Year Two - Progress Continues

“As my skills improved I tried to incorporate new techniques with each new blade to help learn and refine my work. I was blessed with several amazing mentors who influenced me, taught me and showed me better ways to make what I imagined.”

Olin Orange S. - finishing a started knife

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.
My dad gave me this blade, started by my great uncle from what was thought to be a beat harvesting blade. I tried to not change much on it, but finish it out to a completed knife.
Fitting up a brass guard.
After glue up and brass pins added. The handle was a piece of a chair leg that we had laying around.
Handle and guard shaped - I still hadn't figured out handle design just yet.
Finish shot. The knife was given back to my Great Aunt to keep and own.
Glamour shot.

Chelsea and Grayson N. - Wall Art

Final project - keep scrolling to see the journey.
I made this wall art as a gift to a couple that we had become friends with. It's make from 1/2" aluminum from Lowe's and I learned about (after many failed attempts) about joining aluminum together with a hand torch.
Laying out pieces to match my designed pattern.
One of the first times making a jig to get consistent bends on my baby scrolls.
Overall shape laid out, ready for accents.
All the little scrolls ready to be placed.
Practicing with lay out to see what I liked.
This was my set-up to join the parts without burning my bench - make due with what you have.
Final product, it had it's flaws but I was proud of how it turned out.

Aaron M. - Custom Style EDC

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.
Design and rough forged blade.
Rough bevels and cleaned up a bit.
Pin holes drilled and first time gun bluing a blade. My first time putting a swedge on the top of a blade.
Decided to go with some desert iron wood to match the darker theme of this knife.
Finished glamour shot 1.
Finished glamour shot 2. I made sure the little spike at the bottom was smooth and comfortable in the hand.

Rose R. - Chef’s Knife

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.
I was asked by a friend back in Utah if I sell my knives, and she asked if I'd make her one. This was the first time I was ever asked to sell a knife, and I was deeply honored.
Decided to make this blade out of 5160 spring steel, and I custom designed it. Still early bevels as is common amongst beginners.
Decided to do my first set of segmented handle scales, using white G10 and Brazilian rosewood. making sure everything lined up as a challenge, but it turned out pretty well.
First documented evidence of hand-sand. Now this is a requirement on all my blades.
Finished scales and the blade ready for glue up.
Glamour shot 1 - cool to see the liners and how the handle scales lined up. Overall shape of the handle is pretty basic but again this was the first knife ever sold.
Glamour shot #2
Glamour Shot #3. I think this is the first time I started doing my maker's mark like this. Prior to this I had decided on it, but hadn't really figured out how to do it, or how I wanted it to look on blades. Now it's a staple.

Year Two - Progress Continues

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.

My dad gave me this blade, started by my great uncle from what was thought to be a beat harvesting blade. I tried to not change much on it, but finish it out to a completed knife.

Fitting up a brass guard.

After glue up and brass pins added. The handle was a piece of a chair leg that we had laying around.

Handle and guard shaped - I still hadn't figured out handle design just yet.

Finish shot. The knife was given back to my Great Aunt to keep and own.

Glamour shot.

Final project - keep scrolling to see the journey.

I made this wall art as a gift to a couple that we had become friends with. It's make from 1/2" aluminum from Lowe's and I learned about (after many failed attempts) about joining aluminum together with a hand torch.

Laying out pieces to match my designed pattern.

One of the first times making a jig to get consistent bends on my baby scrolls.

Overall shape laid out, ready for accents.

All the little scrolls ready to be placed.

Practicing with lay out to see what I liked.

This was my set-up to join the parts without burning my bench - make due with what you have.

Final product, it had it's flaws but I was proud of how it turned out.

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.

Design and rough forged blade.

Rough bevels and cleaned up a bit.

Pin holes drilled and first time gun bluing a blade. My first time putting a swedge on the top of a blade.

Decided to go with some desert iron wood to match the darker theme of this knife.

Finished glamour shot 1.

Finished glamour shot 2. I made sure the little spike at the bottom was smooth and comfortable in the hand.

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.

I was asked by a friend back in Utah if I sell my knives, and she asked if I'd make her one. This was the first time I was ever asked to sell a knife, and I was deeply honored.

Decided to make this blade out of 5160 spring steel, and I custom designed it. Still early bevels as is common amongst beginners.

Decided to do my first set of segmented handle scales, using white G10 and Brazilian rosewood. making sure everything lined up as a challenge, but it turned out pretty well.

First documented evidence of hand-sand. Now this is a requirement on all my blades.

Finished scales and the blade ready for glue up.

Glamour shot 1 - cool to see the liners and how the handle scales lined up. Overall shape of the handle is pretty basic but again this was the first knife ever sold.

Glamour shot #2

Glamour Shot #3. I think this is the first time I started doing my maker's mark like this. Prior to this I had decided on it, but hadn't really figured out how to do it, or how I wanted it to look on blades. Now it's a staple.

Year One - Backyard Blacksmith

Year Three - Stepping Up with Help

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