Dart edc batch 1 update thread
- Thread starter Brian.Evans
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Brian.Evans
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Robert, I have some bad news. I was able to get quite a bit done in the shop today, including tapering the tang on your knife. I got the update that you had posted right before I finished up for the day. I had been grinding for quite a while and I was tired and my focus was waning. I should have just quit, but I really wanted to post up a picture of your ground blade. So I ground it. And totally messed it up. I am disgusted with myself. I knew not to push it and I did anyway. The taper was freaking perfect. The belly was perfect. Then I tipped my left hand a bit too much. Normally, I'd have caught the mistake and been able to recover, but because I was tried I didn't catch it right away. Once I did catch it, I tried to fix it but only made it worse. They say "Inside every Bowie there is a caping knife waiting to get out." This one might as well be a paring knife. It's not even fit to use as a shop knife.
Long story short, I have to buy more steel in the morning as I am completely out of 20CV. I have Robert's that I messed up on, and I have one other I ground that I'm not happy with. It looks ok, but it isn't right. I really don't want to send someone a knife that isn't perfect, or as close as I can get.
I did get these finish ground and some others rough ground. This is obviously just the finished ones. Andrew's sheepsfoot is really turning out nicely. I'm very happy with those bevels.
My daughter came out and took some pictures today, so that was fun, if not a bit distracting.
Long story short, I have to buy more steel in the morning as I am completely out of 20CV. I have Robert's that I messed up on, and I have one other I ground that I'm not happy with. It looks ok, but it isn't right. I really don't want to send someone a knife that isn't perfect, or as close as I can get.
I did get these finish ground and some others rough ground. This is obviously just the finished ones. Andrew's sheepsfoot is really turning out nicely. I'm very happy with those bevels.
My daughter came out and took some pictures today, so that was fun, if not a bit distracting.
Brian.Evans
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Two things I forgot.
1. I always wondered why Bob Loveless wore a welding cap. Then, the other day I had my mask on and my ball hat turned around backwards and I couldn't get it assisted to suit me. I thought I need something different. Hey, I bet a welding cap would work perfectly. Dang, I just figured out why BL wore the welding cap. LOL
2. Grinding high vanadium steel SUCKS. Even unhardened. The gator belts won't hardly touch it, I'm using ceramic almost until the last little bit. I never do that on normal steel. I usually use 60 ceramic then 400 gator. Now I'm running 60 ceramic, 120 ceramic, and 220 gator. It's nuts. I have to push pretty hard to keep fracturing the ceramic, but that makes heat build up. Which isn't fun on my thumbs, let me tell you!! Normally I'd run them pretty fast, but these knives are small and I'll blow the grinds if I run the belts too quickly.
Anyway, I think that's it. Take care.
1. I always wondered why Bob Loveless wore a welding cap. Then, the other day I had my mask on and my ball hat turned around backwards and I couldn't get it assisted to suit me. I thought I need something different. Hey, I bet a welding cap would work perfectly. Dang, I just figured out why BL wore the welding cap. LOL
2. Grinding high vanadium steel SUCKS. Even unhardened. The gator belts won't hardly touch it, I'm using ceramic almost until the last little bit. I never do that on normal steel. I usually use 60 ceramic then 400 gator. Now I'm running 60 ceramic, 120 ceramic, and 220 gator. It's nuts. I have to push pretty hard to keep fracturing the ceramic, but that makes heat build up. Which isn't fun on my thumbs, let me tell you!! Normally I'd run them pretty fast, but these knives are small and I'll blow the grinds if I run the belts too quickly.
Anyway, I think that's it. Take care.
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Matthew Gregory
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These things happen, bud. Knifemaking ain't easy!!!!
I would hope that anyone purchasing a custom knife being made to order would also have enough understanding that sometimes things don't go according to plan, especially when talking about handmade stuff!!
Hang in there, bud - looks like you're doing great, despite the occasional setbacks.
I would hope that anyone purchasing a custom knife being made to order would also have enough understanding that sometimes things don't go according to plan, especially when talking about handmade stuff!!
Hang in there, bud - looks like you're doing great, despite the occasional setbacks.
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thanks for the pics and updates Brian, don't worry a mistake in the beginning is better than messing up at the end right. Easier to fix now rather than later and thanks for thinking of the customer, I don't think they would mind since your are making them the best product you can. 
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One think I know about Brian is he's a stand up honest guy. You can see that in his posts here. He'd rather be honest if there is an issue with your knife (or anything else like equipment issues) than put you off and make excuses. I'd rather do business with that type maker than any other and wait for my blades knowing that every detail is scrutinized at a very high level.
