I don’t make mistakes………..

Bill Siegle

Bill Siegle

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Messages
6,419
I make smaller knives!!!!!! :D Here’s what started out as a slightly over 1/4in stock chopper blank. I had intended to make a heavy chopper but I decided to taper the tang. When I was doing that, I missed my angle and ran too far forward of the handle on one side. Several minutes passed with viscous language in the shop but without the usual throwing of said blank. I decided to test my skills and see if the mistake wasn’t going to be a total loss. I straightened out the mistake side then ground the other to match. Then I threw a ton of dust in the air when I ground in the bevels! When I was done, I now had a nice chopper blade with a 3/16in spine instead of the original 1/4in. Man what a time that was to keep as straight as I could! I finished it out this afternoon and it will accompany me on my next campout :) it feels very fast in the hand at only 15oz. The blade is 10in tip to handle and it’s 14 7/8in overall. I used ivory G10 scales and bronze pins. While it started out as an ugly duckling, it’s become a cute swan :)

A250732A-BB50-42FB-B742-79D33F8DCC8F.jpegView attachment 1886525View attachment 1886526
 
This was crushing when I first noticed it. Due to my procedures I already had the handle material cut and drilled and all the work of getting the blank shape where I wanted it. I thought my best chance was having at least a nice pattern piece. After calming myself I decided to test my skills and see what I could do. That first shock is always hard to get past but I did it this time and I am enjoying the result!
 
Really like the somewhat radical tapering of the tang too - looks great and gets rid of more unnecessary material/weight.
 
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