Hillzula

This knife has heart and soul in it unlike something that came off of "good" equipment. That's the whole difference to me. Not saying it's not a very nice piece because it is, but the beauty and value is in the sweat equity and desire. Awesome.
 
Awesome job. Like Jeff said, this knife has blood, sweat and soul in it. I have a couple of ferrier rasps that I saved to make blades out of. This may just be the inspiration I needed to get off my behind and start working.
Cheers
Balding
 
I can't say any more that has'nt already been said. You did an unbelievable job on that first piece, particularly with just hand tools. There has to be a very real sense of accomplishment. This was primal and you shared the journey back into time with us.:thumbup:
 
Nice job! That must have taken quite some time to file and sand by hand.

I like the handle; it has a comfortable shape and I think the bone looks good. The pattern and color reminds me of branches I collected to make walking sticks that were burned during the wild fires out here. Some sections of the wood have fire pitting that looks somewhat similar.
 
I like your knife, MHill, and I like the attitude behind it even more.

Your post is inspirational to those of us who haven't made a knife yet :thumbup:
 
Yeah, the bone was challenging, to say the least. I have some Micarta here and thought about putting it on, but in the end, I stuck with my plan of making a more rustic looking blade. I like that look. If I make any more, I'm going to combine Micarta and bone on the scales. The problem with the bone is that it's heavy. I'm going to have to get a lot better and learn how to taper the tang to get the balance right.

I think anyone who has an appreciation of knives should make one in their lifetime. I went into this cocky as hell that I could have a completed knife that met my expectations. What I ended up with was a big dose of humility and humbleness, and a knife that doesn't have the fit and finish I would have liked.

I have a design I'm trying to work out. I want a skinner with a big bellied blade, no longer than 3" in length, with a full length handle that's a bit narrower at the forefinger. I keep playing around with designs, then I copy them, glue them on cardboard and cut them out. Everything looks good on paper, but it's nice to feel it in your hand. I think my next knife might end up somewhere in the middle between these two.

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The reason I put this here is because of the Izula. There is a reason the Izula is the baddest damn knife ever. If you're ever unsure of that, try and design a 6" long knife. I was coming out of my skin frustrated before I finally just copied my Izula.

I am going to try and do this again, but not until I get a few pieces of equipment. I'm trying to find a used 2"X72" Grizzly belt grinder, a descent drill press and a wood bandsaw for my scales. In the meantime, there is an older guy around me who is going to teach me how to forge. He doesn't make knives, but it will be fun to learn. I'm also going to try and find a knife maker close by who will trade my labor for some of his knowledge.
 
That is an absolutely bitchin blade you ended up with! I'm floored that it's your first one and it came out so great. All that sweat equity and desire really do add something to that knife that you can't draw into a design. Great work!
 
Put some micarta I had here on my real Izula.

I wish I would have put together a photo diary of my Izula. This knife has been through the ringer. I'm going to get myself a 3 and put one together. It would make a great coffee table book.

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