KITH WIP Tanto

[billyO]

On 8/19/2019 at 6:35 PM, Alex Middleton said:

piece of maple. Is it stabalized?

 

On 8/19/2019 at 6:53 PM, Conner Michaux said:

Yep k&g stabilized I believe. 

Yes, it was stabilized by K&G.  

[billyO]

16 hours ago, Joshua States said:

While I generally trust K&G to stabilize properly, I still always test any "stabilized" wood I purchase. Fill a small pail with water and drop the wood in. If it sinks, it's stabilized. If it floats, it isn't stabilized all the way through. This becomes less important, if you use the whole piece and only grind into the surface area. If you cut that block into scales, the unstabilized center becomes exposed.

Out of curiosity, Joshua, have you had any pieces done by K&G that weren't stabilized all the way through? 

Not asking to be argumentative, rather, I'm thinking about sending them some larger pieces than I normally do and I was wondering about this.

Thanks

[Joshua States]

3 hours ago, billyO said:

Out of curiosity, Joshua, have you had any pieces done by K&G that weren't stabilized all the way through? 

Not asking to be argumentative, rather, I'm thinking about sending them some larger pieces than I normally do and I was wondering about this.

Thanks

I have not had them do any custom stabilization. I have only purchased their pre-stabilized stock. I cannot remember anything I purchased from them failing my test. I have had other company's stabilized wood fail. I am curious about their stabilization services 

You probably don't know me as well as some of the other forumites, but I love to argue. I'm Sicilian, and arguing is just something we do to pass the time.  So don't ever be afraid to get argumentative with me, just be prepared for the long haul if you do. 

Edited August 21, 2019 by Joshua States

[billyO]

1 hour ago, Joshua States said:

You probably don't know me as well as some of the other forumites, but I love to argue. I'm Sicilian, and arguing is just something we do to pass the time. 

Buon giorno, Joshua!  Stai attento, mio nonno i nonni vengono Fabriano....so I know a bit about arguing too.  I go by billyO because growing up, nobody could pronounce my last name, but there were 4 pages of us "O"s in the Rome phone book back in 2000.

[Conner Michaux]

Oh and I forgot to mention, I got the maple from billy. 

[Conner Michaux]

I just noticed there’s one heck of a scratch towards the plunge line, and deep scratches are terrible... I’m goong to be taking it back to 400 grit to take any remaining scratches out of the blade, by the time im done sanding this thing, its going to be thin enough to the point that I can just strop it and leave it be. 

[Conner Michaux]

I bought a buffing wheel for the drill so I can a more consistent mirror finish,  copper should be here in a few days. This thing should be done soon, but I don’t think I’m gonna have time to buy leather for the sheath, I might be able to make a wooden saya, but chances are low. 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Conner Michaux]

this things almost done, I’ve got the guard tang hole pretty much sorted, and the hole in the handle is drilled.  This week hopefully. 

[Conner Michaux]

Handle roughly shaped. 

[Conner Michaux]

All the different flats on the handle are called facets right?  Any tips for cleaning up and making them look better? 

[Alan Longmire]

Same way you get sharp facets on metal, use files, then sand with a single thickness of paper on a hard backing.  That keeps the edges from rounding over.

[Conner Michaux]

It is unbelievable difficult and annoying to get these facets symmetrical to each other.   What’s the best way to go about doing this? 

[billyO]

46 minutes ago, Conner Michaux said:

What’s the best way to go about doing this?

Slowly  

Also, laying out the facets and using a pencil to draw lines on the handle helps.

So does sticking the sandpaper to the table and rubbing the handle on the paper to flatten the faces (or keep them flat, as the case may be).

 

 

Edited September 12, 2019 by billyO

[Conner Michaux]

It’s almost finished, I gotta sand the facets and rebuff the blade.

Edited September 15, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Conner Michaux]

Well, as I was sanding the last facet on the last grit I realized that there was more filing that needed to happen on one of the facets, so I started filing on it, trying to remove a big dip there was in the back of the handle, I took it out of the vice to get a better look and I realized that I removed way to much material, and now the handle is ruined, it’s beyond saving now.. ignore I can get another block fast enough then I’ll still be able to finish it, but right now it looks like I’ll have to drop out of kith for this year. 

[Gary LT]

Conner!i don’t know where the hole is but probably just below mid center perhaps? )like mine ! Think outside the box.....can you cut off half the handle or maybe a segment in the middle ( cigar band). Add a contrasting or complimentary wood perhaps. Have anywoodworking hobby stores near you? They’ll have a selection and not to pricey. Nix the facets though.....go with a clean tapered oval.

Gary LT

[Conner Michaux]

That’s a good idea, but I don’t know what goes with spalted maple. Maybe a thin copper spacer and a piece of black micarta.  We’ve only got two weeks left for kith so I gotta decide quick. 

EDIT never mind that’s not going to work, the whole problem started with a really big dip in the handle right underneath the spacer, and then trying I flatten out all out made the big curve at the bottom, If I were to flatten everything else out to that then I would go right through the tang hole. An then trying to make everything looks better I ruined the facets on the front side of the handle and they are beyond the point of no return. 

Edited September 16, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Conner Michaux]

These are the new handle block blocks.

[Conner Michaux]

Guess who just ruined handle number 2...   

The discs for the sander came earlier than I thought. 

60 grit discs ruin wood very quickly. 

 Going to try to get handle 3 done before the kith deadline.  

I am truly living 1 step forward 2 steps back, but it seems  more like 1 step forward 5 steps back

Edited September 28, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Alex Middleton]

As long as you're learning, and applying those lessons on the next try, it's a win in my book.  I'm pretty sure a couple days after the deadline wont be a big deal.

[Zeb Camper]

You're doing it right, Conner! Never be afraid to knock a handle off and start over. Reminds me of one knife from last year the knife I have in my kith collection 

[Conner Michaux]

Thanks Zeb, it’s just so dang expensive to make mistakes. I’ll get the new handle cut out tomorrow, I used the last of my wood putty in the last tang hole, so I can’t mess this one up.  

[Alex Middleton]

1 hour ago, Zeb Camper said:

You're doing it right, Conner! Never be afraid to knock a handle off and start over. Reminds me of one knife from last year the knife I have in my kith collection 

Yeah, I wish that one had only been two failures! 

Just take your time with it Connor, have a plan for each step of the process and dont let yourself take any shortcuts.  They do nothing but cost you time in the end.

[Conner Michaux]

Let’s hope the third handle works out, drilled holes and found a little bit of wood putty to fill it with, guard and handle tang holes are done, once the putty dries I will attempt the facets again, and hope I don’t make the same mistake twice. I might take the fresh 60 grit disc off the sander and replace it with 400 so it doesn’t grind as fast.

Edited September 30, 2019 by Conner Michaux

[Brian Dougherty]

On 9/28/2019 at 5:42 PM, Conner Michaux said:

60 grit discs ruin wood very quickly. 

  This lesson is worth more than you can possibly realize!

I very rarely go near power tools with handles anymore other than maybe a spindle sander.  You can go from "Too much material" to "Where did all my handle go?" in the blink of an eye.