My newest project "the Samurai Fillet Knife"

[Mathew Young]

I'm still a total new guy here, less than 25 knives under my belt. But I really like this crazy katana style fillet knife that showed up in a fat 10 inch piece of 1095, I just started forging and hammering to see what it wanted to be. I am not satisfied with the handle yet and will rework it. It just doesnt feel as good as I want. Since I am new to forging this year, I am sort of in that smack it and see what happens phase to learn what works and doesnt work for me. Any comments or advice is more than welcome. This Noobie needs all the help I can get.

 

Edited March 1 by Mathew Young

[Mathew Young]

I've currently gone of the rails on my next knife, a Crocodile Dundee Zombie hunter knife...  Just to see if I can make something that big. so far so good. will add pics of it here later.

 

[Charles dP]

Hi Mathew. Not bad. General advice for anyone who tries bladesmithing and likes it. 
1. Take a bladesmithing class. You’ll be amazed how much that takes off the learning curve.

2. Draw a design and try to make the knife you drew. I.e. make the steel do what you want. Left to it’s own devices it will almost always make a sabre/katana/banana. My first was the same.

3. Find something you like about the knife and something you don’t. Remake the knife repeating what you liked and changing what you didn’t. Rinse and repeat.

4. I’m not kidding about number 1.

[Doug Lester]

I agree with Charles.  Especially #1, even though I wasn't able avail myself of classes..  Remember that Charles lives in a smaller country and isn't faced with traveling from central Illinois to eastern Arkansas or Montana or any other distant place.  One thing that I noticed is it doesn't appear in the photos that  you gave it much of a primary bevel.  I'd try to take it up more to the spine.  It's a must that you learn to make the steel do what you want it to do.  If you haven't started a library, videos included, on knife making.

I would suggest [i]The Master Bladesmith[/i] by Jim Hrisoulas to start with.  Kevin Cashin has some good videos that you can find on the American Bladesmith Society store.

 

Doug

[Mathew Young]

I would love to attend a class if I can find any in my area. So far its all from this forum and "forged in fire" on tv.
I know I have TONS to learn and feel I will always be adding new stuff no matter how long I do this.

 

Here is the Dundee inspired knife. I still have work to do on the blade and attempt at the finish work on the handle. Currently it feels too blocky and brass needs work. This is the first time using ironwood in the handle and it tends to burn easy if not slow and careful. 

 

Ya I am also pounding out some type of sword, but not sure on it yet.... 

[Charles dP]

10 hours ago, Mathew Young said:

feel I will always be adding new stuff no matter how long I do this.

Absolutely right. Just keep making every knife better than the last. Make sure you read the pinned threads. They are pinned for a reason. Where are you based? Someone on here probably knows of a person or group near you that offer classes or help.

[Mathew Young]

Near Newport Rhode Island

 

[Alan Longmire]

Ask and ye shall receive!

 

https://dragonsbreathforge.com/classes-tutorials/

 

These guys are among the best in the business, and they're in Wolcott, Connecticut. If you spend an hour in their shop, even if you don't touch a hammer or grinder, you'll take years off your own learning curve.

 

Then there's the NESM, https://newenglandschoolofmetalwork.com/node/19 up in Auburn, ME.  Also good, I just don't know them personally, unlike the guys at Dragon's Breath Forge.

 

Classes may seem expensive, especially if you don't have much free time.  That's a false economy, though.  If a weekend class makes you 20 times more efficient or gives you knowledge that would otherwise take you years to figure out, how much is that worth to you?  

 

Case in point: I started smithing in 1998, bladesmithing in 2000. I took an intro blacksmithing class in October '98, set up my own forge the next spring, moved to Kentucky, took an intermediate blacksmithing class, hooked up with the Contemporary Longrifle Association via another local smith, took an axe and tomahawk class in 2000, and engraving in 2001.  All four classes cost me a week and about $1000 each, so four weeks and $4K. Fast forward to 2009, my old truck died and I needed a new one.  I bought a brand new Ram 1500. I paid it off in three years without touching my bank account by selling engraved tomahawks.  If I hadn't taken those classes I wouldn't have had the knowledge or efficiency to crank out 16 to 25 fancy engraved hawks a year while also working full time at my day job.  

 

Even if you don't want to sell stuff, and I don't sell much anymore, it's still worth it just to have the skills you can take anywhere.  

[Will Robertson]

37 minutes ago, Alan Longmire said:

Ask and ye shall receive!

 

https://dragonsbreathforge.com/classes-tutorials/

 

These guys are among the best in the business, and they're in Wolcott, Connecticut. If you spend an hour in their shop, even if you don't touch a hammer or grinder, you'll take years off your own learning curve.

 

Then there's the NESM, https://newenglandschoolofmetalwork.com/node/19 up in Auburn, ME.  Also good, I just don't know them personally, unlike the guys at Dragon's Breath Forge.

 

Classes may seem expensive, especially if you don't have much free time.  That's a false economy, though.  If a weekend class makes you 20 times more efficient or gives you knowledge that would otherwise take you years to figure out, how much is that worth to you?  

 

Case in point: I started smithing in 1998, bladesmithing in 2000. I took an intro blacksmithing class in October '98, set up my own forge the next spring, moved to Kentucky, took an intermediate blacksmithing class, hooked up with the Contemporary Longrifle Association via another local smith, took an axe and tomahawk class in 2000, and engraving in 2001.  All four classes cost me a week and about $1000 each, so four weeks and $4K. Fast forward to 2009, my old truck died and I needed a new one.  I bought a brand new Ram 1500. I paid it off in three years without touching my bank account by selling engraved tomahawks.  If I hadn't taken those classes I wouldn't have had the knowledge or efficiency to crank out 16 to 25 fancy engraved hawks a year while also working full time at my day job.  

 

Even if you don't want to sell stuff, and I don't sell much anymore, it's still worth it just to have the skills you can take anywhere.  

Thanks for mentioning Dragons Breath Forge - I didn't know about them - found that they've got a really good video channel that explains some of the fundamental science that isn't explained in other places:

https://dragonsbreathforge.com/video-channel/

https://www.youtube.com/@dragonsbreathforge4402

including an Anvil Buyer's Guide video that's one of the best I've been able to find on the subject: