Alex Middleton

Damn that's nice. I think I'd have a hard time parting with it as well. Thanks for taking us along on the journey for this one. A slipjoint is on my list, and I'm sure I'll be coming back to this thread for reference.

Gorgeous Brian! I've really enjoyed watching this one come together.

I had a similar problem on a high grit finish blade. I ended up putting the edge of my sandpaper tight up ahainst the handle, placing a piece of steel over top as a backer, and then drawing it back toward me one stroke at a time. It took a while, and I had to use a different edge of the sandpaper every couple of strokes, but I was eventually able to get the scratches out and keep the strokes blended with the rest of the blade.

Not too bad, thanks for asking. As per my usual the engraving and tooling look like a 10 year old did them, but he was very happy with it. He carried it with him during our hunting season and field dressed 2 deer with it.

I am truly digging this build. That handle is going to be amazing!

Thanks @Martin Brandt. I typically use a toaster oven to finish drying my wood out before stabilizing, but it's usually somewhat seasoned before I start. I guess the question I should have asked was; Does fresh cut burl typically react well to rapid drying for stabilizing, or should it be allowed to naturally season first? I'll search around some and see what I can come up with. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.

Can the burl be stabilized right after harvesting? Or should it be allowed to cure for a while first?

Gorgeous.

Another trick if you don't have the clay is to tape coins to the end of the handle until you get the balance you are looking for.

Excellent first! I really like how you had a plan and stuck with it. On the next one, take what you learned that worked and do it again. What didn't work, figure out a way to do it different and see how it goes. Don't be afraid to ask questions here. There's a ton of guys that will freely share their experiences and will help to guide you around some of the more aggravating issues that can pop up. Welcome to the madness!

Thanks Jerrod, that's good to know.

Out of curiosity, what % of martensite can the average backyard smith expect to yield using simple steels and quenching at decalescense?

You didn't buy left handed bits did you? Since you seem to have avoided the common pitfall of trying to "anneal" the steel yourself, you're farther ahead than I was my first few tries. Like Bruno said, carbide bits are awesome if you have a good solid drill press. Unfortunately they are quite expensive when compared to cobalt or HSS bits. I've found that cobalt bits are a good middle ground between price and performance. Run them slow, keep it well lubricated (3-in-1 oil or tapping fluid, NOT WD-40!), and keep a good constant pressure. As Alan mentioned, you should see a constant flow of chips, otherwise adjust your pressure one way or the other until you do. Good luck!

Are you drilling before or after hardening?

Gotcha. I've never tried sharpening on a round rod. It does seem like there are a lot of butchers out there that would disagree though.