View Full Version : The template for my first knife.
TheRider
03-04-2007, 01:28
Ok as some of you may know i have been in the process of designing a knife. Well i finally got the design the way i want it and have made the template. I have added pictures to show the template.
I really would like to thank Mr. Harsey for his help, encouragement and inspiration. And Mr. The Reaper and Mr. Ambush Master for their opinions.
And cant wait till i finish the knife.
~Chris
Kyobanim
03-04-2007, 06:36
Cool! I've been wanting to see the process of making a knife. Please keep us informed. Good luck!
Looks good, I'm also learning to make knives from two former SFers.
TheRider
03-04-2007, 22:50
That is hella nice looking.
Its a fighter with 61/2'' blade, the blade is damascus steel the finger guard is nickel silver and the handle is black marcarta. Oh and at this time there is no sheath for it I haven't leaned to work leather yet.
Bill Harsey
03-05-2007, 10:05
Cool! I've been wanting to see the process of making a knife. Please keep us informed. Good luck!
What you will be seeing is how someone with no previous experience tries to make a knife.
TheRider
03-05-2007, 10:12
What you will be seeing is how someone with no previous experience tries to make a knife.
Hopefully i will be able to make one. I know if i need help i can ask the Master Bladesmith around.
Eagle5US
03-05-2007, 10:25
Try is not in my vocabulary. Well it is but not when it comes to accoplishing something. I will, I've got the determination to get it done. And Quit or Give Up arnt in my vocabulary either.:lifter
Probably one of the less thought out responses I have seen in awhile. Perhaps you ought to rethink your approach and post it accordingly. I have a distinct feeling that your definition of "knife" and Mr. Harsey's definition, of the same, are two distinctly different entities.
Do not confuse "general familiarity" with someone with being able to be disrespectful. Even if that wasn't your intent...
Mr. Harsey deserves more than that.
Eagle
TheRider
03-05-2007, 10:34
Probably one of the less thought out responses I have seen in awhile. Perhaps you ought to rethink your approach and post it accordingly. I have a distinct feeling that your definition of "knife" and Mr. Harsey's definition, of the same, are two distinctly different entities.
Do not confuse "general familiarity" with someone with being able to be disrespectful. Even if that wasn't your intent...
Mr. Harsey deserves more than that.
EagleI didnt intend for my post to come across as disrespectful at all. And if it did I am sorry.
Mr. Harsey I didn't mean for my post to sound disrespectful. If it did i am sorry about that.
x SF med
03-05-2007, 10:36
Try is not in my vocabulary. Well it is but not when it comes to accoplishing something. I will, I've got the determination to get it done. And Quit or Give Up arnt in my vocabulary either.:lifter
Rider-
Do you know who Mr Harsey is? :eek: Have you seen his designs? Have you ever held a Harsey designed knife in your hand? The illustrious knifesmith Harsey, IMHO, was making a point from experience, if you had deferred to him and asked nicely about his first attempts, he would have told his experiences with LEARNING what is and is not viable in the design and construction of a fine blade. and Mr Harsey ahs designed and constructed some of the finest blades I have ever had the pleasure to view and/or use.
Apologize quickly and request guidance from William W. Harsey, MASTER BLADESMITH.
TheRider
03-05-2007, 10:46
Rider-
Do you know who Mr Harsey is? :eek: Have you seen his designs? Have you ever held a Harsey designed knife in your hand? The illustrious knifesmith Harsey, IMHO, was making a point from experience, if you had deferred to him and asked nicely about his first attempts, he would have told his experiences with LEARNING what is and is not viable in the design and construction of a fine blade. and Mr Harsey ahs designed and constructed some of the finest blades I have ever had the pleasure to view and/or use.
Apologize quickly and request guidance from William W. Harsey, MASTER BLADESMITH.
Mr. x SF med,
When i first started this project, Mr. Harsey was the first person I asked for guidance from. I pm'd Mr. Harsey the first day I decided on doing this project for machine shop and asked for his guidance on this, because I have no knowledge on making knives like he does. I have the utmost respect for Mr. Harsey, because i have held one of his designs in my hand. It may not have been a "Harsey Custom" but it was one of the designs he did for Gerber Gear. And even the production knives felt better than any knife i had held before. But yes i understand who Mr. Harsey is.
~Chris
Bill Harsey
03-05-2007, 11:01
Hopefully i will be able to make one. I know if i need help i can ask the Master Bladesmith around.
Yes you will make a knife. It is magic the first time we produce a hardened and tempered blade with an edge. I do not want to diminish that experience.
It is still your first knife and that's good news.
Please do yourself one favor, never part with that first knife and then after you've made your first 500 or so, please look at it again. You will have probably made some design and material changes by then.
Hopefully you will do better than my first few hundred knives.
I'm willing to see how this works out, especially if some Quiet Professional in the field, far away from home who might need to do this can learn something about making a knife here.
It's too late for me to post my first knife project, personal use computers and the internet didn't exist back then.
Kyobanim
03-05-2007, 11:50
It's too late for me to post my first knife project, personal use computers and the internet didn't exist back then.
I can't believe that you didn't save the stone tablet you etched the design into.
I love a good setup. :D
Bill Harsey
03-05-2007, 11:58
I can't believe that you didn't save the stone tablet you etched the design into.
