When I first began to post here I ended up in a misunderstanding with a couple of the "Curmudgeons" mainly because I failed to understand what they were trying to tell me.  I got aggravated and decided to just do it on my own.  Turns out, it was the best thing I could have done because I realize now that the reason they were aggravated with me was because I did not know how to ask questions efficiently or really even accurately.  This was because I had next to zero experience with steel and knife making.  After some months of solid working (some success and some failures) I am now grinding freehand, standing in front of the grinder with elbows locked to my side etc.  I have had to spend some time in practice and I have much yet to learn but I am beginning to understand.  My point is the best advice I can give someone interested in learning how to make knives is read, read, read many previous topics and then forge, forge, forge and grind, grind, grind so that you can earn some knowledge for yourself before you ask these guys to instruct you completely.  Have some working knowledge and then approach these guys for advice and I believe it will go smoother. 

That being said, this is what I have been up to recently and I would very much appreciate the pointers your experienced and trained eyes can give.  All of the knives below were made from 1095.   

For the blades where the ricasso drops substantially below the grip: I would suggest working on the back end curve of the ricasso into a "finger stop" for someone holding the blade.  That first set looks like you were going towards a skinning set.

Ha, I really had not noticed those were all straight lines for the most part.  Kind of a waste when I could have made them into a stop which would look better too...Thanks.  I like dropping the Ricasso down because I make most of my sheaths out of Kydex and that gives the Kydex something to grip and the knife sort of clicks into place when you return it to the sheath.

Worship drummer - I think that your statement is worthy of being 'pinned'. Excellent insight, and although I am not qualified to critique your presentation, I AM qualified to enjoy and admire your work. And I certainly do.

Robert Taylor

You mean you DON'T hate me? Cool. Nice looking blades.

Frosty The Lucky.

One way to prototype is to get a wooden paint stirrer and rough out some "blade profiles" using it as "stock" and see how it fits your hand (and remember that not everyone will have the same size/configuration hand...)   I have a bader with one of the very small contact wheels that makes it easy for me to get a curve in such places; but have done it other ways---forging it in is rather neat as you can make it fatter than the material thickness, round files, dowels with SiC paper wrapped on them, lots of ways to go.

I had the SAME experience here. When I first joined I find a bunch of curmudgeons to name a few, Frosty, Steve Sells. I didn't like how honest they were, wrote them off as "jerks", I didn't listen to them for a while then while trying to figure something out myself it came to me that they were RIGHT. Now I can't wait for Frosty's input on something. And Steve will tell it to you how it is, no sugar coating happening there.

Thanks for being the way y'all are guys!

Very nice blades too.

I do not intend to sound grouchy,   I hate to spend a lot of time writing out detailed information only to have people ignore it. then later want me to do it all over again just for them.  After all they did not read it the first time I wrote it,  so why should I expect them to pay attention if I do it again? its just a waste of more time.  Instead, sometimes I do choose do use some of my time to point out where the information is to those that cant be bothered to look for themselves, or like many have given up fighting the IP Systems lousy search function (try using a google search and specify Iforgeiron site, its better than using the one here, honestly) 

Some get upset when I point them to sticky's aka pinned posts, but look at it this way, I did take the time to post, and most the time it is obvious to those that have read them that the OP didnt bother.   So if I have annoyed you or offended you with my comments, remember that I did notice and decided you are still worth the effort to try to help.  Else I would have ignored you, and I do actually get to a point with some, that I am finished with them, and then there is not much chance of going back,  no more help from me.    So remember that as long as I am annoying you,  I believe there is still hope for you nice looking blades

Thanks for the nice comments guys, The Nessie is my personal favorite so far, I actually saved it for myself.  The rest I gave away and I traded one away.  I am working on different finish techniques this weekend, think I will try Birchwood Casey Plumb Brown first on a Bowie I am working on now.  

 

Nessmuks are pretty knives, but the lack of a stop bothers me too.  My very first knife was a Nessie, and I incorporated a stop into the handle profile:

And here's my second, in progress:

The finger stop is a good idea I will be stealing that one.  

One way to forge it in is to start with a cross peen and then refine by taking a piece of round stock and hammering that into what you have forged to make a nice smooth curve, I like the swell you can get this way and if done nicely it impresses folks as the change in thickness in the blade material is something you don't see much of with "factory" knives.

Should be able to be incorporated in a kydex sheath "latch" too

(Helps to have someone or something to hold the blade on the anvil while hammering on the roundstock---or make a variation on a swing arm fuller so you are holding the blade and hammer and positioning it in the fuller.)

