A few new knives I made

Status
Not open for further replies.
Valkman

Valkman

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
Messages
9,499
Location
Las Vegas, NV
I just set up a new Bader grinder and the top knife was flat ground on it. The bottom two were hollow ground on my Grizzly grinder before I got the Bader. With the Bader I have ALOT more options on shaping handles since I have a small wheel attachment. Note the shape of the bottom two handles and compare them to the top one.

So the top one is 4", the second one is 5" and acid-etched and the third drop point hunter is 3 1/2" and also etched. All are 3/16" O1 Tool Steel. The top and bottom knives have ironwood handles, although the bottom one is unfinished right now. They're getting better! :)

huntercampflat27qu.jpg


huntercampflat13uo.jpg


Hope you like 'em!
 
I should take close-ups - those are mosaic pins that have more brass than SS in them. I also have it where it looks more SS than brass. That stuff is expensive! :)
 
wow awesome! those handles are really sweet

i am working on a sword for my home, using a grinder and later possibly dremel. not the most ideal steel, but its a bit farther along now, here's the begininng photo......(it's a good bit farther along now)
any suggestions? i am going to make the hilt a bit more narrow, already working on it. not going for a point though.
i figure no matter what it would be more than enough to ward off a trespasser even if it isnt exactly tough enough to have a sword fight with....
sword.jpg
 
It's all self-taught. There's forums where big name knife makers help with advice but I've never had anyone show me how to do anything. Trace Rinaldi lives in So. CA. and he loves to come to Vegas. There's a few of us noob knifemakers here and he's promised to show us some tricks. Can't wait for that! :)

thorn, just take your time. Plan everything and draw it out. Most of my mistakes are from going too fast and you can't put steel back on. I haven't tried anything that big as I can't heat treat it - your sword will probably only be about 20 Rockwell hardness without hardening and tempering. After I HT and temper my knives they're about 60 Rockwell.
 
Don - mucho kudos dude - you sure have come a long ways in a short time - congrats.

And those mosaic pins - exquisite. Thx for the pics. I can see you'll be doing some selling very soon, if not already.:)
 
Thanks! On my Grizzly the choice was a 8" wheel - that was it. Then when I was grinding to the left of the wheel I'd run into the motor. You could run the belt off the edge of the wheel using the tracking control and make some curves that way but they were rough and took alot of Dremel work to smooth out.

Here's the Bader3 grinder with the big flat grinding platen on it:

baderfrink0vk.jpg


And here it is with the 10" hollow grinding wheel:

bader10wheel0by.jpg


I don't have a pic of the small wheel attachment but that's what makes tight curves possible now, and there's different wheels you can buy for it. I have 5/16" and 1" wheels. :)
 
This is top-of-the-line stuff, what the real knifemakers use along with a few other brands like KMG and Hardcore. This one is 1.5HP and variable speed and with all the attachments runs well over $2000. By the time you get all the attachments you want and a bunch of belts you're definitely into it with some serious money. But I like it and want to keep at it. I got an etcher and should have my own stencil arriving any day now so I can start putting my name on them. :)
 
Nice work Valkman, good lines on those knives. I like knives like that, no "fancy " shapes like tanto or whatnot, and no "sawtoths" on them eiher. Very nice!

warthog
 
Well thanks guys! That top knife in the pic looks to be popular so I cut another out and profiled it just to use it to draw out that model on steel. I'll add handle holes and a lanyard hole, plus I lengthened the handle and blade a touch to make it a full 4" blade and 8 1/2" overall.

Chris, got a trip planned to Idaho, Wyoming and some other states in July. Went to Rachel last weekend, the nearest town to Area 51. Aliens! Aliens! :D
 
Valkman
I'm really impressed with how far along you've come so fast :) Congrats on the new grinder, you've got better equipment than me now :cuss: ;) Thats really the way to go, and will be worth everything you spent on it as the years go by.
You picked up on flat grinding really well. I think its a little more difficult than hollow grinding. Your fit and finish keeps getting better all the time too :cool:
Now you need to take up forging. I've hammered a couple out now and its really addictive.

