Howdy all, this is a knife I recently completed...

[Claemore]

I'm still amateur, and no where near the mastery of Mr. Harsey, but maybe someday.

What do y'all think? Thanks for any and all input.

[Claemore]

Forgot to add the specs:

4 1/4'' blade. 3/16" thick of an old chainsaw guidebar. I've found that the steel is usually pretty durable, and holds an edge fairly well. Right now, I'm just practicing with junkyard steels, but when I have more money, will graduate to probably either CPM S30V, or CPM 3V.

[cold1]

The edge grind looks a little off, but other than that it looks good. What is the handle material.

[Claemore]

The handle material is maple. The edge looks off because of my poor painting skills.

[Bill Harsey]

That still looks better than my first few dozen knives.

How does it cut?

[Claemore]

I appreciate the words, Mr. Harsey. I have had a hard time getting the edge just right. But recently I've been using a file on the edge to be able to "sculpt" it just right. I've been able to slice paper cleanly with the new edges. I use the "search" button liberally, and have been checking out a lot of your advisory posts. You have been a big help.

[Bill Harsey]

Claemore,
Try a blade shape with a positive curve to the bottom edge, you have a negative curve and that's both harder to make and rather specifically tasked.
I don't find that to be a very useful shape to learn how to make knives with.

For all my knives, I can assign an edge thickness, measured in thousandths of an inch.
Edge geometery comes from blade material thickness and the distance from spine to edge combined with type of bevel grind. How thin or thick the edge is determines this final part of the blades geometery.
Some of the above will depend on how strong your steel is and one has to learn the materials properties to get good results measured first by how well it cuts.

[cold1]

For all my knives, I can assign an edge thickness, measured in thousandths of an inch.



Can you please expand on this?
Where do you measure edge thickness? At the start of the edge grind?

Can we have some of your thoughts on best blade/ cutting edge geometry?

Forging versus stock removal?

Thank you.

[Bill Harsey]

Can you please expand on this?
Where do you measure edge thickness? At the start of the edge grind?

Can we have some of your thoughts on best blade/ cutting edge geometry?

Forging versus stock removal?

Thank you.

Yes I could but not in detail because that would take a book length post and after the wind storm here we have a lot of tree clearing and fence re-building to do and my sense of humor just got worn a bit thin, sorry.

(TR, found 18 trees of the dipsh*t neighbors that came down across our fence on the top of the place this afternoon. Dipsh*t because he clearcut a patch of trees and left an unprotected row, facing the prevailing winds, against 500 ft. of welded wire fence that we put up this summer, now it's all f*cked up and we have stock to try and keep in, Dipsh*t is an absentee landowner, who is not locatable and there are laws pertaining to cutting other folks timber, which I will start to break at first light tommorrow).

Yes I measure the thickness of the edge before sharpening by using a ball end micrometer and also have a certain thickness to shoot for while grinding each grit, before heat treat and when finished depending on the knife.
This is for knifemakers to learn, sort out and take personal responsibility for because I do not control what steel, heat treat or manufacturing process they use. If care is not taken at every step during making, the knife could fall well short of what it should do.

If i get the fence fixed, I might post more.

Edited to add and ask: Ambush Master, what type of cheese would you advise I try with my wine(ing) this evening?

[Claemore]

Thank you very much, Mr. Harsey! I think the edge thickness thing is something that has been causing me headaches, and just the mention of a tool that I could use to keep it uniform has made my day.

[Bill Harsey]

Thank you very much, Mr. Harsey! I think the edge thickness thing is something that has been causing me headaches, and just the mention of a tool that I could use to keep it uniform has made my day.

The thinner the edge, the easier to get sharp. The whole geometery thing is both simple and complex, just running short of patience because of my own stuff here tonight, not with any questions asked.

cold1, we'll get there.

[cold1]

(TR, found 18 trees of the dipsh*t neighbors that came down across our fence on the top of the place this afternoon. Dipsh*t because he clearcut a patch of trees and left an unprotected row, facing the prevailing winds, against 500 ft. of welded wire fence that we put up this summer, now it's all f*cked up and we have stock to try and keep in, Dipsh*t is an absentee landowner, who is not locatable and there are laws pertaining to cutting other folks timber, which I will start to break at first light tommorrow).


Once it is on fence line and you are trying to keep your commodities (cattle)protected you should not have any problems with the laws, At least in NC. That is a bitch of a clean up job you have. BTDT.

Thanks for taking the time to answer questions. I have not made a knife in 20 years but looking at Cleamores post here and elsewhere have put the bug back into me. It is nice to be able to pick a professionals brain, and I appreciate it.

[Claemore]

Once it is on fence line and you are trying to keep your commodities (cattle)protected you should not have any problems with the laws, At least in NC. That is a bitch of a clean up job you have. BTDT.

Thanks for taking the time to answer questions. I have not made a knife in 20 years but looking at Cleamores post here and elsewhere have put the bug back into me. It is nice to be able to pick a professionals brain, and I appreciate it.

That is one of the great things about even lurking here, is you are picking the brains of professionals. I'm glad too that I have put a "bug" into you for making knives. Makes me feel better.

[8944]

That is one of the great things about even lurking here, is you are picking the brains of professionals. I'm glad too that I have put a "bug" into you for making knives. Makes me feel better.

Attached is a photo of a knife that I made for my father over 30 years ago. It was the first one I ever made and the only one I have made to date. It's made from a commercial hacksaw blade and all work was done by hand with files, etc. Blade length is 5", overall length is 10". He hung it on the wall in his den until he passed away recently. I reaquired it at that point. It'll still shave the hair off your arm........... I think I have the bug again to go make something. Bill Harsey.............no laughing please. All rookies start out somewhere,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Regards,
8944

[Bill Harsey]

8944,
No laughing here. Nice looking work and good choice of available material.
The knife you gave your Dad, that's important stuff.

Now go make another one.

[x-factor]

Mr Harsey,

I'm curious how you got your start in knife-crafting. It seems like a fairly esoteric art. Did you learn it from a family member? Did you start off just repairing blades for practicality sake and then move on to making your own? Did you get any formal education in it?

How many expert bladesmith's are there in the US? Do their educations vary from yours?

[Bill Harsey]

X-factor,
Shortest possible version: Started welding on logging equipment at age 15, learned about various steels and carbon contents because that changed how they needed to be welded, spent about 10 years logging including running just over 2 ton of welding rod building and fixing stuff for logging operation in Oregon.

Started forging tools for carving, timber frame and wood boat construction. heat treating the various steels was very interesting to me and I started doing more and more homework on this topic. Then I tried to make a knife...

school degree is in Design, Fine Arts, instructors came from the Bauhaus.
After enough logging, I'd do anything to get away from that stuff, from the frying pan into the fire.

My heart is always with those that do the hard work, now I get to make posts here.

I have no idea how many expert knifemakers there are, I can't define expert. Few educations like mine in the field.

[x-factor]

Thanks. I'm always interested in hearing how people become experts in things. Especially unusual arts.

Do you teach at all? Formally or informally?

[Claemore]

Hey 8944, that is a very nice looking knife. I really like the blade shape. Like Mr. Harsey said, Make more!