Allen Vann 3 Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 It has been a very long time since I've last posted. I've just been snooping the forum and practicing as much as I can. I think it's time for me to get more serious about the craft. This is a kitchen knife I started yesterday, there's some refining work to finish up forging. Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 3,783 Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 K-tip, huh? Looks like you're getting the steel to go where you want, and that's 3/4 of the battle when forging! Link to post Share on other sites
Allen Vann 3 Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 Well, it's an attempt. For some reason, something just doesn't look right and I can't quite put my finger on it (and not just because it was still hot). I'm more than willing to be put through the ringer on why it doesn't look right to me. Link to post Share on other sites
billyO 411 Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 4 hours ago, Allen Vann said: something just doesn't look right and I can't quite put my finger on it . The only thing that looks a bit off to me is the length of the tang. Other than that it looks like it needs only minimal profile clean up... RIP Bear....be free! as always peace and love billyO Link to post Share on other sites
Allen Vann 3 Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 Maybe it is the tang length that makes it look so off. I was thinking of peening the handle on once I got that far. Which, I haven't even sourced my handle material yet. Probably just go with a simple maple or possibly oak. Link to post Share on other sites
Joël Mercier 709 Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 (edited) You're doing good. You can always refine the profile with files or a grinder. You usually want the spine and edge not completely parallel, unless you're making long slicers or such. Edited May 22 by Joël Mercier Link to post Share on other sites
jake cleland 721 Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 It looks good, but it would be better if you could pull out a bit more edge towards the heel, particularly a bit of belly just in front of the tongs in the last pic. As Joel says, you want a bit of taper, and ideally a bit of a curve to the whole edge - a straight edge will start to become a recurve after a few sharpenings, which will greatly reduce the utility of the blade... Jake Cleland - Skye Knives www.knifemaker.co.uk "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." Albert Einstein Link to post Share on other sites
Allen Vann 3 Posted May 22 Author Share Posted May 22 I think that's it! A bit too narrow toward the heel and needs a little more curve. Thanks to everyone on the input! This has got to be the best smithing community out there! Link to post Share on other sites
billyO 411 Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 54 minutes ago, Allen Vann said: A bit too narrow toward the heel and needs a little more curve. I agree, but didn't mention this because I thought this would naturally happen as you cleaned up the profile. RIP Bear....be free! as always peace and love billyO Link to post Share on other sites
Allen Vann 3 Posted May 22 Author Share Posted May 22 billyO, that's very true. Now I'll know what to look for going forward. I'm as green as it gets, and I won't catch things that anyone with more experience will. Thanks to everyone for the critique and support. Link to post Share on other sites
Dick Sexstone 30 Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 Allen, what is see is a narrow tang meant for a solid handle. the tang should have had a step down from the back of the blade so the edge of the handle would “flow” seamlessly just as the tang now flows into the blade…or the tang should have been wider to accommodate scales ..in other words a solid handle will look stuck on to the blade instead of flowing into the blade…and the handle will look too narrow if scales are attached to each side of the tang…. I think it is much easier to learn the lesson and forge a new one than to try to fix what you have… I think you will be fired up after trying agin…there is a Japanese saying that you don’t know how to make something till you had done it ten times… I think you did a good job of forging ….I think you saw this already as to your question of something not looking right …I’m sure you will do even better with the next one…Sail on Allen….. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Allen Vann 3 Posted June 11 Author Share Posted June 11 I do have more steel, I may just cut the tang off and make a smaller knife. As it stands, the blade is almost 11" and that gives me plenty to make it into something else. Sadly, I haven't had any time to work on it more due to two recent deaths in the family. Thank you for the input. I really do appreciate it! Link to post Share on other sites
Joshua States 2,502 Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 On 6/2/2022 at 7:47 AM, Dick Sexstone said: the tang should have had a step down from the back of the blade so the edge of the handle would “flow” seamlessly just as the tang now flows into the blade… I think that's a stylistic judgement call and not a hard rule. In any case, there's probably enough tang there to create that step with a little grindersmithing. “So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.” The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing. Josh http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg J.States Bladesmith | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71 https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith Link to post Share on other sites
jake cleland 721 Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 20 minutes ago, Joshua States said: I think that's a stylistic judgement call and not a hard rule. In any case, there's probably enough tang there to create that step with a little grindersmithing. I concur - for a kitchen knife, knuckle clearance beats aesthetics... Jake Cleland - Skye Knives www.knifemaker.co.uk "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." Albert Einstein Link to post Share on other sites
Gerhard Gerber 469 Posted June 16 Share Posted June 16 When (if ever) I make a full tang kitchen knife will be the first time the handle is level with the spine, function over form. Link to post Share on other sites
Aiden CC 472 Posted June 16 Share Posted June 16 On 6/2/2022 at 8:47 AM, Dick Sexstone said: the tang should have had a step down from the back of the blade so the edge of the handle would “flow” seamlessly just as the tang now flows into the blade… In agreement with what Joshua said, I would contend that you can make a good-looking handle for a narrow tang like this, as is often the case for wa handles on Japanese kitchen knives. These are a slightly different style than what you are working with, but you can see what it looks like when you center a narrow tang in a handle. I personally prefer this look to a "shoulder" fit on hidden tang kitchen knives. Link to post Share on other sites
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