitting of liners as the oak tannings can eat into steel apparantly...so i'll try that for the next blades. Im loving oak as a use for scales. I think the grain on the small necker is stunning when oiled.

Thanks once again....

 

[JAG009]

Top stuff ! good honest blades keep up the good work !


Jason

 

[sasquatch]

Nice one, I like the little one in particular! Addictive stuff knifemaking...

 

[T1Viper]

I really like the shape of the little un!! thats a looks like it'll be very comfortable to use.

I think the patina is caused by oxidization during heat treatment, i think it was Raikey that was having that problem also.

looking forward to seeing some more!!

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Well done there. As its been said already the smaller one looks cracking.

 

[Whittler Kev]

Nicely done.
Coming to the Norfolk meet next month?

 

[basicbushcraft]

great work pal keep it up pal

 

[HHazeldean]

I really like those knives, the patina on the blades is interesting and I really love the handles.

Great work!

 

[ex-member Raikey]

names!!! we need names for Roxanes little sisters!!!

hahahhaa

the wee flatty look ace mate,....even better in the big pics,....(i need to give my self a Blackberry upgrade !!!!)

i ,m proud of you ,...hahaha if that doesnt sound to patronising,.....

yep as Viper says,. the pattern is an increased grain pattern from the oxygen,,,,

just make the coal bed deeper next time dude, and heat the steel in the coal where you have the heat but the oxygen has been spent,

i think Xunil off here and some guys off BB gave me the info i needed,....

 

[Richie'66]

I think you've done well there and after all knives are to be used.

But to get hair popping sharp on the first time out......blimmey that's really excellent.

.....what's next , as already said knife making is addictive ?

 

[ged]

After being given a cracking knife by BCUK's very own Raikey, I felt inspired to have a go myself and here are the results. They are not great examples by any strecth of the imagination, but considering they are my first I'm quite chuffed nonetheless.

So you should be!

...a colleague suggested the fitting of liners as the oak tannings can eat into steel apparantly...

Oak is one of a number of woods that produce tannins, to the point where if you use iron hinges and other furniture on oak doors and windows you need to treat the wood with ant-tannin coatings and/or use case-hardened iron to prevent attack and because the wood will also be discoloured. Hardwoods tend to produce more tannins than softwoods.

Im loving oak as a use for scales. I think the grain on the small necker is stunning when oiled...

Oak is a truly fantastic wood. I have oak beams that are several hundred years old, sometimes they've been wet for decades, and it's still quite a job to get a screw into them. They're like iron.

Be aware that hardwood dust is carcinogenic, so you will want good dust extraction if you work it a lot.

 

[Nektarios]

Nice work Well done..

Cheers
Nektarios

 

[PaulSanderson]

thanks for all the kind words guys...it really is addictive!! thanks to Raikey for giving me the prod in the jacksie to crack on with it

as for next, i have already marked out and cut some blanks. A nessmuk being one of them, as well as 2 general purpose bushblades and a small whittler...i think i'll be using oak for the scales again, albeit with some liners this time.

thanks for the advice regarding the oxydation of the steel. I guess with something of this size the structural integrity wouldnt have been affected too much am i right? I like the look of it but it was purely accidental...

As for names Stu, take your pic mate...you decide! haha

More pics to follow of the next batch of blades, as well as the sheaths i knocked up for these 2

 

[T1Viper]

yep as Viper says,. the pattern is an increased grain pattern from the oxygen,,,,

just make the coal bed deeper next time dude, and heat the steel in the coal where you have the heat but the oxygen has been spent,

i think Xunil off here and some guys off BB gave me the info i needed,....

Thats it mate, i couldn't remember the remedy, been reading so many threads on forging knifes my heads bursting lol

Looking forward to the next batch.

 

[Mafro]

If my first knives turn out even remotely that good I would be happy.