His standards for what he sends out the door to his customers is higher than most, and he tends to be a perfectionist. I know because I own what I believe may be one of the first Darts ever made, if not THE first. It is my daily edc necker and has been since it arrived in my mailbox. I already have other knives on order with Brian for the next round.
His standards for what he sends out the door to his customers is higher than most, and he tends to be a perfectionist. I know because I own what I believe may be one of the first Darts ever made, if not THE first. It is my daily edc necker and has been since it arrived in my mailbox. I already have other knives on order with Brian for the next round.
Brian.Evans
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I've spoken with a fellow knifemaker I'm proud to call my friend and mentor about what I'm about to say. He didn't advise me to write this post, but I've been thinking on our conversation and i think I need to.
I wanted to let you all in on exactly what's happening in my life right now, why the knives are taking longer than expected. Obviously the variable frequency drive on my grinder going out didn't help production and cost all of us a month of waiting.
But I'm speaking of a couple bigger life issues.
My wife has been ill for over four years now. My littlest girl is three. When Heather was pregnant she experienced baffling symptoms. Random runs of heart rate over 200, blood pressure over 200 systolic, weird muscle cramps, stuff like that. They persisted after she delivered, which ruled out normal pregnancy causes, so she was sent to a rheumatologist, then another, then another. The opinions were as varied as the idiots we went to. Depression, fibromyalgia, an autoimmune disease that he couldn't put his finger on so he wouldn't treat. In the middle of all this she was fired from her primary care doctor for being "a problem patient." I've had only a few times I've had to make a conscious decision not to leave somewhere in handcuffs. That day in that dipshit's office was one of them. The other was when a hospitalist looked at her while she was admitted for a run of tachycardia and said, "we have a whole floor dedicated to people like you and if you come back I'll put you on it." (Meaning the psych ward) That guy did in fact end up against the wall while I explained to him the error of his thought process. I'm not a violent person, but two things I don't tolerate are willful stupidity and insulting my wife.
Meanwhile she got more and more sick. More and more in pain. I'd get off a 24 hour shift and she'd head straight to bed. I wouldn't see her but a couple hours in two days sometimes. I was barely sleeping. I had to leave work a couple times because I wasn't safe to be on the truck.
We finally got into Mayo Clinic after some bulldog bully maneuvers on my part. Amazingly enough, what doctors down here couldn't get figured out in three years, the Mayo docs had diagnosed in 36 hours. Cardiac problem, gastro problem, and an autoimmune disease. She's been up there three times in the past year. She goes to a local rheumatologist on April 2. Hopefully they are finally going to put her on enbrel or huimera and get her better. It's been Hell. There's been a pancreatic cancer scare in there too, which we still aren't quite sure about. Still testing that. There are cancer cells, but no tumor. Weird.
It has played hell with our marriage. She has PTSD from being sexually abused from 2 until 11 by an uncle. That coupled with the extreme pain and illness changing her personality has pushed us to the brink. We're trying to save our marriage but everyday is a struggle. We are fighting for it, because that's what you do, but I honestly don't know if it can be saved. It's the hardest thing I've ever done.
What does all this mean? A lot of times I want to be out in the shop but I can't because she's sick in bed. My job takes 1/3 of my life right off the top (I work 24 on, 48 off). A lot of times I haven't slept in 28-36 hours. I sleep about 4 1/2 hours a night on average. Everything gets crammed into the remaining two days, and a lot of times I'm playing single parent and catchup. It sucks, but it's my reality right now. Hopefully with her on the immunosuppressive meds she gets feeling better soon and we can get on with life.
I don't tell you all this for sympathy, but for you to understand why it might take a bit longer to make your knife. I am honestly afraid I might have bitten off more than I can chew with this Dart order. I should have limited it to 15 or so knives so I could have delivered in a decent amount of time. It's going to take some time to do this many knives to the level you all deserve, but they will get done. If anyone would rather not wait, I understand, email me and I'll take your name off the list. No hard feelings.
I'm trying to be as upfront with this as possible rather than hiding it. I'm in this knifemaking for the long haul. Life will get better and time will get more free, hopefully soon. But I've learned a valuable lesson about spreading myself so thin. From now on, when I take preorders I'm going to strictly limit them. I would rather fill five orders to the best of my ability in a reasonable amount of time than take 5 months on 25 orders. I will never sacrifice quality. I'd rather sacrifice a whole sale or two than rush 10 knives out the door.
Here's how the rest of this batch is going to go. I'm going to grind all the knives and send them to heat treat. Then, I'll do the handles in smaller batches of five or so knives. Get five done, send them to Ronnie for sheaths and send them out. Then the next five, then the next, and so on, until they're done.
