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Thanks Rok. Yeah, sooner or later you have to realize that no blade you make is going to be perfect, especially when you first start out. The best advice I can give is: just make a knife. Don't worry about making it a certain shape or specific type. One of the two knives I'm working on now started out as a drop point utility. With one slip-up, I changed the shape. I found that I liked the new shape it took so I hammered it into something that- to me anyway- looks more mideastern in origin. I think It'll make a good skinner.

Thanks. You should see the ones I scrapped! I'm a severe perfectionist and when the knife ventured a little from what it was supposed to be in my mind's eye, then it was junk. Finally my wife said, "JUST FINISH A KNIFE!!!! Don't worry about shape or anything like that, just finish one!" Then I realized that this perfectionist attitude was getting me nowhere. I've messed up on this knife more times than I can count, but it came out pretty good. I love it, but I'm anxious to do a little better on the next one.

Thanks Steve. I'll work on it with the next project.

I like the shape. It sort of reminds me of a pocket knife. I'll bet it will serve your mother well. My wife wants me to sharpen her kitchen knives and to make her some more steak knives.

Hello all, It's been a while since I've posted. But it wasn't wasted time; I've been busy trying to produce a serviceable knife. And now I've done it!
This is a small camp/utility knife. It is made from 3/16" circular saw blade steel. The handle slabs are Bobinga with brass screws from Pop's knife supplies.
Maybe one day I'll try to post pics to the forum gallery.

Stats:
OAL: 9"
Blade Length: Right around 4 3/16"
Blade Width at ricasso: 1 1/8"
Blade is tempered at 400 degrees in a toaster oven for a couple of hours.

I know there are obvious flaws with the knife as at least one of the pics shows. This one was more stock removal than forged although I did forge down the edge bevels some. The next project- that I hope to start this coming week- will have the edge bevels forged closer to the end results. . . I hope.
So, what do you think? Any constructive criticism is certainly welcome.

I've seen muratic acid at Lowes here in NC. They should have it there too. I just can't remember off the top of my head where it was in the store. I'm thinking it was on the same aisle as the glues and epoxies, but I could be very wrong about that.

The knife looks good. I always wondered how zebra wood would work as a handle.

I do a sort of local craft fair round and I also do Civil War reenacting. The reenacting sells more stuff and gets more customers, but the fairs do pretty good too.
We also have a website, however it hasn't been up on the web a year yet so I don't get many sales from that yet.
In all I make enough to cover expenses (coal, steel, tools) and have a bit extra, to save, to build a shop. First of the year I'm going to try ebay, but I have no clue how well that will do.

Still the same for now. We can't seem to be there when the Doctor comes in to see him, so we aren't getting things first-hand. Today Keith got to see one of his daughters that he hasn't seen in years. It encouraged him to see her.

We'll be remembering her in our prayers.

Thanks for the prayers. Keith is still sore fromt he heart attack. We weren't able to get to the hospital today because of car trouble. My wife is going to get my mother back up there tomorrow to see him. Hopefully he can get out and head back to Georgia where something more permanent will be done.

Thanks for all the prayers. The Doctor today said that Keith had a serious heart attack. He is doing well, but he is still in pain. The Doctor is concerned about that, but Keith takes in a lot of caffein and he smokes. He can do neither in the hospital so I personally think some of the pain is from that, especially the headaches he is having. He knows he has to stop smoking now. It's not going to be an easy road, but it's one he has GOT to travel to stay alive.

My mother and brother are visiting from Georgia for Christmas. My wife and kids and I took my mother out to go shopping and when we came home, my brother, Keith, was not here. Not even five minutes later, the phone rang and the man on the other end insisted on speaking to me. He told me that my brother, 41 years old, had a heart attack and that he was in a hospital in Raleigh, probably 40-50 miles away. Mom and I went to find him. He has three stints now and the Doctor talks like it isn't over. We didn't get to talk to the Dr ourselves, but he told Keith that there would be more to do.
He and I have not had the best relationship since we were teenagers. This is the best Christmas I've spent with him in a very long time, but now he is in the hospital. Please pray for him.

You callin' me old!? Well if I could reach my cane, I'd show you a thing or two.
Ranger Blades conjures of the idea of something that is durable. Something you would want to carry into the woods. I'm mod over on a site dedicated to trying to reenact LOTR Rangers. If you are interested, PM me again and I'll send you the site.

Chris, I noticed you are in Wake Forest. I graduated from WF-R High School back in '89. Now, I'm just up the road.

Back on topic: I have considered Tar River Forge because the Tar River is the closest major river here in Franklin Co. NC. I have considered Franklin Forge- again a Franklin Co. reference. But I think I have settled on Ichthian Forge. You know those little Christian fish symbols that folks have on the back of their cars? It is a very early Christain symbol. I am seeking to train up my children to grown into good, responsible and hard working adults with a strong code of ethics. So we call ourselves the Knights of Ichthus (no, I haven't been knighted but I'm gonna work in that ) The Ichthian Forge will hopefully help fund some events we will attend in the future.
Also, I have a desire for each piece that leaves my shop to be better than the last. Then I won't be ashamed to associate that piece with what I feel my God has enabled me to do.

Will certainly remember it. I will also remember that it was 18 years ago that we returned from the field only to be called upon to go to Desert Shield/Storm on the 26 Dec. 1990. Thank you to all of you out there who are serving and have served to keep us free and alive. You are my heroes.

Former Spec 4 Cartrette 54th Engineer BN (Combat, light mech).

I'm really not a good welder yet. But I have welded a piece of cable before. It looked pretty good when I was done with it. I ran into a problem when I doubled it and tried to weld to two layers together. Don't know/can't remember why though. I can't weld chain yet, but I'll give that another shot soon enough.

At the NC ABANA booth at the State Fair this year, a guy I know welded up the blade section of the cable, made a bolster somehow - I forget how - left the handle unwelded and made a butt cap. It was a very interesting piece.

In Tim McCreight's book, Custom Knifemaking, he mentions that you can put the normal borax in a can near the forge fire and it will boil the water out of it. All that will be left is a glassy substance- borax- in the bottom of the can. You break this up and then use it on your welds. I'm trying to look up the reference for you if you ever get your hands on the book. But I do question some of the things in the book.

Pages 193-194

On the lawn mower blades, I have HEARD that they can be 5160, but I really don't know from personal experience. I have several out in my junk pile. I may spark test them, or use them in pattern welded stuff one day.

Okay the usual questions apply: steel used, handle material used and fittings. It's all beautiful. I love the workmanship in this piece.

Rainsfire, you answered my question before it was asked. I have two that are pretty dull. No one around here sharpens them and it would cost too much to sharpen anyway. One could buy a new blade for just a few dollars more. So, I'll set my two aside until I want to try my hand at pattern welding.

Did it again! :mad: I didn't mean Waynesboro. I always confuse Waynesboro and Waynesville. I went to Haywood Tech a few years ago to learn my day job. But I learned about Waynesboro when I was into Civ War reenacting and went to a couple of living history events there. Sorry 'bout that.

Man Doc, I'm just seeing this for the first time. I'm glad to hear that things are on the mend, but that's scary!
You're on our list. I explained to my 9 year old that the guy who wrote the black book that I have about knife and sword making was in an accident. As he went to bed, he prayed for you. We'll all be doing the same.

I saw a knife with giraffe bone handles somewhere recently. It was really pretty. Yeah, deer is our exotic animal. :D