| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Count Macula |
Posted - 08/10/2015 : 14:30:46
My dads birthday is next week and I wanted to give him something special, something personalized. But really couldn't think of anything good.
While at a yard sale with my wife on Saturday, there was a box of old tools. In the box was a bunch of old worn out files.
This totally gave me an idea of what to do... Im going to make him a knife. I watched a few youtube videos on it, I've always wanted to try it so I'll have a go at it.
After making a forge (I don't have pictures of what I rigged up but can take some if you are interested in seeing it, its really ghetto but work really well), I made the file soft again so that I could work the metal. I cleaned up the surface, drew out a shape and cut out two.
After getting it all cleaned up, I needed to grind a bevel. I tried this with a belt sander on a scrap piece of steel and failed miserably... Back to the house to figure out how to accomplish this seemingly impossible task.
After a little research I found a guy that made a rig to file the bevels, so I made one...
Here is the start of the grind.
Half way through.
First side Done!
Another shot of the finished cut.
Flip side cut.
And where I stand at the moment.
I really like how you can still see the texture of the file, I really hope he loves it, it's been a lot of work.
I might rework the handle it feels good in my hand but once I add the scales it might be too think. Tonight I'm going to drill the pin holes for the handle scales, sand down the file marks and if time allows fire the blade and harden it.
I'll post more pictures as I make more progress. I figured you guys would appreciate it. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Cvans |
Posted - 06/26/2021 : 00:46:49
Nice. I've never taken on a knife project but enjoy looking at the handy work of others. |
| Count Macula |
Posted - 06/24/2021 : 18:47:24
My father in law said that I should make my eldest daughter a kitchen knife. I made her a "Jr" Chefs knife. This one I made out of an old 12 inch table saw blade. I used mustard to patina the steel.
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| Count Macula |
Posted - 07/29/2018 : 07:38:57
10,000 views! I know one of you have had to try this. What have you made?
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| B-16_IC |
Posted - 04/24/2017 : 20:35:36
Tough to work with but what a finished product! Nice work as usual.
I hope that new position will transition smoothly for you, sounds rough now. Here's wishing you a new and better chapter in life! |
| Count Macula |
Posted - 04/23/2017 : 07:00:56
quote:
Originally posted by skunkhome
Keep them coming. Great eye candy.
Thanks Phil.
Ive been really stressed lately, Im leaving the school district that I have been the senior system administrator for 10 years, to be the Director of Technology for another local district.
The decision to leave, documentation, tying up loose ends, paper work.... Its all been really tough on me emotionally, Im heartbroken, excited, petrified, confident... Im a whole gambit of emotions and the closer I get to the day the more anxious I feel.
I needed to clear my mind so I finished the knife for my wife last night. I ended up removing a lot of the belly in the blade, not as much as I wanted but I let the boss tell me what she wanted. Just need to put the leather belt on my grinder and polish and strop the bevel and edge.
This purple heart has to be some of the toughest wood I have ever worked with. It is tough to cut, to drill, I tired running it through the planner and it would rip and chunk out the grain.
Sanding is interesting, looks like any other sawdust but come back the next day, after the dust has had some light exposure and it turns purple. If you overheat the wood sanding (which is really easy to do because it is so hard) it turns a deep purple. It looks pretty cool though.
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| skunkhome |
Posted - 02/18/2017 : 21:27:23
Keep them coming. Great eye candy. |
| Count Macula |
Posted - 02/18/2017 : 11:55:52
Its been a while, I havent been doing much tractor tinkering, I've been so busy at work. I haven't made many blades either...
I made this for my wife's aunt (I suppose she is my Aunt too), from some old lawnmower blades she gave me last year, I put a mustard patina on the steel and used beech for the handle scales. Not my best but it came out pretty good.
My wife has been asking for another knife for the kitchen. I have a friend that had some doors made from Purple Heart, he had to have them trimmed down to fit his door frames and he gave me the cut offs. I think I will make the handle scales from that.
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| Cvans |
Posted - 09/17/2015 : 18:54:55
Too pretty to use.
You should pick up a copy of Popular Mechanics October issue. Page 70 has information about a young lady that makes knives like yours. Her work is better than anything I could do but certainly not up to your standards. I thought of you while I was looking at it.
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| olcowhand |
Posted - 09/17/2015 : 18:13:13
Works of art! |
| Count Macula |
Posted - 09/17/2015 : 12:13:25
Okay... last one, I promise!
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| skunkhome |
Posted - 09/07/2015 : 00:59:53
That is beautiful. |
| oldron |
Posted - 09/06/2015 : 21:42:00
Very nice job! |
| B-16_IC |
Posted - 09/06/2015 : 21:00:32
Fine polish job! Really nice looking craftsmanship, keep up the good work. I bet your friend cherishes it. |
| Paulcurtis3 |
Posted - 09/06/2015 : 20:58:58
I want one too! Beautiful work |
| Cvans |
Posted - 09/06/2015 : 16:15:58
Wow, you really have a knack for building those knives. I like the size of this one.
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