Comments questions and concerns welcome.
I wanted to let you all in on exactly what's happening in my life right now, why the knives are taking longer than expected. Obviously the variable frequency drive on my grinder going out didn't help production and cost all of us a month of waiting.
But I'm speaking of a couple bigger life issues.
My wife has been ill for over four years now. My littlest girl is three. When Heather was pregnant she experienced baffling symptoms. Random runs of heart rate over 200, blood pressure over 200 systolic, weird muscle cramps, stuff like that. They persisted after she delivered, which ruled out normal pregnancy causes, so she was sent to a rheumatologist, then another, then another. The opinions were as varied as the idiots we went to. Depression, fibromyalgia, an autoimmune disease that he couldn't put his finger on so he wouldn't treat. In the middle of all this she was fired from her primary care doctor for being "a problem patient." I've had only a few times I've had to make a conscious decision not to leave somewhere in handcuffs. That day in that dipshit's office was one of them. The other was when a hospitalist looked at her while she was admitted for a run of tachycardia and said, "we have a whole floor dedicated to people like you and if you come back I'll put you on it." (Meaning the psych ward) That guy did in fact end up against the wall while I explained to him the error of his thought process. I'm not a violent person, but two things I don't tolerate are willful stupidity and insulting my wife.
Meanwhile she got more and more sick. More and more in pain. I'd get off a 24 hour shift and she'd head straight to bed. I wouldn't see her but a couple hours in two days sometimes. I was barely sleeping. I had to leave work a couple times because I wasn't safe to be on the truck.
We finally got into Mayo Clinic after some bulldog bully maneuvers on my part. Amazingly enough, what doctors down here couldn't get figured out in three years, the Mayo docs had diagnosed in 36 hours. Cardiac problem, gastro problem, and an autoimmune disease. She's been up there three times in the past year. She goes to a local rheumatologist on April 2. Hopefully they are finally going to put her on enbrel or huimera and get her better. It's been Hell. There's been a pancreatic cancer scare in there too, which we still aren't quite sure about. Still testing that. There are cancer cells, but no tumor. Weird.
It has played hell with our marriage. She has PTSD from being sexually abused from 2 until 11 by an uncle. That coupled with the extreme pain and illness changing her personality has pushed us to the brink. We're trying to save our marriage but everyday is a struggle. We are fighting for it, because that's what you do, but I honestly don't know if it can be saved. It's the hardest thing I've ever done.
What does all this mean? A lot of times I want to be out in the shop but I can't because she's sick in bed. My job takes 1/3 of my life right off the top (I work 24 on, 48 off). A lot of times I haven't slept in 28-36 hours. I sleep about 4 1/2 hours a night on average. Everything gets crammed into the remaining two days, and a lot of times I'm playing single parent and catchup. It sucks, but it's my reality right now. Hopefully with her on the immunosuppressive meds she gets feeling better soon and we can get on with life.
I don't tell you all this for sympathy, but for you to understand why it might take a bit longer to make your knife. I am honestly afraid I might have bitten off more than I can chew with this Dart order. I should have limited it to 15 or so knives so I could have delivered in a decent amount of time. It's going to take some time to do this many knives to the level you all deserve, but they will get done. If anyone would rather not wait, I understand, email me and I'll take your name off the list. No hard feelings.
I'm trying to be as upfront with this as possible rather than hiding it. I'm in this knifemaking for the long haul. Life will get better and time will get more free, hopefully soon. But I've learned a valuable lesson about spreading myself so thin. From now on, when I take preorders I'm going to strictly limit them. I would rather fill five orders to the best of my ability in a reasonable amount of time than take 5 months on 25 orders. I will never sacrifice quality. I'd rather sacrifice a whole sale or two than rush 10 knives out the door.
Here's how the rest of this batch is going to go. I'm going to grind all the knives and send them to heat treat. Then, I'll do the handles in smaller batches of five or so knives. Get five done, send them to Ronnie for sheaths and send them out. Then the next five, then the next, and so on, until they're done.
Comments questions and concerns welcome.
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Brian, obviously my entire family's thoughts and prayers are with you and yours. I hope all ends well and I'm sure it will now with a correct diagnosis.
As for the knife, I know I'm number one on the list but I'll say this; put me last if needed, and get everyone else taken care of first. I'm in this for the long haul with you and proud you chose to me do build the sheaths for your incredible knives. I'm also proud to be associated with you and from my side, I'll call you my friend. I hope I can reach the high bar with my work and my sheaths, that you've set with the quality you produce. I can wait. Your family is first for you, and that means something. They're first for me too and more important than any blade.