I have an old round file which should be the exact size I need to forge that in.  I also have an ingenious method for adding a holder to my forging...I call it a 10 year old son.  He loves to work so he jumps at the chance to do any manner of forge activity.

I have a request from a friend to forge a Nessie with a 12-13 inch blade maybe 17 overall or so.  The finger stop will work very well on that project.  I will post a picture of my attempt.

 

Files are very brittle and do NOT like to be hammered on---use a piece of mild or medium carbon rod---perhaps from a spring and draw temper on it to blue! or even just normalize it.

I'd love to see how it comes out; practicing on a trial piece first can help.

How does someone get to be a crumudgeon??? I am just a cranky old Dogface

JPH

 

16 minutes ago, JPH said:

How does someone get to be a crumudgeon??? I am just a cranky old Dogface

JPH

 

I think curmudgeonhood is awarded by acclaim. Being bluntly honest seemed to work for me though being long winded didn't hurt. I'm thinking cranky is another good qualification but I don't know how dogface fits into curmudgeonlyness, can't hurt though. How about cutting down preteen dreams of forging a vorpal samari sword as the path to learning the craft? When they ignore you let the crank turn!

Frosty The Lucky.

I think being willing to post time after time after time after time answering the same stuff again and again for folks who can't seem to do basic research on their own---what was the old saying "Couldn't pour water out of a boot if they were told the instructions were printed on the heel".  Yet hope springs eternal as some of these people will turn out to be decent smiths and good friends given time and some instruction and willingness to put up with some of their "greenhorn" antics. (Some folks just have to micturate on the electric fence themselves...) 

Would it be possible to have each episode of Forged in Fire start and end with a reference to "The Complete Bladesmith", "The Master Bladesmith" and "The Pattern Welded Blade"  (and whatever #4 is; hope it gets published before the rusting in Florida starts...))?   Sure save me a lot of typing! (Though my wife is incredulous that I can correctly spell Hrisoulas without looking it up...)

For the grumpy ones, rather than constantly complaining about it just don't respond if you are tired of answering the same questions.  There is really no excuse for being ill mannered about it, particularly to a kid.

11 hours ago, LawnJockey said:

For the grumpy ones, rather than constantly complaining about it just don't respond if you are tired of answering the same questions.  There is really no excuse for being ill mannered about it, particularly to a kid.

I must agree with this. It is awfully intimidating trying to decide if your question is worth typing in. I do not see the value in running someone into the ground for not knowing better than to ask for help.

If you took some time to read you would understand.

If kids want to play grown up games with grown up toys, like weapons, then they get gown up answers, if they cant deal with that they are in real trouble when the law suits happen. and of course there is nothing more entertaining than telling the internet cops to mind their own business and see what results  eh?

 Ill manners can be defined as ignoring what you were told and having tantrums for things not going your way.  Proof is how you complain but missed the point of the OP here.

 

I think a lot of the guys get bummed when they know the answers to the questions are already all over on the site... a little searching pretty much brings up anything you can ask.... so the lack of energy expended prior to asking a question does not demonstrate one of the qualities of the a blacksmith, the solitary battle for answers. It is like being used...Just one point of view..

the other thing is maybe it is your day in the barrel...ha 

Ok , my 2 cents worth

just think of IFI as a library & the brotherhood of crumudgeon's as the librarian's

most times he / she will just point you in the right section / direction  but then if you ask the right questions will actually take you to where the book is .

 

Dale Russell

Honestly I haven't seen "ill manners" from the curmudgeons, more than enugh ill manners from those who didn't like being told the I conviniant truth. 

I'm particularly thrilled by being lectured in how wrong I am to hurt the poor little darlings feelings with straight answers by folk who virtually never step up to the plate themselves. If being told to READ so you know enough to ask good questions is just too tough on your delicate feelings then blacksmithing isn't for you. The steel and fire certainly care INFINITELY LESS about how you feel than I do, they won't tell you ANYTHING until you've done a LOT of reading and practicing.

So how about it, show us how to do it.

I await with bated breath.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

On 4/29/2016 at 3:29 PM, Worshipdrummer said:

When I first began to post here I ended up in a misunderstanding with a couple of the "Curmudgeons" mainly because I failed to understand what they were trying to tell me.  I got aggravated and decided to just do it on my own.  Turns out, it was the best thing I could have done because I realize now that the reason they were aggravated with me was because I did not know how to ask questions efficiently or really even accurately.  This was because I had next to zero experience with steel and knife making.

Hammer time is a wonderful thing for building knowledge in order to ask better and more specific questions.

We want you to succeed, but you have to build a fire to test out the answers you receive. Then come back, show us what you accomplished, and ask specific questions so we can give specific answers and help you with your problem.