# Couple more knives



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

So as about 4 of you know, i decided to try my hand at wood stabilizing, for more info one that see this thread.

Anyway, I decided to try the stabilization route for because i needed knife scales. Anyway, without futher ado, i present this:









The first knife made with that fancy walnut i stabilized. I have to say, that had to be the most interesting wood ive every worked, i loved shaping it. Its very weird, on one hand it behaves just like wood under the tools, but on the other hand everything in my brain was saying "nope, not wood". The sawdust was particularly interesting, as it was pretty much regular sawdust coated in acrylic, so static kept everything balled together. Very, very strange, but extremely plesant. 

Incredibly nice as a handle too, as it still feels like wood, but with the extra hardness it takes details way better than regular walnut does. This one i sanded up to 400 grit, rubbed down with steel wool and rubbed a few coats of wax into, and man does it feel good.

But wait, theres more! This one is my masterpiece!









I love, love, love the way this one came out. Ive wanted to try doing brass bolsters on a knife for a while now, and the polished brass bolsters, combined with the walnut make it absolutely gorgeous. The pictures really dont do it justice, im really incredibly happy how well this one came out

Now, im not usually the type to pat myself on the back, but ive hand a horribly crappy couple weeks, and i hope everybody willl forgive this just once:

Damn im good


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Beautiful knives, the bottom one looks like it has a very sharp edge, the angle being so steep. Do you have any build pictures, it would be really interesting to see how you built them, especially the bottom one.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

BigJim said:


> Beautiful knives, the bottom one looks like it has a very sharp edge, the angle being so steep. Do you have any build pictures, it would be really interesting to see how you built them, especially the bottom one.


Not for these unfortunately. Whenever I can afford to order some steel bar, instead of slicing up old saw blades, I plan on doing a start-to-finish build thread, but that could be a bit.

As far as the angle being steep, that's just the primary bevel on the bottom. There's a secondary bevel at roughly a 15 degree angle, for a 30 degree edge, it just doesn't show in the photo


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Is the bottom knife made from a saw blade also?


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

BigJim said:


> Is the bottom knife made from a saw blade also?


Yup, just larger 12 inch blade


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## was2ndlast (Apr 11, 2014)

epicfail48 said:


> So as about 4 of you know, i decided to try my hand at wood stabilizing, for more info one that see this thread.
> 
> Anyway, I decided to try the stabilization route for because i needed knife scales. Anyway, without futher ado, i present this:
> 
> ...


You go girl!

(Sorry, first thing that popped into my mind)


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## Chamfer (Sep 6, 2014)

Very nice looking knives.

I actually very much like the fact that you mill the blades from old CS blades. If you can make them look like that then why buy, plus this a WW site so that makes it that much cooler.


Great work.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

epicfail48 said:


> Yup, just larger 12 inch blade


That is amazing, that is one beautiful knife.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

was2ndlast said:


> You go girl!
> 
> (Sorry, first thing that popped into my mind)


Err.. mate, im, well, a mate



Chamfer said:


> Very nice looking knives.
> 
> I actually very much like the fact that you mill the blades from old CS blades. If you can make them look like that then why buy, plus this a WW site so that makes it that much cooler.
> 
> ...


Yeah, the fact that i can claim i repurposed old woodworking tools is about the only reason i think i can get away with posting a non-woodworking project on here...

But hey, i like the guys here better than the ones on bladeforums anyway!



BigJim said:


> That is amazing, that is one beautiful knife.


Cheers mate, like i said, im really proud with how it came out, the bolsters in particular, given that ive never tried those before. There was something really exciting attaching those, just shaping everything and watching the metal move. In particular it was really fun filing down the rivets, because at the end theyre completely invisible


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

very nice work. are you going to sell them, keep them, gift them?

I have heard of guys with a 2 year waiting list to make custom knives. 

I heard that you can also make the blanks from old files, have you heard or tried that?

cool stuff!


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

TimPa said:


> very nice work. are you going to sell them, keep them, gift them?
> 
> I have heard of guys with a 2 year waiting list to make custom knives.
> 
> ...


Now that would be some very well tempered metal. I made a wood carving detail knife out of a cut nail (concrete nail), very brittle but will hold an edge forever.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

TimPa said:


> very nice work. are you going to sell them, keep them, gift them?
> 
> I have heard of guys with a 2 year waiting list to make custom knives.
> 
> ...


Don't think I'll sell these 2, but I've actually got 3 more in the works I was planning on putting in the classified section once I finished them. Dunno if I'll have a 2 year waiting list, but hey, worth a shot. 