I know we are many miles apart but if there is ever a time when I can help you, just let me know. If you need something posted here on your behalf or an email or something sent, call me and let me know and I'll be happy to help out.
Get some rest my friend. You're no good to the family if you're not rested and ready to support them when they need you.
Stay safe.
As for the knife, I know I'm number one on the list but I'll say this; put me last if needed, and get everyone else taken care of first. I'm in this for the long haul with you and proud you chose to me do build the sheaths for your incredible knives. I'm also proud to be associated with you and from my side, I'll call you my friend. I hope I can reach the high bar with my work and my sheaths, that you've set with the quality you produce. I can wait. Your family is first for you, and that means something. They're first for me too and more important than any blade.
I know we are many miles apart but if there is ever a time when I can help you, just let me know. If you need something posted here on your behalf or an email or something sent, call me and let me know and I'll be happy to help out.
Get some rest my friend. You're no good to the family if you're not rested and ready to support them when they need you.
Stay safe.
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Brian, that is a lot of honesty, especially to a bunch of people across the internet. I appreciate it. My familys prayers are with you also. There is no time constraint on my knife. I will be pleased when i get it no matter what.
Keep up the good fight.
Keep up the good fight.
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Wow. You certainly didn't have to share all that, but I do appreciate your honesty, and my heart goes out to you and your family. You can put me as last on the list for all I care a knife is nothing compared to family. If ever I can do anything to help you out, let me know. Keep on trucking my friend.
Brian.Evans
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Gentlemen, this is likely to be a long post, please bear with me.
Friday afternoon we got some wonderful news, kinda. Heather has Ulcerative Colitis, which as I understand my research to indicate a sister disease to Crohn's Disease. She has to have another colonoscopy to 100% confirm, but the rheumatologist indicated that the tests were pretty specific. She has had untreated symptoms for the last 4 years, which means the disease is fairly advanced. She just called me a few minutes ago and told me the doctor wanted to admit her, but she said no because she was missing the kids too much. I am guessing she'll end up in the hospital tomorrow. She's in bad pain almost 24 hours a day and is hardly eating anymore. It just hurts too bad.
This is the beginning of the end of a horrible, horrible road we've been on for four years. The light is at the end of the tunnel, which in some ways makes the day to day struggles harder. But we're almost there! One day at a time, right?
I was able to get out in the shop yesterday for a couple hours, which I desperately needed for my own mental health. Good to just let everything else go and focus on the steel for a bit. I played around with a bit different belt progression, and I really like it. I think it looks nice. Here are the results.
Progress gentlemen. I'm desperately hoping that by the end of next month she is feeling a bit better and I'm able to be in the shop 20-25 hours per week. She wants it as bad as I do. She's a wonderful person and we're going to be ok.
She asked me a couple days ago why I haven't left yet, with all the horrible things and sickness and everything. I told her that I took a vow and that I keep my word, but I really hoped that we could have a little bit of richer/health/good times instead of poorer/sickness/bad times. Lol. I love that girl.
Friday afternoon we got some wonderful news, kinda. Heather has Ulcerative Colitis, which as I understand my research to indicate a sister disease to Crohn's Disease. She has to have another colonoscopy to 100% confirm, but the rheumatologist indicated that the tests were pretty specific. She has had untreated symptoms for the last 4 years, which means the disease is fairly advanced. She just called me a few minutes ago and told me the doctor wanted to admit her, but she said no because she was missing the kids too much. I am guessing she'll end up in the hospital tomorrow. She's in bad pain almost 24 hours a day and is hardly eating anymore. It just hurts too bad.
This is the beginning of the end of a horrible, horrible road we've been on for four years. The light is at the end of the tunnel, which in some ways makes the day to day struggles harder. But we're almost there! One day at a time, right?
I was able to get out in the shop yesterday for a couple hours, which I desperately needed for my own mental health. Good to just let everything else go and focus on the steel for a bit. I played around with a bit different belt progression, and I really like it. I think it looks nice. Here are the results.
Progress gentlemen. I'm desperately hoping that by the end of next month she is feeling a bit better and I'm able to be in the shop 20-25 hours per week. She wants it as bad as I do. She's a wonderful person and we're going to be ok.
She asked me a couple days ago why I haven't left yet, with all the horrible things and sickness and everything. I told her that I took a vow and that I keep my word, but I really hoped that we could have a little bit of richer/health/good times instead of poorer/sickness/bad times.
Lol. I love that girl.
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Not concerned about time too much - yes, please add jimping
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Keep your lady happy Brian and make sure you do whatever you can #13 looks sexy in that bunch as well
#13 looks sexy in that bunch as well- Status