Year Three - Stepping Up with Help

As I moved into my third year, I made great strides in my quality and developing my own confidence and styles. A lot of this came from finding great mentors and learning as much as I could from them. Something special about the knifemaking community is the willingness to share knowledge and teach. I think it’s a feeling and attitude much needed today.

W-1 Chef’s Knife

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.
Through connections withing my blacksmithing class I was introduced to Austin M., who became a great mentor and helped me rise to the next level. I went to his shop and he let me pick his brain, and taught me tons. Here is him showing my how to do a hamon on a piece of W1.
While working on the W-1 steel knife, we also heat treated 3 Nitro-V (stainless steel) blades. These colors are naturally occuring from gasses trapped in the foil packets used to heat treat. You can't out beauty nature.
The four chef's knives back at my home shop and cleaned up. I wish I hadn't pre-shaped them as my design was still early, but no going back at this point.
The blade to be.
I decided that I wanted a carbon fiber bolster on this one.
Austin helped me mill out the slot for the tang. This blade was the first time making a hidden tang knife.
Parts all fit up. I made "makume gane" out of a stack of quarters.
Using a corby bolt to mechanically secure the handle to the blade. All of my blades are glued and mechanically secured.
Close to finished in a Robbin's Custom Case. I now use these cases for all my blades without sheaths. Can't beat 'em.
Glamour shot #1 - you can really see the hamon after the etch.
Final glamour shot. This one is still on my wall at home as it wasn't requested and the hamon dipped low on the cutting edge so I didn't have confidence that it wouldn't affect the performance.

Star-K - Mini Brand

Final Project - keep scrolling to see the journey.
This is where my maker's mark comes from - my family (great grandparents) had a brand registered in ID with the a star and a K (Stark), as seen here in this photo of my great uncle on the family horse in 1945.
My dad brought me the orginal brand asked if we could make a smaller version for him to keep. Here's the original and the final "mini-brand".
Front view. We could've cleaned it up more, but my Dad didn't want to.
Top view.
Mini-brand up close.
Handle was rough, but again my Dad said he'd clean up up himself.

Makume Gane

Final Project - keep scrolling to see the journey
Decided that I wanted to make more makume gane, and so I went back to Austin's shop since he knew how. All sourced from Amazon, but good practice overall.
Gotta make sure the metals are all super clean for a good weld.
Finished stack of copper, brass and nickel silver plates.
The stack and the tool used to make sure we get even pressure across it.
Austin preparing the stack in his press.
Our block of makume gane just after heating and pressing it.
cleaned up block of makume gane. He kept half and I took the other half home.
Another finished shot. From here you would normally work it and develop a pattern similar to Damascus steel . Unfortunately, later on when I tried to work this it delaminated and became unusable likely due to the cheap nickel silver I used.

Jacob R. - Brothers Knives

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.
My nephew reached out and asked me to make a set of knives for his little brothers, he wanted a similar pair, but not matching exactly, and wanted their names etched on the ricasso of each.
Blades made from 1095, after the quench. I designed this shape myself and have always enjoyed the "philosophical" side of knife design.
Just in cast I made four knives, which turned out to be a good decision.
As I was still heat treating in my forge, I noticed during grinding that the blade chipped, leading me to realize I likely burned the steal by over heating it. Fortunately this was only on one of the four blades.
Grinding in even plunge lines using a carbide file guide.
Both blades rough ground.
Back in this day I used a Cricut to cut my maker's mark out of vinyl sheets and then electro etched it one the blades.
Used the same technique for the names of his brothers.
Maker's mark on both blades.
I decided to use desert iron wood on one, and bird's eye maple for the handle of the other.
Most blades require a personal sacrifice. These things require blood, sweat and tears. I have photo evidence of two of the three.
Handles ready for glue up. I also think this is one of the first times using G-10 pins vs brass. I know almost exclusively use these as the are easy to work with, strong and grind like wood. Not to mention they look great.
Glue up.
Finished blades. I started adding minor contouring to my handles, and it definitely was a step in the right direction.
Glamour shot 1
Glamour shot 2.
First time making sheaths. For fixed blades, I realized that people won't carry them unless they come with a sheath.
Out of their sheaths. Great learning experience and I was overall pleased with the set.

Olin S. - Finish a premade Axe Blank

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.
My oldest son got this pre-cut axe blank from helping me clean out Austin M.'s shop. He asked that I finish it for him.
Due to the size of this blade, I decided to edge quench using my port-a-torch.
Edge quenching the spike.
Things not to do, that I do - quenching in a plastic bucket. It worked though.
Blade quenched. I decided to relieve some of the material on the inside of the blade to add something exciting.
Blade all put together, just needing the final blackening.
Glamour shot.

Nitro-V Chef’s knife

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.
This one was another I wanted to make, using one of the three Nitro-V blanks that I made with Austin M.
The batch again.
As I started using more and more exotic materials, I ordered a batch of Turkish walnut that I stabilized myself. It's got some beautify smokey pattern to it.
Out of the pressure vessel.
In natural lighting.
I struggled to decide on which material to make a spacer out of - stabilized mammoth tooth (blue), stabilized mammoth tusk (yellow brown), or Timascus (titanium damascus).
Originally tried with the Timascus.
Lining it all up.
Ended up changing directions and used a piece of the mammoth tooth.
All fit up and ready for glue up.
Mechanical connection, but didn't want it visible.
Ended up making a plug out of Turkish walnut, and it came out pretty well.
Sharpening with the Lansky system.
End product. I love the shine I got on it - I think this is when I stared using Tru-oil on my handles as it really makes the wood pop and is a durable trusted finish.
Glamour shot 1
Close up glamour shot.
Better lighting. This was the best I had made to date, and was really proud of it. Super slicy and beautiful.
Incredible depth to the handle. Love the natural beauty.
Final glamour shot. I wasn't confident in my handle shaping yet and so I went with a very plain shape. Not my favorite, but it is what it is.

