October 15, 20241 yr I should keep my blade opinions to myself, I don't make them and after looking at my kitchen knives they all have pretty small radii. Nevermind. Frosty The Lucky.
October 15, 20241 yr Thanks for the comments on the knives guys, all very helpful and always learning (though if I ever find myself having to fight off a bear here we’ve got bigger problems than the worry of damaging the knife )
October 16, 20241 yr I was just being silly about having to fight off a bear in the kitchen, everybody knows you have to watch for the drop bears under the trees. Frosty The Lucky.
October 16, 20241 yr Very few outside of Australia have actually heard of them Frosty, let alone managed to get so close to get a photo of one
October 16, 20241 yr Getting close to them isn't the trick, they do all the getting close. Focusing the camera was the tricky part. I did a search for "bears in Australia" and the dreaded Drop Bear came up. Alaskans like to tell tourists about some of the "interesting" critters around here too. Aussies fit in well around here. Frosty The Lucky.
October 17, 20241 yr On 10/15/2024 at 3:58 PM, Latticino said: Also, it is something of a "badge of honor" to keep the drop for the heel as close to the ricasso as possible (or to drop the heel of a kitchen knife "straight" down") in the knife making community. It shows greater skill in forging bevels. Huh, learn something every day. I am working on getting that nice straight drop down, but with my preferred kitchen knife shape and handle design it would be a bit uncomfortable. I just like curves too much I guess. I've been beating this one up for a couple years now.
February 7, 20251 yr Some time ago my brother mentioned that he'd like to have a small, fixed-blade for handy daily use - opening bags and boxes in the flour-mill, cutting twine.... Lots of Scottish on our father's side and my brother loves heritage themes, so I decided to give him something along the lines of a Sgian Dhu - the little sleeve or stocking knife. Got it done yesterday just in time for his 25th b-day. Steel was originally a discbine hay mower blade. Throws good sparks when ground. Coupons were made and an oil-quench/draw to straw program were settled on. The handle is cherry that we milled right here. 4 inch blade. It can't compete with the gorgeous blades I see on IFI but I'm happy with it. Matt.
February 7, 20251 yr It's a good size for an every day user. Did you make a sheath for it? Frosty The Lucky.
December 11, 2025Dec 11 Finished this one for my Dad yesterday. An integral bolster Nakiri out of coil spring with a two-tone hardwood handle with a copper spacer. I think the handle timbers are Kwila and Spotted Gum. Thanks for looking! Cheers, Jono.
December 12, 2025Dec 12 A Nakiri is a Japanese vegetable knife. Single right-hand bevel to help with food release off of the blade for efficient slicing.
December 12, 2025Dec 12 Thanks Jono, it's good to know what such a pretty knife is for. I have a couple single bevel veggie choppers myself but I don't do enough veggy chopping it makes a difference. The single bevel cheese slicer is as unsuitable for it's stated purpose as a politician's promise. Good thing it was a gift I have an excuse. Frosty The Lucky.
January 12Jan 12 Hi, A Buddy, I owe a big favor to... Asked me for a Kitchen Knife, so got on the Forge this week... This is made from a worn out File. I normalized the blade 3 times to shrink the grain and then quenched in warmed Transmission Oil. Edge quenched, and in finishing the blade etched it in PCB Etchant and then Stone Washed the Blade. You can see the Quench/ Hardening Line, if the light is right. Tempered in my little Oven with a PID at 400 degrees for 2 hours. With my Japanese Hardness Files, came out about 59-60 Rc, which is perfect for me. (opinions vary!) Handles are my Farm Cut, Alabama Red Oak, with a light brown leather dye stain, finished with WATCO Oil Finish. Pinned with Nickel Silver Pins... Still applying Oil Finish, and will for a few days... Will finish up with Johnson's Paste Wax. Already sharpened it and the edge came right up and will shave you, easily... Just thought to show what I have been enjoying with this nice cool weather now in Florida!
January 12Jan 12 Does the quench oil ever “seep” out of the metal ? I would be careful to keep food use items coated only with food grade oils and such. But perhaps I’m too paranoid
January 12Jan 12 The question is, how would the quench oil seep into the blade in the first place? Steel is generally considered non-porous, although corrosion can create micro-pores in the surface. Where would the oil go? Would any minute amounts that somehow did seep in survive any subsequent grinding, polishing, and etching? If any microscopic amounts did manage to survive all of that, would those traces be sufficient to cause any health concerns above our general level of environmental exposure anyway? Now, if we’re talking about a *finish* for metal, that’s a different matter. If you’re putting a finish on a blade, spoon, or pan that’s going to come into contact with food, then beeswax or a food-grade oil would be entirely appropriate.
January 12Jan 12 This is good information for me. Living in an autoimmune and allergy filled household has me trigger happy for possible or potential contaminants. the finish is more what I should worry about. Thank you for clarifying me.
January 12Jan 12 No worries; it's a legitimate question. The challenge with this kind of thing is to look seriously at what is actually going on without falling into the easy trap of thinking because a thing might be true, that it necessarily is true. Down that road lie paranoia and obsessions over ritual purity.
January 12Jan 12 From seagiant’s wording I was assuming he was talking about a penetrating oil finish on the handle… Keep it fun, David
January 12Jan 12 In that case, l still wouldn’t be too concerned, as contact between the handle and the food would be minimal.
January 13Jan 13 Its a bit late, but Jono if that wood is kwila, its probably going to bleed a lot. I don't where you sourced it -whether it's been exposed to enough rain- but fresh kwila used in decking or weather boards bleeds a ridiculous amount. I was building a sandbox from kwila and just applying pva glue it bled into and the glue turned red. Not sure if oil stops it not but it's something to be aware of.
January 13Jan 13 Hi, Are you Guys still wearing Covid Masks????????? One would wonder? Thanks for ALL the Feed Back on my Knife! Amazing!
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