Expensive Junk

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mhenry

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So I have been grinding on this damn handle all weekend trying to fix it. I give up:bashhead:, I just dont think I can salvage it. It has symmetry issues, its not flat, the bevels are too big, the taper is off, its a mess.The problems are subtle but big enough to qualify the handle for the trash can.

I have got 35.00 in that piece of Black Ash ,and I figure another conservative 15.00 in the ferrule, spacer, and misc. 50 bucks down the crapper. I am wondering how much junk if any you guys are producing and what you estimate your sucess rate is. I would put mine at around 70%.
Mike
 
Anyone doing handles on any level is loosing some here and there. I know I've lost over $400-500 easily. I don't do wa-handles though - I bet I'd be worse at them even still. I feel your pain though man but at least you can feel better knowing that we all lose some.
 
Yup. It happens. At least your junk handle shows some awesome skill, if it's any consolation...
 
I just killed one yesterday that was almost done, happens all the time even after having done quite a few. Where I am 'losing' the most is on custom orders. They have to be a certain size and design, and if I mess up, it's often trash. If I just make my own designs, it's easier: When I start working on a gyuto handle and mess up the symmetry or something else, I just keep on sanding until I have it right and then call the thinner result a yanagi handle ;)

Too bad about yours, it looks real classy and with the metal spacers I can imagine the work you put into it.

Stefan
 
That's a good idea. A petty! Just grind it down, there's a smaller handle in there somewhere.
 
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That's an interesting point. That looks heavy though. Wouldn't the resulting knife feel like all handle with nothing attached to it?
 
You can hollow it out quite a bit with the right file/rasp to lose some weight, or even angle the bottom portion of the butt to lose a bit more material. Just a thought :)
 
that handle looks really great, regardless of the flaws, so i'd try to figure out a way to salvage it.
 
As long as you've given up on it you might as well send it over to me and I will dispose of it safely!
 
while i have latly made my fair share of junk (14 handles to get 8 steak knives done )

that looks fine and remember most WA are not perfect and also ther is nothing wrong with how a "flat" wa works since most of my tangs are tall i end up making many knives with "wa" handles that are taller then they are wide
so long as you get the angles right having the sides a bit wider then the top and bottom are not bad and in some cases work better
 
Pensacola Tiger said:
Mike,

Any chance you could be trim it into a wa-petty handle?

Rick
Click to expand...

Hey Rick,
I suppose I could try, but I dont have a petty to put it on It was intended for a Konosuke Gyuto. The only petty I have has a Stefan handle.
 
The handle hole tends to be oversized, while the ferrule hole is snug, so it really shouldn't negatively affect anything. Certain epoxies expand quite dramatically (but keep the same weight). Not to mention, the shear strength in any decent epoxy is greater than that of wood. You'd effectively be losing mass, while increasing strength.
 
mhenry said:
Hey Rick,
I suppose I could try, but I dont have a petty to put it on It was intended for a Konosuke Gyuto. The only petty I have has a Stefan handle.
Click to expand...

Sounds like an excuse to buy a new petty! Or make it for a petty and sell it.
 
...Somebody should make an offer....
 
I am going to try to salvage it, and make a petty handle. I will let you guys know how it turns out.
Thanks Mike
 
tk59 said:
That's an interesting point. That looks heavy though. Wouldn't the resulting knife feel like all handle with nothing attached to it?
Click to expand...

tk empty your mailbox I cant send you a PM
 
Mike,
It does happen, I have send more wood and steel into the trash than most of you will ever see.
There comes a point however when skill and confidence meet and you can do great work. I have had many projects where there was no possibility of backup. I made a blade for Mark at itsaburl, out of a piece of meteorite he sent me. I had never seen another piece like it(size shape type pattern) and I will probably never see another. There were no backups and no room to screw up. There is a point where you can't afford to be nervous, because you will sabotage yourself. Now maybe you are not quite there with your skill, and you need more practice.
Think about this, I make gold/silver mokume, somtimes with several thousand $$$ worth of materials. I really can't afford to screw up, and I don't.
(Oh and by the way I make damascus petty blades) ;)
Del
 
mhenry said:

I am wondering how much junk if any you guys are producing and what you estimate your sucess rate is. I would put mine at around 70%.
Mike
Click to expand...

I am probably pretty close to 70%. I get irritated easily so I usually end up working with crap until I get motivated to re-re-handle. From the looks of it that is not only 50.00 but quite a few hours too. Good luck in trying to make it work!
 
Lefty said:
...Somebody should make an offer....
Click to expand...

I can offer to fix it, that is to make it smaller and to fix symetry :)

Most of my handles are not salvageable, because they are made for a specific size knife. For example, height of a 'nipple' on my handles depends on the height of a machi on a knife, so it is not easy and sometimes is not possible to downsize if you have a size in mind that is appropriate for a particular knife. Handles without nipple or internal support pins or oversize tang cavity, could be downsized.

M
 
Marko
That is a very cool offer and I really appreciate it. I have already started grinding it down. Looks like it will be fine I have had to take so much material off that alot of the dimensional issues are gone its pretty much a new start.

I do have a question about polishing metal spacers if you dont mind I will send you a PM


Marko Tsourkan said:
I can offer to fix it, that is to make it smaller and to fix symetry :)

Most of my handles are not salvageable, because they are made for a specific size knife. For example, height of a 'nipple' on my handles depends on the height of a machi on a knife, so it is not easy and sometimes is not possible to downsize if you have a size in mind that is appropriate for a particular knife. Handles without nipple or internal support pins or oversize tang cavity, could be downsized.

M
Click to expand...
 
mhenry said:
...

I do have a question about polishing metal spacers if you don't mind I will send you a PM
Click to expand...

Sure thing, though I don't do anything extra for polishing outside fine-sanding it (220, 320, 600, 1000, 1500) and then buffing with chromium oxide on 1800rpm buffer. I have had best results with real silver.

I think it is important to do some sanding on a granite plate. It helps to remove metal and wood at the same rate (as opposed to sanding on a padded surface), but on fine grits I do sand on a padded surface, as it gives a nicer finish and material removal is not an issue.

M
 
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