Gee guys, I appreciate all the praise, but I am a hack compared to some other forum members like knifeguy and Bill Siegle. There are forum members who can make knives. All I can do is make them very sharp.
Vic,
Don't under-value your skills. You are doing a great job on the edges. You have obviously developed a good feel for the touch, good angles, proper use of belts and understanding and feel for what your machine and other tools can do. - You have achieved two of the primary basics for doing most everything else. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
The 1st is just knowing what you want to achieve. - You have achieved great convex grind edges - I assume you have achieved your goal and the edge profiles you desire.
The 2nd is the understanding, use and application of your tools to reach your goals. Looks like you are getting it done there.
- Most of the rest is just time, patience and a little imagination.
I am pretty confident you could "make" a knife if you wanted.
*** "Making" knives has changed over the years. Knife makers used to forge their own blades and do most of the work from very raw to semi-raw material all the way to completed knife.
Some still do, but most "Makers" today just buy raw steel of whatever grade, have the heat treating done by an outside source and just grind steel, assemble handles and such. Many of todays "makers" - one way or another - are just creating kits for themselves and fine tuning the end results.
Aside from skilled and technical aspect of actually making "steel" and getting the forging/heat treating down, the rest isn't that complicated.
We are all "Hacks" to some degree. The main difference is just in the finish details. And/or how much of the work is done by hand, machine or combination of both.
As much as I gripe about prices, it takes me so long to do "little" modifications that I don't think I could justify messing around with a kit - unless I knew the kit contained a VERY desirable and well heat treated steel such as INFI - AND at a VERY good price. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
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For the record, I might have some confidence in some of my abilities and I might be able to come up with some pretty decent end results after lots of time and effort, but I am not a professional and I am terribly slow. I have just done a lot of fine wood-working projects over many years and have been able to apply that practice to "tinkering" with knives. I often have to go slow, take my time and be patient to get it right and not screw it up. A lot of what I know is from practice and a lot is from researching and reading about tips and techniques from others. From what I can tell, it appears to me that you are in my boat. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
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Bill is a professional knife-maker. He doesn't specialize in fancy finishes and intricate details, but he has been making knives for years. I have no doubt that based on his MANY more years/hours of practice and MANY more knives made, his skills with a grinder are way ahead of mine. And I am sure he is MUCH faster as well. Speed comes with practice. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
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