Beckerhead Knife Making and Modification Thread

daizee said:
My advice on paring knives is:
THIN and don't make the blade too tall either. It should pass through material easily and be reasonably easy to steer while cutting. 0.093"-0.100" thick stock to start. 0.110" is too much. 0.125" is a B&T and sucks as a paring knife. Since the blade isn't very tall, it becomes very wedge-like in a hurry as you get thicker. Grind thin behind the edge too. 1/16" stock CAN work, but it's a challenge to grind something so thin. That said I have a fantastic fruit knife ("kitchen kwaiken") in 1/16" AEB-L that I've used every morning for about 8 years.

They're very satisfying to make because you can use them every day (and so can customers!). Super accessible knife that most people need. On the other hand, it's hard to get someone to pay a worthwhile price for the smallest knife in the block.
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Yeah, everything you said is spot on.

My biggest obstacle is that my blade height tends to be taller, so I have to work out the transition into the handle with a narrow height, and having a comfortable handle.
I'm thinking something of a mixture between pukko and pairing styling?


I'll probably go with between .060- .090". Thin wins! : D
 
Crag the Brewer said:
Yeah, everything you said is spot on.

My biggest obstacle is that my blade height tends to be taller, so I have to work out the transition into the handle with a narrow height, and having a comfortable handle.
I'm thinking something of a mixture between pukko and pairing styling?


I'll probably go with between .060- .090". Thin wins! : D
Click to expand...

Thin wins!

IMO, a paring knife seldom (if ever) needs to be gripped in a fist like a bushcraft knife. I think they should be quite nimble in the hand. However, my shop landlord has a beefy-handled paring knife that I sharpen for him periodically, so YMMV. And of course it depends who you're making it for.
 
daizee said:
Thin wins!

IMO, a paring knife seldom (if ever) needs to be gripped in a fist like a bushcraft knife. I think they should be quite nimble in the hand. However, my shop landlord has a beefy-handled paring knife that I sharpen for him periodically, so YMMV. And of course it depends who you're making it for.
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I struggle with liking full, long handles......

I read here somewhere that amateur knife makers make Too large of scales, making them overly bulky.


I'll make a knife, and I'll have to hold and fondle it for a few days, slowly thinning it down. Tiny amounts at a time. That comment sticks in my mind.

Yet, I know the reason I'm making knives is because I feel Most handles on knives I've bought, aren't how I wanted them, being too small for me.

So far I think I'm on to something as I've gotten many compliments. Haha. :)
 
Crag the Brewer said:
I struggle with liking full, long handles......

I read here somewhere that amateur knife makers make Too large of scales, making them overly bulky.


I'll make a knife, and I'll have to hold and fondle it for a few days, slowly thinning it down. Tiny amounts at a time. That comment sticks in my mind.

Yet, I know the reason I'm making knives is because I feel Most handles on knives I've bought, aren't how I wanted them, being too small for me.

So far I think I'm on to something as I've gotten many compliments. Haha. :)
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Yup. I went through that phase and still do periodically.
I think part of it is that you start with these blocky oversized scales. When you get them down to something that feels like a handle it's a HUGE difference and your frame of reference is the starting point. When you come back to it a day later you can feel it for what it is now and then trim it down a bit, effectively resetting your frame of reference. I experience the same phenomenon with bevel grinding. It's not that unusual for me to go back and thin something out a bit more before I start sanding it.
 
daizee said:
Yup. I went through that phase and still do periodically.
I think part of it is that you start with these blocky oversized scales. When you get them down to something that feels like a handle it's a HUGE difference and your frame of reference is the starting point. When you come back to it a day later you can feel it for what it is now and then trim it down a bit, effectively resetting your frame of reference. I experience the same phenomenon with bevel grinding. It's not that unusual for me to go back and thin something out a bit more before I start sanding it.
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Exactly.... And (for me) I'm still building confidence, so the slow steps are part of the journey.
 
Look, I accidentally made an adorable little sperm whale sculpture!

IMG_20231008_122335_HDR-small.jpg



Which is awkward, since I'm working on a harpoon piece on the other bench and am totally pro-whale (not whaling - tho I like Whalers beer...).

IMG_20231007_123702_HDR-small.jpg




And posting of Becker-inspired blades, here's a sad state of affairs: I pirated my last pair of micarta BK-62 scales off this AEB-L AuK4.5 for my personal Keppoon in July because Kabar has stopped making/selling them, and now I can't get more. So this one will have to sit out the next show:

IMG_20231008_181648_HDR-small.jpg
 
daizee said:
Look, I accidentally made an adorable little sperm whale sculpture!

IMG_20231008_122335_HDR-small.jpg



Which is awkward, since I'm working on a harpoon piece on the other bench and am totally pro-whale (not whaling - tho I like Whalers beer...).

IMG_20231007_123702_HDR-small.jpg




And posting of Becker-inspired blades, here's a sad state of affairs: I pirated my last pair of micarta BK-62 scales off this AEB-L AuK4.5 for my personal Keppoon in July because Kabar has stopped making/selling them, and now I can't get more. So this one will have to sit out the next show:

IMG_20231008_181648_HDR-small.jpg
Click to expand...


Idk they stopped selling them, I had plans to buy some... Jerks!
;)
 
Oh yeah! I usually get a burst of inspiration before a good camp out 👍 Having a few extra scales speeds up inspiration idea to holding it in hand 😁
 
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Last one for the weekend show, not quite done. This is just off the grinder. I hit it with some BLO for a preview. Hopefully I can keep motivated and get back over there after dinner to sand it out properly. I hope it turns out. It's like flamboyant love child of BK-17 and BK-18 w/ just a bit more handle:

IMG_20231009_174556_HDR-small.jpg
 
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