I miss the fresh mastodon roasts too.
x SF med
03-05-2007, 12:49
I can't believe that you didn't save the stone tablet you etched the design into.
I love a good setup. :D
Damn Kyo - Bill is only a year or two younger than you, Methuseleh. :p I'm still essentially a "Spring Troll" and will learn to design and craft knives in a couple of years.
TheRider
03-05-2007, 14:47
Damn Kyo - Bill is only a year or two younger than you, Methuseleh. :p I'm still essentially a "Spring Troll" and will learn to design and craft knives in a couple of years.
Mr. x SF med, if you're a "Spring Troll" then this is me. Because I bet I am the youngest here by far. And that seems to be a VERY BAD thing.
x SF med
03-05-2007, 15:00
Mr. x SF med, if your a "Spring Troll" then this is me. Because i bet i am the youngest here by far. And that seems to be a VERY BAD thing.
Rider -
I have to be a grammar and usage policeman here:
1. it's not 'your', because in this case it is not a possessive - it is 'you're' a contraction of you are.
2. always capitalize 'I', unless you are on myspace, texting, or any other board. This is a common convention used in most writing.
I would suggest, just for your own education, to get a good grammar book (The Harbrace College Handbook is excellent, and Warriner's Handbook is pretty good) you will be judged by your writing for most of your life, if you start creating good habits now, it will help you for a long time.
Team Sergeant
03-05-2007, 15:13
Mr. x SF med, if you're a "Spring Troll" then this is me. Because I bet I am the youngest here by far. And that seems to be a VERY BAD thing.
And if it is your desire to "stay" here you will read more and post less. This is not a request.
TS
TheRider
03-05-2007, 15:13
Mr. x SF med, It won't happen again. Sorry it happened in the first place.
~Chris
x SF med
03-05-2007, 15:30
Rider-
You were chastised by the Team Sergeant for your posting, and should have apologized to him. I merely corrected your poor writing skills. Search for the term SA on the board, it will be a boon to staying a guest here.
You are young, you may yet be trainable.
Kyobanim
03-05-2007, 18:27
You are young, you may yet be trainable
You're funnier when you're off your medication. (note the use of the contraction)
x SF med
03-05-2007, 18:35
You're funnier when you're off your medication. (note the use of the contraction)
Thanks Bro, I can feel the love even nearly 1200 miles away. My meds were left at SHOT.
Thanks Bro, I can feel the love even nearly 1200 miles away. My meds were left at SHOT.
Wait... you were ON your meds at SHOT?
God help us.
x SF med
03-06-2007, 09:08
Yes you will make a knife. It is magic the first time we produce a hardened and tempered blade with an edge. I do not want to diminish that experience.
It is still your first knife and that's good news.
Please do yourself one favor, never part with that first knife and then after you've made your first 500 or so, please look at it again. You will have probably made some design and material changes by then.
Hopefully you will do better than my first few hundred knives.
I'm willing to see how this works out, especially if some Quiet Professional in the field, far away from home who might need to do this can learn something about making a knife here.
It's too late for me to post my first knife project, personal use computers and the internet didn't exist back then.
Bill - Your first few knives were sharpened deer antler, then flint, then obsidian, following into copper, bronze, iron and finally steel-- right? All wrapped in Madodon (Mastodon? Grammar Police - PUHLEEEZ ;) Peregrino) sinews for handles, if I'm not mistaken. :D (Damn, I'm in trouble now, the designer has my D2 in his shop, it's gonna suck when the blade cuts my hand off)
Edit: Peregrino: Pennance will be done for the misspelling, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee (pound chest 3 times) I will check spelling on all extinct creatures in my future postings.
Well everything aside what do you gentlemen think of my bowie? Also i just started a kitchen knife for the wife.
To be frank, it looks like a run-of-the-mill bowie knife. Ask again once you're done the grind, and again when you've finished the handle. That's where your personality will show (or not).
the handle and grind are done.
Razor mines the one in the picture with the kimber.
Sorry chance, confused you with TheRider.
Chance,
It is a very nice knife from what I see. Good clean lines. Simple. Far better than most of the designs I see about. The apparent flat grind is a nice touch as well. I wish I were as talented.
Arwr
Bill Harsey
09-30-2008, 10:49
After re-reading my comments on this thread I realized I left out any useful advice on some basics of how to make a first knife.
My first knife is up at my mom and dads house and some QP's from this board got the chance to laugh at it this last Saturday night when we went out there for dinner after the Blade West Show in Portland.
This knife was forged from a part of the pony spring assembly that got torn out from under our D-7 Cat. I was probably sitting in the operators seat when that happend. The knife isn't even signed and is in a wood box because I didn't know anything about making a sheath then.
Here are a couple of first basic things I thought of to try and help:
Make a knife you can get done with the tools you have in a reasonable amount of time.
If you have a belt grinder, make knives in batches because this will teach and train you how to grind profiles and bevels. My old friend Bob Loveless says you cannot learn how to make knives one at a time. There is wisdom in this.
Do not be afraid to make smaller blades because this is valuable training for all the steps you will be doing including heat treating. I'd rather lose a small blade in heat treat than a monster that I've spent weeks of spare time working on.