Finally after only about 7 (?) years comes the first Martell butcher knife! :biggrin:
Yeah I've wanted to make butcher knives for soooooo long I can't even remember when I had the first thought, likely way before I even started making knives. The reason for this is that one of my hobbies has been researching and collecting butcher knives/cleavers. I'm always on the lookout for something I haven't seen before or a pristine example of a nice pattern. Ebay used to be my friend. LOL
Since I started making knives I started looking at these old knives with a new eye and I see things I didn't see before. Profiles, patterns, grinds, handle shapes, etc. This got my mind working and thinking about what I could make but I always pushed this aside because I figured why make knives that are so obscure, they might not sell. :dontknow:
Then one night last week (at about 9:00pm) I just picked up an old throwaway blade (that's a knife that I had previously worked on and screwed up on the grinding) and drew a pattern onto the blade and started to go to town on the profile. After some time I had what you see below - a 7" butcher's knife.
Yes I did just jump right in and start work but the pattern I drew was something that I had been sitting on for years. It's a direct copy of a vintage Goodell's butcher knife pattern from 1930's or before. *Note - Goodell Cutlery later became or merged with Chicago Cutlery
The handle pattern is also from the same knife yet I added some vintage Forgecraft flair to it. I chose a simple unstabilized wood (African Blackwood) since this is similar to that of a premier option/upgrade of rosewood or cocobolo that would have been offered on pro models back in the day. Two nickel silver pins have been added to the hidden tang styled handle mostly for looks as I had seen this done on some old knives and liked the look.
The blade has been fully convex ground down to the very edge but then I added a slight bevel for ease of sharpening. This is a thin blade yet little flex will be experienced. And the heal has been rounded to help keep the blade from biting the user should the hand slip forward.
I really like how this knife came out. It feels wonderful in my hand and is everything I had hoped that I could make it be. The only negative that I can say is that I made a mistake in picking up stainless when I had thought of (and intended it to be) a carbon blade. Oh well...maybe next time.
And speaking of next time, should you want one of these knives for yourself, I'd be more than happy to make one for you. :wink:
Stats...
Model - Butcher
Blade Length - 7.5 in (177mm)
Steel - CPM-154 (PM stainless steel)
Hardness - Rc 61-62 (with cryo)
Height (at widest point - belly curve) - 38mm
Handle - Vintage American Butcher Pattern
Handle Dimensions - 17mm x 25mm x 115mm
Handle Materials - African Blackwood (unstabilized) & nickel silver pins
Price - $375
Shipping - Included in USA only / International - will split cost with buyer
Please contact through PM or email if interested in purchasing.
Thanks,
Dave
Yeah I've wanted to make butcher knives for soooooo long I can't even remember when I had the first thought, likely way before I even started making knives. The reason for this is that one of my hobbies has been researching and collecting butcher knives/cleavers. I'm always on the lookout for something I haven't seen before or a pristine example of a nice pattern. Ebay used to be my friend. LOL
Since I started making knives I started looking at these old knives with a new eye and I see things I didn't see before. Profiles, patterns, grinds, handle shapes, etc. This got my mind working and thinking about what I could make but I always pushed this aside because I figured why make knives that are so obscure, they might not sell. :dontknow:
Then one night last week (at about 9:00pm) I just picked up an old throwaway blade (that's a knife that I had previously worked on and screwed up on the grinding) and drew a pattern onto the blade and started to go to town on the profile. After some time I had what you see below - a 7" butcher's knife.
Yes I did just jump right in and start work but the pattern I drew was something that I had been sitting on for years. It's a direct copy of a vintage Goodell's butcher knife pattern from 1930's or before. *Note - Goodell Cutlery later became or merged with Chicago Cutlery
The handle pattern is also from the same knife yet I added some vintage Forgecraft flair to it. I chose a simple unstabilized wood (African Blackwood) since this is similar to that of a premier option/upgrade of rosewood or cocobolo that would have been offered on pro models back in the day. Two nickel silver pins have been added to the hidden tang styled handle mostly for looks as I had seen this done on some old knives and liked the look.
The blade has been fully convex ground down to the very edge but then I added a slight bevel for ease of sharpening. This is a thin blade yet little flex will be experienced. And the heal has been rounded to help keep the blade from biting the user should the hand slip forward.
I really like how this knife came out. It feels wonderful in my hand and is everything I had hoped that I could make it be. The only negative that I can say is that I made a mistake in picking up stainless when I had thought of (and intended it to be) a carbon blade. Oh well...maybe next time.
And speaking of next time, should you want one of these knives for yourself, I'd be more than happy to make one for you. :wink:
Stats...
Model - Butcher
Blade Length - 7.5 in (177mm)
Steel - CPM-154 (PM stainless steel)
Hardness - Rc 61-62 (with cryo)
Height (at widest point - belly curve) - 38mm
Handle - Vintage American Butcher Pattern
Handle Dimensions - 17mm x 25mm x 115mm
Handle Materials - African Blackwood (unstabilized) & nickel silver pins
Price - $375
Shipping - Included in USA only / International - will split cost with buyer
Please contact through PM or email if interested in purchasing.
Thanks,
Dave
