My First Knife WIP

I have some redwood burl to put on it, I think I may have cut it wrong though:eek: I am hoping it will still look good though once I shape them. I will be using it when its done and know its going to get scratched. I just want it to look the best it can on the day I say its finished and for the end product picture:cool:. After that I will do my best to maintain the look but I wont baby it:D
 
unky_gumbi said:
I have some redwood burl to put on it, I think I may have cut it wrong though:eek: I am hoping it will still look good though once I shape them. I will be using it when its done and know its going to get scratched. I just want it to look the best it can on the day I say its finished and for the end product picture:cool:. After that I will do my best to maintain the look but I wont baby it:D
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I'm like you when it comes to my knives... I use 'em all. This is one reason that I like to finish my lumber with many coats of tung oil... especially if it's something I'm gifting to someone else. As the finish wears, it's easy for me (or who ever), to just give it a rub with a fresh coat. At worse, if necessary, a buff with some 0000 steel wool and then a fresh coat or two will bring the finish back.
 
Great work ! Tru Oil wood be a headache to properly use on an assemled knife handle. The tung oil sounds good. If it gets a bit sticky, use a little heat, and once you figure there seems to be enough on the handle a little more heat and a good rub. Frank
 
I am trying to decide between the tung oil and CA glue finish, then there is Burl Source's Tung/Varnish finish. I have tested the first 2 on a couple of pieces of scrap, the tung oil left the wood a little soft, the CA doesn't have as deep a finish. I also have a test of a couple of coats of Tung oil and one coat of CA to try and get the best of both worlds. The test pieces are sitting at work right now and I haven't looked at them since yesterday. tomorrow I will be giving them some toughness test to see what I wil be using.
 
So after a weekend of sanding I finished up at 1500 grit

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The wet part of my sanding was a 1:1 mixture of water and Pedro's degreaser/bike wash, simplely because it was in a spray bottle on my work bench. It worked amazingly well too. I only went past the 400 grit from the bolster pin holes to the tip. There are light scratches from the 1500 that the camera isnt picking up, what you are seeing is smudge marks that I didn't fully wipe away:eek: I also sanded the spine and all the edges to the same point

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Its not the best picture but you can see the reflection in it. So now its on to polishing out those last few scratches and working on the handle. After that I need to make a sheath. I was going to go with Kydex at the start, even bought a piece to make it, but as the project moved forward I decided that Kydex just wouldn't suit the knife. So leather it is, I will be wet forming it, and either leaving it the natural brown or dying it a deep redish brown to match the scales.

Being that I have made this knife with almost all hand tools I would like to continue with that theme, does anyone have any advice on hand polishing out the last few scratches?
 
Wow, you will be shaving with that thing.
I am loving watching you build, but you are away to the back pages, any hopes of starting a new one? I think a lot of other people would like to see your progress but do not go this far back in the pages, just a thought.
Cheers Ron.
 
I just keep getting bumped back because there are so many posts happening here right now, you could look at that as a good thing because the forum is active.

still trying to get a finish on the blade that I am happy with. I am giving up on the hand polishing, it just isnt working for me, The last attempt actually took the finish backwards, so tonight after work I will be running out and getting some 2000 grit paper and take the sanding to that and see if I like it. I really don't want to have to farm out the last step getting the sheen I want.

I did manage to get the handle cut out for one of the bowies I have on the go. I went and bought one of the claro walnut pepper mill blanks at Lee Valley, wasn't sure what I would get from it, but the grain lines up and flows nicely withthe baic shape of the handle. Should look real good when rounded out and finished.
 
Mungo Park said:
Wow, you will be shaving with that thing.
I am loving watching you build, but you are away to the back pages, any hopes of starting a new one? I think a lot of other people would like to see your progress but do not go this far back in the pages, just a thought.
Cheers Ron.
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If you go into user cp and go down to Default Thread Subscription Mode, choose instant email notification. Then everytime you post in a thread it is automatically subscribed. then you will know every time there is a new post in a thread. buy you will need to post a new post in this thread for it to work on this one!!

Otherwise you can just go to the top of the page in only thread you are interested in and go to thread tools...subscribe with instant email notification for just that thread!!
 
If you think that a 1000x hand rubbed finish looks bad like that, take a look at it with an opti-visor or other magnification. :eek:

Looks good to me.... my first knife I hand rubbed to a 2500x finish, I look at it every now and again and almost want to puke at how bad the finish is.
 
unky_gumbi great thread. Very interesting to see the step by step process. I like the idea of the file jig. Can you explain how you made it? Or maybe there is a thread about making one? Looks like a nice thing to have. At least for me a beginner . Can't wait to see the finished knife great work. John
 
I just joined the forum - this is my first post, actually. I've read this thread from the beginning and I am really enjoying the evolution of the knife. Thanks for creating the thread and being so diligent about posting your progress.
 
ChasePhase said:
Ditto on the file jig...I am looking to make one and was checking out the pic.
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I will see what I can do about finding my cad drawing of it and send it to you, I had a friend make it for me because I didn't have the tools to do it my self. I was thinking of selling them but the cost of building them like mine means I would have to sell them for about $300 cnd, for that price you could almost build a 72X2 NWG
 
knucklebuster said:
I just joined the forum - this is my first post, actually. I've read this thread from the beginning and I am really enjoying the evolution of the knife. Thanks for creating the thread and being so diligent about posting your progress.
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Thanks a lot, it has been fun for me and everyone here has been helpful and encouraging.
Now if I could just get a finish I am happy with on the blade I could move onto the handle and sheath. I have a friend that takes good pictures and and all the gear to do so, including a light box so he will be taking some "good" pictures of the finished first knife instead of my shakey pics
 
Will Leavitt said:
If you think that a 1000x hand rubbed finish looks bad like that, take a look at it with an opti-visor or other magnification. :eek:

Looks good to me.... my first knife I hand rubbed to a 2500x finish, I look at it every now and again and almost want to puke at how bad the finish is.
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Thanks Will, I am picky I want this thing to be perfect when I call it done, but I am sure that I will look back at it in time and wish I had done it better:D
 
unky_gumbi said:
I will see what I can do about finding my cad drawing of it and send it to you, I had a friend make it for me because I didn't have the tools to do it my self. I was thinking of selling them but the cost of building them like mine means I would have to sell them for about $300 cnd, for that price you could almost build a 72X2 NWG
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I would be interested in the plans too!!!

Awesome work so far too, I am excited to see it finished!
 
Ok I will look through all my cad drawings and get them out to you in a PDF but I will need email adresses because I dont think I can attach file in private messeges just pm them to me. I dont have a parts list so you will have to fill in the blanks with what ever you have available. I will also update what ever mods I made from the original and what I feel needs to be done to make it work better.
 
If you're looking for something to hand polish it you can check out these Stacy sent me some when he sent me my starter package. But he said you can use them until they're shredded and you can get it up to 8000
 
Fletch Helical said:
If you're looking for something to hand polish it you can check out these Stacy sent me some when he sent me my starter package. But he said you can use them until they're shredded and you can get it up to 8000
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Thanks Fletch I will be heading to the local 3m/ machine place on monday to see if they have it or can get it. I was also thinking of giving some lapping film a try. So far everything I have tried has just put the scratches in different places but hasnt lessened them
 
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