Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades What was the first knife you made or tried to make??

Over the next couple of years, the finish bled through and wiped out the light line I left around the piece of oil tanned leather. But it's okay. WTF?? I think I like this better anyway.

The key to doing this is the proper spacing of your sewing holes using a punch and making sure each lock stitch is nice and tight. If the sewing is crooked, it is going to look like schitt no matter what else you do. Using a three prong punch and using the last hole you punched to index the punch for the next holes, it's hard to get it wrong. Before I start sewing the top through the welting and the bottom piece, I usually stick a couple of sewing needles through the holes in various places to keep everything indexed correctly as I sew and remove the needles as I come to them. That is a LOT OF LEATHER to be sewing through and if you don't do something to keep everything properly indexed, you can get off the pattern and then you have screwed the pooch. But don't ask me how I know.

There is a way of making a simple "fold over" type of scabbard like the one pictured at the beginning of this thread that is easier to make, serves the porpose just as well, and in some cases, even better. If you are not very experienced with leather work, you may want to try making one of those first. Or not.

But just so you know, fancy scabbards usually don't wear very well under hard use in the field. Out there, the KISS principle is what you want to use. Anything more than decorative leather stamping on the scabbard is in the way, and even that can wear unevenly and look bad.

I just started forging a couple weeks ago. Loving it. Coal forge BTW. Been wanting to forever, and I finally got all pieces together and am having a go at it. First pic is the first knife I made. Came out ok, but not really good for much. The second knife I was really happy with, until it bent on quenching and I broke it trying to straighten it. Spent a full day and a half on it, but I'm learning! Obviously both were files to start. This last one I cranked out yesterday. If it'll hold an edge I'm really happy with it. Was a stainless planer blade to start with. Crappy pics, it looks better in the hand than in the pics. Still have some polishing to do on the handle and guard.

Your first knives look a lot like my first knives. But to tell you the truth Billygoat, there is an easier way to make a knife than forging it. Forging is wayyyyyy too much sugar for a nickle if you ask me, but if you just gotta beat on hot steel, then you are on the right track.

All the best to you.

Thanks.

Yeah, I am not really interested in grinding out a knife from an appropriate alloy and then heat treating it. Not knocking it at all, hell I'll never make a knife the quality most put out. I like the whole process, learning to use the forge and pounding out a blade from it. Mine will always likely look rough, but if I can get the shaping and heat treating down I'll be happy. I'm actually pleased as phougk with that second finished blade. It turned out exactly like is wanted. I have a case fixed blade hunter I love, but even though it is easy to put a wicked sharp edge on it also dulls fairly quick, and the blade profile is not very robust. I wanted to recreate that in a heavier knife and I just about did it. Thumb groove and all. I could've polished out most (but certainly not all!) of the hammer marks but I kinda dig it as is.

Goat due what makes you happy. Screw the rest

Bob
I think you will find guys on 24 hour use tools more than any site you will find. I been on them all

I made many sheaths. None as fine as that one. No fluff work horse

Hi Rick. Good to hear from you. I have admired your knives. In fact, it was me admiring Bob Lovelace knives that caused me to try to make my own which is the topic of this thread. It ain't about people using knives. It ain't about people collecting knives. It's about most guys MAKING their own knives using tools most of us have in our garage or tool shed and are available at any Home Depot. Why that topic has caused some to try to hijack the thread is a mystery to me, but unless they can delete this thread, that train has already left the station.

Some of us have built hot rod Chevy's. Some of us have built our own houses. Some of us have worked on our own rifles, shotguns and pistols. Some of us cast our own bullets and reload our own ammo. Some of us want to make our own knife and scabbard. I wanted to encourage those who always wanted to do that to go ahead and do it and to try to show how it can be done because if I can do it, anybody can.

Once anybody tries to make their own knife, it is only then that they can begin to appreciate what you and the other professionals do because it is only then that they understand how really good the knives pro's make are compared to what they make. I see and understand that, but what I make is good enough for what I want it to do most of the time. I'm sure many are not as easily satisfied as I am and those just need to buy one of your, or Tim's, or the other knife makers knives. It is only because I am retired and have an unlimited amount of time to make a knife that I can do it. Most people don't have that much time to try it and when they do, they quickly discover if they value their time even at minimum wage, it is much less expensive to buy one of your knives than it is for them to try to make it.

But for those who want to do it, I hope this thread will encourage them to try. They should not try to compare what they make to what you make because if they do, they are going to be discouraged. If they want a knife equal to what you make, they ought to buy one of yours and save themselves a hellofva lot of time and frustration.

I bought a guitar just like the one Eric Clapton plays, but dang it, I can't play it as good as he does. What could possibly be the problem? So I buy Clapton's CD's and listen to them and still wonder how he does some of the musical things he does because my guitar just will not make those same sounds. But I can play well enough to join local blues bands and that is good enough for me because I ain't trying to be a professional guitar picker. That train also left the station a long time ago.