P95, and anyone else interested in grinders
There are similar machines out there for less money. The Bader is tops, with all the bells and whistles. Kind of like a brand new cadillac :D
There are some cheaper options.
One that can be had a little cheaper (to start), with just as many options down the road is the KMG made by Rob Frink ( http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/ ) . This is equal in quality, some say even better as it was designed by knifemakers (Rob got a lot of input over at bladeforums when he designed and developed it and all the accressories) If your good, you can even hook it up with a VS motor for a reasonable amount. Robs a great guy and should be able to answer any questions you have along the way.

I just bought myself a Coote (www.cootebeltgrinder.com) 2X72" grinder with a 10" wheel. By using step pullies, making my own motor mounts and base, and shopping around for a motor, I was able to set it up for a little bit under $700. Its got 3 speeds, no tools needed to change, and a 1 1/2 horsepower continuous duty high torque dayton motor. I can hollow, flat or convex grind without any attachments or adjustments and its smooth as glass. This is probably the best bargain in belt grinders you can find. Its just not made as heavy as a bader, and isn't as versatile a machine.

Or you can get a grizzly. I don't remember the model number, but they make a 2X72" grinder, which can be special ordered with a 10" wheel. Its best suited for flat grinding due to there being very little clearance between the wheel and the base (like valkman was talking about), but with the 10" wheel you could probably do some hollow grinding. I think it can be had for around $400 which includes a motor (single speed)

The deal with 2x72" is the belt selection. This size is what all the industrial/commercial grade grinders take. You can get the best quality, and widest range of grits in this size(36-600 is easy to find, others are available). They run cooler and last longer than smaller belts.
I buy belts from pop's knife supplies ( http://www.popsknifesupplies.com/ ) He's a great guy to deal with, has great prices, and a great selection.
 
redneck - thx for your info on alternatives. I fear now at my time of life - and with all my nefarious and excessive interests, knife making will most likely be a non-starter.... much as I like the idea.

You are right tho - Don has indeed come a huge long way in really a very short time frame - this is what has made the whole series of threads he has posted so interesting and impressive. :)
 
sorry i have to hop on the bang wagon, i LOVE the top one! the middle one, does the handle stay on if you have to use it? It doesn't look like it is wrapped very type/ nor does it look ergonomic ;D


*Edit ok it does look like it will stay on, but about the whole ergonomic thing... :)
 
Gonna swim against the stream- they're all pretty, but I really like the bottom one most.

:)

John
 
redneck, thanks! You are right, everything Rob Frink makes is good stuff. I have his platen on the Bader and it's MUCH better than the stock one. Never heard anything but good things about KMG grinders. I just had a chance to jump on this 2-month old grinder and took it. :)

Omni04, the paracord comes off so if you need 10' of cord it's right there. I'm not good at wrapping those yet, and worse it's a direct rip-off of Strider's wrap. But I'm giving it to the son-in-law and he can re-wrap it if he doesn't like it. :)

John, I like that hunter too. I etched the blade with acid and left it in way too long and it got this neat antique effect. Goes well with the brass guard and pins and ironwood.

I get belts from Pops too - he's the best!
 
Oh yea, Grizzly's are about $400 but they've been out of the 10" wheels for a long time. I've been waiting for one since February and never got one!

I probably ground at least 25 knives on that Grizzly, mostly hollow ground on the 8" wheel, and there's nothing at all wrong with starting with one. You can make knives all day long with it, and it's 1hp and never bogs down.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Valkman
  • Locked
Some new stuff
Replies
7
Views
509
444
4
L
  • Locked
My knives....?
Replies
4
Views
571
Law_rence
L
Valkman
  • Locked
Making my first knives in 5 years
2
Replies
48
Views
3K
Valkman
Valkman
Valkman
  • Locked
New knife with 400 year old wood handle
Replies
20
Views
704
SLCDave
S
Valkman
  • Locked
Making Some Blades Available
Replies
14
Views
812
Valkman
Valkman
Back
Top