shane45

Would seem easy enough to test. Quench next to a sizable magnet. If that dont do it then the Earth's magnetic field certainly isnt going to.

Im sure you know this but making sure you are "pecking" as you drill and keeping it well lubed are important as well as the aforementioned rigidity.

Bridgeports and the like bring a 3 phase power issue most dont want to deal with. If you can locate one, a Clausing 8520 is a good choice. Its small enough to move without having to hire a rigger, can run on 110/220 single phase, and is highly accurate. Its a true knee mill. For the size envelope I think bladesmiths would need, it would be a good fit. There are some acceptable versions of mill pictured above. I just havent looked in so long I dont know who has the decent ones these days. It used to be industrial hobbies that took a base and gutted it and put all their own internals and table on it. But I believe they went out of business. True machinists will likely thumb their nose at the RF45 type milling machines, but for whats being asked of the machine in this context, I think it would easily do the job.

I know that FIF isnt a big fav here but I raise my right hand and admit that I like the show. Now the new Beat The Judges, I thought was very good. I particularly liked the episode with Burt Foster. I think it was the best FIF episode to date.

Do you have a trailer that can carry the weight? I have moved a few milling machines in the mid 3k range by hiring a heavy tow truck to lift it while I slid the trailer under it. This being a good deal heavier, Im not sure what the wreckers limits are but might be worth looking into.

Me! Im still unhappy that Mr. James beat us to the table! Knowing this project continued on would have eased that irritation

You forgot to call!!!!!

If its within the scope of your project, you could send the parts off to be DLC coated. This is not a paint. Its a PVD coating that bonds with the metal surface. It is very tough.

As noted earlier, the current season of competitors didnt have the advantage of reviewing previous episodes. So it would be my guess that by the time you get on, the challenges will have changed and may favor something else completely. But I guess that may still make the most well rounded implement the best bet.

Couple things that surprise me about that show. The absolute junk knives that are showing up. More than a few! I would have expected a bit less ebay pakistan steel to be showing up. The other thing that surprises me is that a lot of the competitors dont work within the strengths and weakness of their selected blade at each stage. It also seems odd that they let swords compete against knives too.

The bottom left one looks very much like a Treeman Recon Hunter. I own one and like it a lot. Very useful shape and size.

The Reeder is the one catching my eye, anyone have experience with that one?

Joshua, I suspect we are in agreement on most things. Personally I am not looking for support of my opinion. I am looking for ideas and concepts that may cause me to evolve or abandon it. Having been through similar conversations in the pistolsmithing world it held interest for me. I cant say it has changed any post this conversation. And I accept that my lines in the sand may be different from others. But what I can tell you from experience is that it turns into a giant disappointment for all when someone in a subgroup steps out of their lane, which takes an ethical abandonment to do, and is exposed later. I have seen this enough times to be very wary of it. Hurt customers, devalued product a premium was paid for, lawsuits, closed companies, all bad. Caveat Emptor indeed! On that we agree and thankfully I have personally never been involved in one of these sad events. But I digress, again we are off in the weeds. Regards, Shane

I wasn't sure what you meant. I figured it was NOT the Federal Trade Commission. But a quick dance with Google suggests that is what you meant. And one of the very first comments on the topic I ran into was from a Jeweler decrying what has become of making jewelry and how the assemblers have decimated the craft due to the overpopulation of people in the trade that cant actually make anything themselves.... Anecdotal, but it sure seemed relevant to my position.

Im not debating the end. I don't think the end leaves any question. Im looking for the beginning. For me, you have to be able to make the blade to be a knife maker. Id venture a guess that to be accepted into any kind of knifemaker guild this is also true.