First blade

[Chase Hayner]

I have messed around a bit but never produced anything worth sharing. I bought a new Alec Steele grinder and mounted my motor/VFD to it and the difference in quality of grind is day and night. The new grinder has allowed me to create a piece that I can share (while still crappy). I need a lot of work on my grinding, and it was alot of work getting the hammer marks out of this. Got the 5160 from McMaster

 

I originally was going with a Seax but decided to add a bit of other influences to it. Still thinking about what to do for the handle. It was originally going to be a full tang but left myself a bit short so going with a hidden tang.

 

over all I don’t think it’s half bad as my first hardenable knife project I intend on completing.

Edited September 6 by Chase Hayner
Added completed photo

[Jaron Martindale]

NICE!  Far better than even my 10th hardenable steel knife, much less my first, lol!

If you're sticking with a Seax design I might suggest you grind the blade side back a bit so the blade and spine are about equidistant from the tang.  On the other hand, without reading your description I thought it looked like a well done K-tip kitchen knife or a good start towards a bowie, so you also have lots of options if you don't want to change any design elements.

 

 I look forward to seeing the final product, Keep going!

 

[Chase Hayner]

3 minutes ago, Jaron Martindale said:

NICE!  Far better than even my 10th hardenable steel knife, much less my first, lol!

If you're sticking with a Seax design I might suggest you grind the blade side back a bit so the blade and spine are about equidistant from the tang.  On the other hand, without reading your description I thought it looked like a well done K-tip kitchen knife or a good start towards a bowie, so you also have lots of options if you don't want to change any design elements.

 

 I look forward to seeing the final product, Keep going!

 

Ya it started as a seax, but you know how it goes, I just kept tinking away at it and ended up with applying more kitchen knife elements to it. I couldn't decide what to make so I just rolled with it. It will be the the worst kitchen knife and the worst seax ever made in terms of function, but it will be sharp at least =P

Edited August 20 by Chase Hayner

[Kevin Broughton]

Looks like you did well with the grinding. I am still in the learning stage of grinding myself. I am told "the more you do it the better you will get", so let's keep on grinding!

[Chase Hayner]

25 minutes ago, Kevin Broughton said:

Looks like you did well with the grinding. I am still in the learning stage of grinding myself. I am told "the more you do it the better you will get", so let's keep on grinding!

Absolutely, this is the first piece that didnt have a ton if whoopdies and visible grind lines, my first belt grinder I made myself and it wasnt very precise in its ability to leave a nice finish. I coughed up the money and bought the 2x72 from alec steele co. on a big sale and it was money well spent. All this time I thought I really sucked, but now with a quality grinder its much easier to hone my skills. The old grinder is just too rough around the edges and has to much wobble and misalignment. Tracking and tightening can only do so much.

[Eric Estlund]

Nice!

 

When I was first getting started I had a pile of scrap, and just did knife shaped practice to get comfortable on the grinder. I'm a big fan of practicing skills just as exercises.

[Chase Hayner]

Uploaded new pic of the completed knife, first fit and finish on a knife. It’s not great and there is a ton of flaws. 
 

all thread on tang and tapped a piece of cut mild steel for the pummel. Slotted another piece of mild steel for the bolster.

 

piece of junk hickory that I cut from firewood that I stained. Doesn’t look too bad honestly. The handle is a bit short but perfect for the wife