Gerhard Gerber

Hi Bruno I have 6mm stainless rod, but getting that down to 4mm accurately enough will be a mission, I use 4mm and 6mm solid rod for pins and drill 4.1 and 6.1mm respectively so the fit is quite tight. I liked your one idea, I only need one pin, but I honestly can't recall ever having seen stainless screws for sale locally. Also, I would need to buy at least 1m of SS flatbar for the guard.......not much other use for what's left. I made a batch of small knives where I used CA glue to seal the micarta handles, nice effect but I won't be sealing this handle. It'll be a first for me, let's see. Solder doesn't take on Alu I believe......

As somebody vastly my superior in all parts of this craft said in a video I watched this weekend, "To get to the top there are no shortcuts", and he was referring to making drawings of projects before starting. My way of saying pics to follow... At this stage my plan is about 20cm of 4mm thick 14C28N with a hollow grind, the "tang" will raise from the back of the blade with enough space for 2 x 6mm pins. The handle will be a pancake of micarta slabs enclosing the "tang" and going up vertically like a joystick grip, but extending below the wrist to accommodate a wrist strap. The guy the knife is meant for has very little grip strength, but he manages to use normal knives to some extent. I'm very unsure if this will work and how to price it. I'll post a sketch of what I planned as soon as possible, but ideas are welcome as well as pointers if anybody's done something like this before.

I actually worked at a friend's engineering shop after my last retrenchment, learned to use the lathe and mill, unfortunately his machines are too busy for me to use them occasionally, can't see myself owning anything like that.

I've seen them for sale on a South African site for 700, while I pay 40-80 for various kinds of Pherd files.......horrendously expensive

I'm trying some chef's knives and at this stage the belt grinder only leaves a slightly neater surface to fix up with draw filing than an angle grinder would,

@Conner Michaux you're forgetting rule number something or other.......Tool Up Or Die You've got some nice handle material, if you pull off that design surely you could sell that knife....? And buy the next piece of equipment? I know it feels like forever in the beginning, took me two year-end bonuses to get some basics.......

The handle. I would like to try something similar, don't have a machine that makes cuts that wide but my dad gave me the idea of putting 2 (or 3) blades in a normal hacksaw. Whatever you did with the blade is magic way above my pay grade! Thanks for sharing Gary, I get a lot of inspiration from your work.

Aluminium it is.

Turned off mobile data and wifi on my phone and got some work done, somehow my wrist hurts more from the draw filing that it normally does after forging. I don't know how much patience we're supposed to have, but it's established fact that I suck at selling, so....... 3rd round over several months, 2 days in I had the blade marked on the steel when the dude starts in about tip shapes, and the next moment I'm looking at something completely and utterly different. Going to the physio this afternoon, I expect walking & such will be out of the question afterwards, so I'll get back to him then

Always nice to see you perform your magic Gary, and this one is special. Learned something from how you do that checkering, thank you very much!

I'm of the firm opinion that there's nothing new under the sun, even less so when it comes to blade shapes. So what I do is complete immersion, looks at as many knives constantly as you can manage. Want to make a Bowie? look at a zillion Bowies and use the parts that you like Want to make a kitchen knife?......you get the idea. See a knife here that you like? Copy it, or try to, might not be your design but with blood sweat and tears the knife is yours.

The stock is thin enough that grind might work, but I agree 100% with Doug on that point. As for "ugly"..... I've spent quite a bit of time over the last two days trying to decide on a design for a guy that wants a knife looks cool, can be used for anything, and never needs sharpening. It started at a modified push dagger with a sheepsfoot blade, he has limited use of his hands so imagine a kitchen knife with a slanted push dagger grip. His Idea, I like it......then suddenly it's not cool enough..... To get back to your knife, I guess the spearpoint is a perfect compromise in all directions, and if this was a 100+ years ago that's most likely how your knife would have looked. In general I like the knife.

I've got a lift for a knife back to NZ end of July so I'm making something for my best friend from high school who is lucky enough to have escaped. I'm using and O1 blank only 9cm long, he asked for a simple drop point, flat grind and a swedge. Long story short, the blade came out good, he wants black and green micarta......but the hardware.....he wants a bright finish, basically SS. Normally I use Brass of Copper flatbar about 2mm thick and matching 4mm pins......which is al the tang allows. I can't get 4mm SS rod in this country I have suitable mild steel and I was expecting to use that, I fully expected him to want something completely impractical, but now I have the complication that he'd like to use for food prep occasionally. I've never used mild steel for this purpose, is it advisable and how should I finish it? So Aluminium, I've seen the documentary, but I still use "tin" foil to roast veggies on the fire........also an option, what says the crowd?

I'm a large, slow-moving target, even if I have a knife, a stick is my weapon.

Nice! Both of them......but I agree with Brian. Also.....the biggest piece of S35V I've ever seen!