my first handmade knife

[westie1]

Evening guys,
I spend many a fine hour on this forum and especially in crafts and diy drooling over your craftsmanship.

This is my first attempt at a small neck knife.
It's 01 3mm steel to my own design
Walnut scales with brass pin and lanyard tube.
The blade was hand cut and the bevel put on with a file jig.
Iv made a few mistakes as expected and it's taken a good while to make!


Thanks for the inspiration everyone I have my leather to have a go at next.
Thanks for looking

Rob

 

[Muddypaws]

Wow! If that is your first knife the heaven knows just how good the second and third ones will be.

 

[topknot]

Nice little neck knife, i like your file work.

Topknot

 

[westie1]

Thanks for the kind words, works been quiet mid week for the last couple of weeks and it was the push I needed to start.

I picked up a 500w belt sander the other day from screwfix (50 quid in the sale and a bargain) to take some of the elbow grease out of my next knife.

I was terrified of ruining the knife with the filework, then the heat treating in my log burner, then using ultra fast setting ca glue for the hi-impact red liners rather than epoxy...... just bloody nerve racking haha but looking forward to my next

If your tempted I say give it a go at the very least youl learn something

p.s sorry for the massive pics iv not done this before

 

[Robson Valley]

If you made some mistakes, sir, you are a very quick study.
Care to reveal how you did the pattern in the exposed edge of the tang?
How did you decide on the bevel angle choice?

 

[Alreetmiowdmuka]

Nice one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[westie1]

well lets just say you can see the better side of the blade, unfortunately on the other side I didn't get quite a sharp recasso (sp?) the bit where the blade begins. Il do better next time lol.
The file work is the vine and thorn pattern I believe and I thought I was biting off a little more than I can chew at first but a first knife is just that, my first and a test bed.
I used some needle files from screwfix and before I heat treated it so it would file easier, I then looked at a couple of great american tutorials and had a go.
You basically mark every .5cm and make round cuts alternatively. Then make the thorn cut with a triangle file and then set about rounding it all and making it pretty. Search vine and thorn file work tutorial and youl get a better idea.

Thanks everyone, most people at home just question why id want to make a knife hahaha

rob

 

[westie1]

Also the grind is a scandi I believe or flat scandi? its basically a 24 degree blade and I set my file for about 12 degrees to total the 24.
It means I have just the one angle to sharpen as im not the best at sharpening and I need all the help I can get but again im learning.
I believe its the most popular bushcraft knife grind?

 

[ateallthepies]

Lovely knife, looks like it will be really comfy in the hand.

 

[Robson Valley]

Thanks, westie1. 24 degrees total included bevel should put enough metal behind the edge for good support.
My wood carving tools run from 30 down to 12 degrees = depends on what stage the carving is in.
The "vine & thorn" pattern is real class. Nice touch.
The people who ask why are the ones who really need to make a knife.

 

[westie1]

I couldn't agree more, I just love acquiring new skills and having a meaningful use full item at the end of it. A leather sheaths my next job and iv already got all of the bits needed then refine and remake. At 27 iv got a good few years practice ahead! (Hopefully lol)

I really want to get a makers mark made for my knives and leather can anyone shine any light on any good cheap suppliers? I'm way too premature but I aim high

 

[WULF]

Thats a superb first knife,lovely shape,nice choice of materials!So much better than my first many years ago but i still have it,a first knife is always a keeper!

great job mate and looking forward to your next effort.

 

[Macaroon]

That's a fine job of work there, excellent for a first go and all done with files and a log burner! Great stuff

 

[Dreadhead]

wow superb for your first go!

 

[westie1]

Thanks very much.

On my to buy list in January is a gas torch for heat treating and reduce this belt sander down from a 4" belt to 2". I wanted my first to be all by hand but that novelty has passed!

The walnut needs some oil, can anyone recommend a good one the options seem endless.

The first scales were from some yew iv had seasoning since 2011 but I took them from the round to slabs with a kindling axe then a rasp, took ages, then drilled the holes bent as I dont have a pillar drill. I can see this shopping list increasing as I really want to use the yew in my next.

 

[Macaroon]

Use simple Walnut oil on it; works a treat and very fitting for the handle of your knife. If you want to do it properly, once a day for a week, once a week for a month and then once a month for a year

 

[Kent Clark]

What a lovely little knife. Brilliant!

 

[westie1]

Thanks il have a look in the local hardware shop for some oil, and when they have none get some online

Iv just got back from christmas shopping at meadowhell (if your yorkshire youl know!) and picked up a sheet of 1000 grit sand paper, such a nice finish on this wood I wouldnt hesitate to use walnut again. Although I have a soft spot for hedgerow trees too (blackthorn and hawthorn- the latter makes beautiful spoons), so many lovely woods out there.

 

[Macaroon]

you'll find the Walnut oil in the supermarket or half-way decent grocer, if you still have such a thing