What's going on in your shop? Show us whats going on, and talk a bit about your work!

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The brass was too long and I think the stuff I have is too thin walled, I went with .020” because that works best according to USAKnifemaker, not with brass apparently.

I didn’t anneal the copper, it’s still a huge PITA on the arbor press. The press arm wobbles so much I’m having to move the die base around almost constantly.

SS went pretty easy, from an operations stand point it is best option, but I hate how it looks. I much prefer brass and copper, bronze would be even better looking IMO.
I’ll keep futzing with the copper and hopefully get it sorted.
 
Fallbrook Forge said:
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The brass was too long and I think the stuff I have is too thin walled, I went with .020” because that works best according to USAKnifemaker, not with brass apparently.

I didn’t anneal the copper, it’s still a huge PITA on the arbor press. The press arm wobbles so much I’m having to move the die base around almost constantly.

SS went pretty easy, from an operations stand point it is best option, but I hate how it looks. I much prefer brass and copper, bronze would be even better looking IMO.
I’ll keep futzing with the copper and hopefully get it sorted.
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have you tried the vise yet?
Do you wd40 your dies?
Thin walled might not be the problem.
 
Busto said:
my wife ran off with a Truck Driver and every time I hear one of those Air Horns I think he' bringing her back
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Thank you for this....this is a gem I will remember forever. I laughed so hard the first time I read this that my ribs hurt the next day and couldn't even manage to reply at the time. I can hear the honky tonk and smell stale beer from here and I love it!
 
Josh Rider said:
have you tried the vise yet?
Do you wd40 your dies?
Thin walled might not be the problem.
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Yes, It's very futzy, but if I dedicate a set of vise jaws to it that may help.

I use thread cutting fluid or johnson's paste wax.

I got 4 successful copper flares in a row today on a test piece
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and got my first handle done with SS tube.
 
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Thought I would share this with you all and hopefully get some advice.

Firstly, a bit about myself:
I'm 15 years old and homeschooled, so I can spend about 10 - 15 hours a week on knifemaking. I've been making blades for just over a year now, so there is tons of room for improvement, as you can see in the pics below.
Here are pictures of three knives I made on order end last year. This order was from a family member, and although I had planned to get a bit more practice in before starting to sell knives, the client insisted that I am good enough, but anyway, here are the pictures. Please don't look too closely, you will see how much of a noob I am! :)

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Also here is a kiridashi design I am working on. It is for a shop knife, so must be sturdy and tough. Details are on the pictures.
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I hope you all have a wonderful day! btw if this is posted like 2 am your time, I live in south africa.

Reuben
 
Hengelo_77 said:
Nice knife Reuben.
Constructive critisism: your handle is shaped 2D and blocky.
On the next one contour it more and shape it more 3D
Impressive for a 15yo
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Nice work Reuben! Hengelo is also on point. Look at some of the handle work in fixed knifes for sale area, especially the handle seen from the top. Tapering the handle towards the start and the end from the middle and rounding everything up is a good starting point. Palm rests and hollow grinds on the bottom part are also a standard, study Bob Loveless handles. Simple little life on YouTube shows some simple methods for handle shaping as well.

And keep on doing what you do! :)
 
Josh Rider said:
Sometimes failure is the only way forward.
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Damn straight. You can learn from others mistakes but only if you can find them. Some times the hard road is the only one available. Learning from your mistakes means more than "that didn't work". Really analyze things, only change one variable, and use a control. Try again. It's tough but its worth it.
 
I'll have a small table at an off road event in a couple of weeks. Trying to build some inventory. Here's a mini chopper in 5160/padauk/chechem and a camp utility in 440C with bubinga.19-31 2.JPG 19-37 2.JPG
 
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