Martell Knife Blanks: WIP

Japanese Knives - by Tokushu Knife
Miura knives
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I don't get the problem with the hardened tangs. They came pre-drilled so what's the diamond file supposed to be for?
 
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My current WIP. So far, an enjoyable and educational endeavor.
 
JayGee said:
So that you can file the tang and handle flush.
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But you don't need to do that. You can just file the wood flush with the steel. You will get a little bit of damage to the file bit nothing much to worry about and then you polish them both together with sandpaper. No need to file the metal.
 
merlijny2k said:
But you don't need to do that. You can just file the wood flush with the steel. You will get a little bit of damage to the file bit nothing much to worry about and then you polish them both together with sandpaper. No need to file the metal.
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I use nice rasps that I'd rather not destroy on hard steel.
 
valgard said:
I've actually seen Tanner grinding a cleaver on his parking lot's pavement a few months ago lol.
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Yes, reprofiling on the pavement was easy, thinning even the softer cladding to the extent I want isn't fun lol. I almost feel ashamed by the lack of progress/effort I'm made after seeming this thread and cheflivengood's work
 
Sorry I didn't have a chance to post a description. I ground it whisper thin. Dave gave me one directive before I started: You know what you like. Go make it. So that's what I did. I got a good bit of advice and encouragement from him and Trey from Comet Knives. I had the blade done before the Holidays but had to wait for the time to make a handle. I felt obligated to make my own handle for it and located some bocote and buffalo horn locally.
 
It wasn't a perfectly smooth process. I made a couple of errors of which I had expected at least a couple but I caught them in time and made adjustments. I can't say for sure what my favorite moment was but definitely when that handle was fitted and I put a couple of coats.of tung oil on the handle, it was pretty exciting.
 
Dave, you should offer some smaller blades too. I think 210s and 240s would sell, and would be a little less work to finish. Probably very little less but still...

Great work guys, I wish I had the skill to attempt something like this.
 
Barmoley said:
Dave, you should offer some smaller blades too. I think 210s and 240s would sell, and would be a little less work to finish. Probably very little less but still...

Great work guys, I wish I had the skill to attempt something like this.
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Agree that smaller blades would be good to offer.

But... don't think you need skill to attempt this. Just enthusiasm and desire. Having guidance and tools helps too. Skills will develop.
 
my progress. 220 vertical scratches. s ground with ferric chloride.

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Miles said:
Sorry I didn't have a chance to post a description. I ground it whisper thin. Dave gave me one directive before I started: You know what you like. Go make it. So that's what I did. I got a good bit of advice and encouragement from him and Trey from Comet Knives. I had the blade done before the Holidays but had to wait for the time to make a handle. I felt obligated to make my own handle for it and located some bocote and buffalo horn locally.
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Holy cow that knife is thin! Not even many Japanese smiths go that far down. I did it once by hand on a cheap softsteel knife just to see how far I could go. It's still in regular use for all sorts of stuff but mostly for cutting chicken breasts. Food release is pretty bad though. How is yours in cutting? Tried some thick carrots yet? Should be super on those.
 
So far it's really nice. Ive been testing it on various veg. Release is pretty good. Time will tell as to how well it holds up. But honestly, I expect it will take a couple sharpening sessions before it settles into it's true sweet spot. Since I'm the one using it, I'm not too worried about it. I don't think I'd make anything this thin for anyone else. The balance point is where you would want it to be and I'm happy with the handle. I modeled it on the handles on the Suisin IH series. It feels exactly as I had hoped it would.
 
Miles said:
So far it's really nice. Ive been testing it on various veg. Release is pretty good. Time will tell as to how well it holds up. But honestly, I expect it will take a couple sharpening sessions before it settles into it's true sweet spot. Since I'm the one using it, I'm not too worried about it. I don't think I'd make anything this thin for anyone else. The balance point is where you would want it to be and I'm happy with the handle. I modeled it on the handles on the Suisin IH series. It feels exactly as I had hoped it would.
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Anything in particular you think contributes to its good food release?
 
JayGee said:
For the handle, I've got a nice little block that I bought ages ago from a mill when I was buying boards for furniture. Can't remember what it is at all! Anyone know? Its def a native Aus species. Will try and arrange it with yellow (sapwood) on the bottom of the handle.

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Looks like Tasmanian Blackwood to me.
 
Burl Source said:
Looks like Tasmanian Blackwood to me.
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Thanks BS. I've made a few things and have some furniture of Tasmanian Blackwood - I actually always bring home blackwood and Huon pine when I go to Tassie - and this is much much heavier and denser... Also the colour may not be clear in the picture, but it is redder.
 
JayGee said:
Thanks BS. I've made a few things and have some furniture of Tasmanian Blackwood - I actually always bring home blackwood and Huon pine when I go to Tassie - and this is much much heavier and denser... Also the colour may not be clear in the picture, but it is redder.
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In that case it is probably one of the arid region acacias. You have a lot of really dense woods there in the acacia family. Probably one of the acacias in the mulga family. It looks like there will be some nice curly figure when you sand and finish the wood.
 
Burl Source said:
In that case it is probably one of the arid region acacias. You have a lot of really dense woods there in the acacia family. Probably one of the acacias in the mulga family. It looks like there will be some nice curly figure when you sand and finish the wood.
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Exciting - can't wait to finish it and see how it comes out.
 
Well - after several more afternoons in Kippington's garage - pretty much done - just oiling up now! This is actually not the block from the photos above, I cooked that one on Kipp's grinder. It was Mulga (as IDd by Burl Source) but fortunately I found a little more. This handle is made just with hand tools - a saw rasp and a diamond file:

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Thanks Dave - other tools I needed for the handle were a hacksaw (to cut the pins) and a 1.5mm chisel to cut the excess epoxy off the front of the handle. Will show more pics when it's all done.
 
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