Knife Modification

[Merle Rice]

I made a Knife while I was in the Navy in the Machine Shop and that was enough for me . Making a Carving Knife now brings one thing to mind , ( I don't wanta do it ) . I Prefer to working with Wood not Metal . My Metal working days are gone . Different Strokes for Different Folks I guess . Just thought I'de throw in the other side of Knife making , don't stop making them cause I wouldn't have any to Buy . Ha,Ha. Merle

[tbox61]

Awesome, Mike! Great job! My knife making has only been putting someone else's blades...Shipley, Deepwoods Ventures...into my own handle!

[joepaulbutler]

I'm not a big metalsmith, but sometimes when I felt that there was a need for something that could be accomplished better with differently shaped knives., I made the going from start with 1095 steel to us scraper blades. I watch Forged in Fire weekly. There is the same satisfaction, to me, for making a blade and it works.

[Randy]

Nicely done Mike. Made it a good looking carver.

[Cornelius]

That is a really nice handle mpounders.

With your skills you could make a really good use of the special Opinel they sell with the handle to be carved. You would have more real estate to play with and you would have the possibility to carve off the line of the handle.

[NoDNA]

Ghesh, guy's and gals, I guess I am so fortunate to be able to change a mechanics tool into a good little knife or a hack saw blade. I use very little heat if ever and have been very lucky to have worked in steel shops where we learned to heat treat lathe tooling for steel and how to bend harden steel and still make it right.

But Bob Tbox, My Grandson does that gets blades from some where and has made some real nice mounted blades.

And Joepaulbutter, I like that crazy show too, but those guys are smarty pants. Hahaa, oh yeah I use the back of some of my long blade carving knives for scrapers. I use an 800 grit paper on the back to really flatten them, then my 1200 diamond steel to finish the backs. But I do wish I had some real scrapers too.
Well so much..
Cheers all
Chuck

[Brian T]

I've used 4 brands of farrier's hoof trimming knives: Hall, Diamond, Ukal and Mora. They all work at 25 degrees total included bevel.
I cut that down with chainsaw files to 12 degrees, no more than 15 degrees. I drill out the rivets and break up the original handles. Then I do all the rest of the sharpening process with sandpapers to 1500 grit then hone.

A new Hall costs $50. I buy worn down ones from the local farrier for $5. I tune those up and give them to beginners. Get on the scrounge, you will need a right and left pair of single edged tools.

The handles are all the same concept as with tennis racquets. The tips of your second and third fingers should just wrap around to touch your thumb. I worked that out by experiment, +/- 1/8", 7/8" is my size for every handle, elbow and D adzes as well.

I'm tired. I have found the best West Coast blade smiths and I buy from them a blade at a time.
Sometimes, I even let them make the handles which I can size to suit me.

[Glenn Jennings]

Like the mods Mike. It turns into a piece of pure class!.

[Merle Rice]

You all got me interested and liked the looks and sound of this Knife. Well I Ordered a #6 and it came today . I must say it is SHARP. Cuts Walnut easy and Basswood with ease also. Nice size for the Pocket, not Heavy. I got the Dark Wood just for looks. Price is Unbelievable . Great little Pocket Knife . You say I like it . Merle

[mpounders]

You all got me interested and liked the looks and sound of this Knife. Well I Ordered a #6 and it came today . I must say it is SHARP. Cuts Walnut easy and Basswood with ease also. Nice size for the Pocket, not Heavy. I got the Dark Wood just for looks. Price is Unbelievable . Great little Pocket Knife . You say I like it . Merle

I was really surprised at how well it cut! And it is not so expensive that you are afraid to use it! The only issue i had was the locking ring being a little tight on one, but it has loosened up now. And it has been around long enough that there are lots of solutions available for any issues. I believe it could even be completely disassembled if you wanted to make a handle out of different wood or other materials. I saw some with pakkawood handles!

[Merle Rice]

Hi Mike , The Locking Ring was my only Issue also, and as you said it is starting to loosen up a Bit now . It's Simple Design and still looks good . I've Spent more for less . Thanks Mike for the Heads Up . Merle

[pallin]

It is clear from the comments that most of us have "tinkered" with our knives. Maybe just re-shaping the cutting edge in the process of sharpening. Or, testing whether or not we can make a usable knife out of that "interesting piece of metal." Some of us have concluded that it's better to stick with the knife that other guy has perfected. Years ago my knife needs were very different. I was a Scoutmaster who occasionally whittled neckerchief slides while on extended backpack trips. I re-shaped the small blade on my pocket knife to make it more effective. Now I carve only reliefs using traditional gouges. The knives are only used for stop cuts or incised details. I rarely use a pocket knife for these tasks. But I carry one.

[Claude]

While I was a Navy Officer, I spent a couple of years as a deck officer, working with the Boatswain's Mates. Both ships I was on in the deck force had a rule that all crewmen in the deck divisions would carry a knife. Because they worked around lots of ropes, line, etc., they had a need to be able to cut something quickly. Many carried something on their belt such as the first photo: A folding locking bladed knife, and a separate marlinspike (useful in making splices in lines and wire ropes). Other's carried a knife similar to the second photo which had both a built-in marlinspike and a sharp blade.

Eddy-Smiles can correct me, but I think most of the Signalmen also carried knives because of all the rigging, running the flags up and down, etc.

Claude

[Merle Rice]

Hi Claude, Welcome to the Club, ( No Photos ) Merle

[DiLeon]

I'm not a big metalsmith, but sometimes when I felt that there was a need for something that could be accomplished better with differently shaped knives., I made the going from start with 1095 steel to us scraper blades. I watch Forged in Fire weekly. There is the same satisfaction, to me, for making a blade and it works.

They had a metal sculpture completion on the tv...I thought that was what you were talking about. But I found it on Netflix not the same show and...watched it last night. I am hooked big time. I have shaped a few blades for weapons and have no desire to forge them and like you said it was a pleasure to be able to do that.

I have only streaming tv. So I will have to purchase the later shows. Thanks for talking about it. I am not going to build myself a forge but always been very interested in blade warfare. In fact, I have had massive training in some of the Asian arts of using them. Wish I had a bunch of those blood-gusting dummies...for training back in the day's LOL as you always wonder if it works like they say it does. I do have a collection of such blades this show is amazing...although I would never beat on my blades on deer horn... what an idiot thing to do!!!, In one of these shows, he is going to have a blade stuck in this forehead!!!! Of course that is the point of TV the thrill of possible flying blades...lucky he did not cut off his head in the one I watched last night...what a world??!!. At least he could wear sword fencing gear or chain gear. ...but no ...men and the stuff they do.