Year Three - Stepping Up with Help

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.

Through connections withing my blacksmithing class I was introduced to Austin M., who became a great mentor and helped me rise to the next level. I went to his shop and he let me pick his brain, and taught me tons. Here is him showing my how to do a hamon on a piece of W1.

While working on the W-1 steel knife, we also heat treated 3 Nitro-V (stainless steel) blades. These colors are naturally occuring from gasses trapped in the foil packets used to heat treat. You can't out beauty nature.

The four chef's knives back at my home shop and cleaned up. I wish I hadn't pre-shaped them as my design was still early, but no going back at this point.

The blade to be.

I decided that I wanted a carbon fiber bolster on this one.

Austin helped me mill out the slot for the tang. This blade was the first time making a hidden tang knife.

Parts all fit up. I made "makume gane" out of a stack of quarters.

Using a corby bolt to mechanically secure the handle to the blade. All of my blades are glued and mechanically secured.

Close to finished in a Robbin's Custom Case. I now use these cases for all my blades without sheaths. Can't beat 'em.

Glamour shot #1 - you can really see the hamon after the etch.

Final glamour shot. This one is still on my wall at home as it wasn't requested and the hamon dipped low on the cutting edge so I didn't have confidence that it wouldn't affect the performance.

Final Project - keep scrolling to see the journey.

This is where my maker's mark comes from - my family (great grandparents) had a brand registered in ID with the a star and a K (Stark), as seen here in this photo of my great uncle on the family horse in 1945.

My dad brought me the orginal brand asked if we could make a smaller version for him to keep. Here's the original and the final "mini-brand".

Front view. We could've cleaned it up more, but my Dad didn't want to.

Top view.

Mini-brand up close.

Handle was rough, but again my Dad said he'd clean up up himself.

Final Project - keep scrolling to see the journey

Decided that I wanted to make more makume gane, and so I went back to Austin's shop since he knew how. All sourced from Amazon, but good practice overall.

Gotta make sure the metals are all super clean for a good weld.

Finished stack of copper, brass and nickel silver plates.

The stack and the tool used to make sure we get even pressure across it.

Austin preparing the stack in his press.

Our block of makume gane just after heating and pressing it.

cleaned up block of makume gane. He kept half and I took the other half home.

Another finished shot. From here you would normally work it and develop a pattern similar to Damascus steel . Unfortunately, later on when I tried to work this it delaminated and became unusable likely due to the cheap nickel silver I used.

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.

My nephew reached out and asked me to make a set of knives for his little brothers, he wanted a similar pair, but not matching exactly, and wanted their names etched on the ricasso of each.

Blades made from 1095, after the quench. I designed this shape myself and have always enjoyed the "philosophical" side of knife design.

Just in cast I made four knives, which turned out to be a good decision.

As I was still heat treating in my forge, I noticed during grinding that the blade chipped, leading me to realize I likely burned the steal by over heating it. Fortunately this was only on one of the four blades.

Grinding in even plunge lines using a carbide file guide.

Both blades rough ground.

Back in this day I used a Cricut to cut my maker's mark out of vinyl sheets and then electro etched it one the blades.

Used the same technique for the names of his brothers.

Maker's mark on both blades.

I decided to use desert iron wood on one, and bird's eye maple for the handle of the other.

Most blades require a personal sacrifice. These things require blood, sweat and tears. I have photo evidence of two of the three.

Handles ready for glue up. I also think this is one of the first times using G-10 pins vs brass. I know almost exclusively use these as the are easy to work with, strong and grind like wood. Not to mention they look great.

Glue up.

Finished blades. I started adding minor contouring to my handles, and it definitely was a step in the right direction.

Glamour shot 1

Glamour shot 2.

First time making sheaths. For fixed blades, I realized that people won't carry them unless they come with a sheath.

Out of their sheaths. Great learning experience and I was overall pleased with the set.

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.

My oldest son got this pre-cut axe blank from helping me clean out Austin M.'s shop. He asked that I finish it for him.

Due to the size of this blade, I decided to edge quench using my port-a-torch.

Edge quenching the spike.

Things not to do, that I do - quenching in a plastic bucket. It worked though.

Blade quenched. I decided to relieve some of the material on the inside of the blade to add something exciting.

Blade all put together, just needing the final blackening.

Glamour shot.

Final blade - keep scrolling to see the journey.

This one was another I wanted to make, using one of the three Nitro-V blanks that I made with Austin M.

The batch again.

As I started using more and more exotic materials, I ordered a batch of Turkish walnut that I stabilized myself. It's got some beautify smokey pattern to it.

Out of the pressure vessel.

In natural lighting.

I struggled to decide on which material to make a spacer out of - stabilized mammoth tooth (blue), stabilized mammoth tusk (yellow brown), or Timascus (titanium damascus).

Originally tried with the Timascus.

Lining it all up.

Ended up changing directions and used a piece of the mammoth tooth.

All fit up and ready for glue up.

Mechanical connection, but didn't want it visible.

Ended up making a plug out of Turkish walnut, and it came out pretty well.

Sharpening with the Lansky system.

End product. I love the shine I got on it - I think this is when I stared using Tru-oil on my handles as it really makes the wood pop and is a durable trusted finish.

Glamour shot 1

Close up glamour shot.

Better lighting. This was the best I had made to date, and was really proud of it. Super slicy and beautiful.

Incredible depth to the handle. Love the natural beauty.

Final glamour shot. I wasn't confident in my handle shaping yet and so I went with a very plain shape. Not my favorite, but it is what it is.

Year Two - Progress Continues

Year Four - Coming into my own

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