I actually have tried old files for blade material, but its not my favorite material. Before you can do anything with it you've got to anneal it, because nothing common is harder than a file. After the annealing you've got to grind through all the teeth to get a decent surface, unless you like the pattern. Add that to the fact that your average file is only about 3/4 of an inch wide, meaning you could only get a very narrow blank, and its not my favorite material. Pity too, because files, especially the older ones, are great tool steel


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

epicfail48 said:


> Don't think I'll sell these 2, but I've actually got 3 more in the works I was planning on putting in the classified section once I finished them. Dunno if I'll have a 2 year waiting list, but hey, worth a shot.
> 
> I actually have tried old files for blade material, but its not my favorite material. Before you can do anything with it you've got to anneal it, because nothing common is harder than a file. After the annealing you've got to grind through all the teeth to get a decent surface, unless you like the pattern. Add that to the fact that your average file is only about 3/4 of an inch wide, meaning you could only get a very narrow blank, and its not my favorite material. Pity too, because files, especially the older ones, are great tool steel


Check out this thread on GJ, this guy is a Blacksmith, he does knives from files, last page has some of the work. He actually draws the files out a bit to widen them.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=200204


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## Travico (Dec 25, 2012)

WOW!! Those knives are really NICE!! I have two friends who makes knives. One is doing orders now for Christmas. When I catch up on my projects, I am going to try my had at making some.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Travico said:


> WOW!! Those knives are really NICE!! I have two friends who makes knives. One is doing orders now for Christmas. When I catch up on my projects, I am going to try my had at making some.


I highly recommend it, its extremely rewarding. Its also the cheapest of all my hobbies, so its easy to jump into


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

Chris, your are doing an awesome job on those. Now I can brag to my friends "I know a guy" who makes top quality knives!! Keep put he great work. If I get any spare blades, I'll send them your way.

Also, you might contact Ballew Saw off Kimbrough & Walnut. They sharpen blades, but might be willing to give you any blades they get that can't be sharpened and are trash. Worth a shot.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Burb said:


> Chris, your are doing an awesome job on those. Now I can brag to my friends "I know a guy" who makes top quality knives!! Keep put he great work. If I get any spare blades, I'll send them your way.
> 
> Also, you might contact Ballew Saw off Kimbrough & Walnut. They sharpen blades, but might be willing to give you any blades they get that can't be sharpened and are trash. Worth a shot.


Ballew, funnily enough I just took the blade for my table saw there last week-ish. Fantastic little shop, top notch results. 

Also, "top quality"? You're giving me way, way too much credit mate. Let's go with " OK quality but shiney enough you won't notice the flaws"


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

epicfail48 said:


> Ballew, funnily enough I just took the blade for my table saw there last week-ish. Fantastic little shop, top notch results.
> 
> Also, "top quality"? You're giving me way, way too much credit mate. Let's go with " OK quality but shiney enough you won't notice the flaws"


I just picked up my freshly sharpened Diablo 80-tooth from there about 2 weeks ago. I've only cut one small board but it's much better.

Looking forward to you next knives. I might have to buy one from you now so later when you're a famous knife maker at Silver Dollar City I can say I knew that guy when he was just starting out and then I can show my treasure...


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Burb said:


> I just picked up my freshly sharpened Diablo 80-tooth from there about 2 weeks ago. I've only cut one small board but it's much better.
> 
> Looking forward to you next knives. I might have to buy one from you now so later when you're a famous knife maker at Silver Dollar City I can say I knew that guy when he was just starting out and then I can show my treasure...


I maintain you think way, way too highly of my skills... Either way though, here in the next day or so I'll have another 4 finished up that I was planning on putting tpin the classified section, you've got first crack if you really want one!


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Gentlemen, meet the family:









I finally got the other 3 finished up, and went ahead and did the final polish on the two youve seen before, and boy theyre purdy!

First off, my favorite and previous shown, an aggressive clip-point blade in its full polish:









Next up, the other i showed before, just with a little more shine on it:









Onto the new ones, this one the same general blade shape as the first, only without the rear bolster:









A rather plain one of a different design, a dropped point blade similar to ka-bars becker:









And finally, the same design as the last, all gussied up with the brass bolsters and whatnot:









I think they turned out quite nicely! The blue rectangle is in the corner of a few of the blades is actually the reflection of my tv, about 6 feet away. Im really, really pleased with how they came out. I really wish i knew what type of steel they were, because id order some in a heartbeat if i knew the alloy. I also really like working the brass, the bolsters change the balance in a really pleasant way. The ones with both front- and rear-bolsters i particularly like, as it shift the balance way to the back and feels fantastic in the hand. 

Im going to stop talking now, otherwise ill start going over every detail and eventually annoy everybody reading. The important thing though; these suckers take a hell of an edge. How sharp? Well, i can shave with them, but honestly im kindve scared to. Theyre that sharp.

Oh, and if anybodys interested Im probably going to sell all but the first one. Ill get some better pictures up in the classifieds, but feel free to shoot me a message if you see one you like beforehand


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

Very nice work!


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

Those turned tout great Chris. I personally like the 5th one best.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

beautiful knives! 

so what was the wood used for these handles? do you need to apply another finish, or I the stabilization all that is required?

I wish I were on your Christmas list....


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

TimPa said:


> beautiful knives!
> 
> so what was the wood used for these handles? do you need to apply another finish, or I the stabilization all that is required?
> 
> I wish I were on your Christmas list....


The handles are all done with the walnutbi stabilized in the other thread. Originally I though the cactus juice would be enough of a finish, then I did some reading and found out that the cactus juice just displaces the air in the wood, it doesn't really absorb into the fibers. Pretty cool actually, since it let me wipe on a coat of BLO and really bring the walnut to life. So yeah, BLO and wax for the finish


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