Trad Gang
Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: Steve Nuckels on January 23, 2010, 10:07:00 PM
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There are so many accomplished bladesmiths on this forum, both veterans and new smiths! I thought it would be interesting to see your first effort! So let's see your very first knife! Give a brief discription and year made.
Here's mine.
(http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/qq143/Tillerboy_bucket/1stKnife7-11-08008.jpg)
L-6 steel Zebrawood over ebony, Stock removal made late 2008.
Steve
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Potomac Forge
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IN GOD WE TRUST
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Started of My Journey----April 3, 2005 @ 2:40pm :thumbsup:
Three Events lead up to my beginning!
1) I had just purchased a caper from a guy in Montana...fell in love with that knife.
2) At the same time there was a tutorial on Pow Wow about forging a knife by hickstick (Mark Manccini)
3) My wife's farrier had given me his old anvil & gas horse shoe forge...which I new nothing about :)
On April 3rd, I pm'd this fellow Doug...who I only knew from reading his hunting stories on Pow Wow! At 2:40 I got this pm back from Mr Campbell.
posted April 03, 2005 02:40 PM
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Dang Jeff, that's a real good buddy! There is several hundred dollars worth of stuff there. You should go ahead with the blades. The heat-treat and tempering isn't that tough, especially with that LP forge. If I remember right Marc (hickstick) covered it well on the forge thread or I could coach ya thru it pretty easy. Just let me know.
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Needless to say I jumped at the idea that Doug Campbell would take the time to teach me how to make my own knife :notworthy: Remember there wasn't a Knife Forum plus knives were rarely discussed back then. I still have that knife and all of Doug's lessons.
My first knife that had a cutting edge...hand forged 5160, profiled on a belt sander, and a poor copy of Doug's caper. I skinned several bears that spring with this blade. I wanted to be sure it would actually work before finishing it. By the time I realised it could do the job, I was into pounding more blades. As you can see, I never did add a handle but I later re-heat treated it so I could add my stamp. One of my most prized possessions...tippit
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/FirstKnifeApril2005003.jpg)
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You guys are posting such nice first knives, I don't wanna post mine! But here is mine I shaped from a circular saw blade with a dremel tool and 4" belt sander and without any heat treatment (I knew nothing). And then I botched the hell out of the handle trying to get too creative with a nail head inlay. But it's become quite handy for cutting and shaping leather... and it holds an edge somehow. I suppose it could skin a deer too. I made this in November after becoming inspired by Sticshooter's posts on the ***********. It is 3.5" long. The wood is osage orange left over from a self bow and ipe left over from a bamboo/ipe bow... both my deer hunting bows.
(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj61/The_Roushs/DSC01000.jpg)
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Well Steve leave it to you to bring back memories!!!I made this 4/10/2008
I stubled on to this sight while trading bows.They happend to be having a knife swap,wow thats cool.I asked Jeremy if he thought my knives were good enough to swap,he said hec yes.(what a guy) :confused:
I proceded to ask questions I remember Lin suggesting a grinder so I got what he said :saywhat:
Since that time have had so much help from everyone on this forum.Yes Karl ,my blades are better now!!Even the guys that complement on my knives are insperation to do better work.Thanks
Guess thats enough cause it just keeps going on and on. :biglaugh:
It was very hard for me to post this knife without redoing it (But I didn't) (http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn293/coonpeter/Firstknife004.jpg)
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fliksr/Knife%20by%20Dad/StJudeknife3.jpg)
I made this for the 2005 St Jude auction. 1095 steel, walnut handle with nickel silver guard and silver and fiber spacers.
The winner of the auction was none other than Doug Campbell. To say I was nervous sending the knife to him was an understatement!!
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I made this knife - KBA #1 - in 1998. It was a stock removal knife made from 154CM and heat treated by Blade Cutlery Hall-of-famer D'Alton Holder.
The handle is Maroon Micarta, and I don't even know if you can get this any more?
It has a full tapered tang with black liners. Nickel Silver guard.
I had just returned from a three day knife making course with Ken Largin in Metamora, Indiana.
Ken and his wife, Paula, are now in charge of the Knife Maker's CO-op at Smokey Mountain Knifeworks in Seviervill, TN.
Really nice people.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c247/kbaknife/Knives%2010/KBA1-1.jpg)
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Dang Karl, you didn't start at the bottom like the rest of us!
Dan
Here's mine, an old file, brazillian cherry, and I cast linotype for the bolsters. Sheath was a rawhide dog chew toy.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j117/OconeeDan/2008_0128Image0003.jpg)
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Mine was one I built at Dan Masson's shop- we finished the whole thing in one day. Obviously not a forged blade like you guys!
(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e322/rayhammond123/2008_0223Image0021-1.jpg)
Thanks, Dan. Your friendship and support, as well as that of Lin, Karl, Doug, and Doc has really helped me grow the flicker into a flame!
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How i don't know if I'm in this league, but here is mine. Now this is home depot steel, i think it's redheart and purple heart handles. I would have never thought after 14 months of making knifes i have so much to learn
(http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu351/danafoursuns/SS850281.jpg)
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I think this is gonna be one of our coolest threads so far, thanks for starting it Steve. It's been a ton of fun watching so many of you guys get started here, advance so far and provide what little help I could along the way. Getting helpful, giving guys like Karl and Lin has really been a huge plus!
Doc, your incredible and Jeremy that little knife has probably dressed 50 buffalo, been carrying it in the truck since I got it. Guess I need to retire it to the collection... It would look good in there along side, my Rhea, Anderson, Tippit, Evans, and a few others.
Well enough reminiscing, here is a pic of my first. Back in 1988 I was welding in a big shop with lots of cool toys to work with. I cut the blade from a 4' sawmill blade, L6 I think, and ground it on a big belt grinder we had. TIG welded the guard and butt cap then fitted the antler scales. Tough to see in the photo but from the grain stucture you can tell I way over heated it in the heat-treat, it's hard as the hubs of hell, surprised it never broke. Feels like it weighs about four pounds too ;)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/gotahunt/R0011873.jpg)
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Dan, the dog chew toy sheath has to be the most unusual approach to a sheath design I have ever seen or heard of!
This is interesting stuff! And I must say, very impressive first knives!
Steve
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Potomac Forge
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IN GOD WE TRUST
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Not truely My first attempt but it the first that had any kind of heat treat. Still a long ways from where i believe I am now. Thanks to the trad gangers some of the most giving Folks goin.
We nicknamed it the goose
Old file and antler with monster sized brass pins. A super steep bevel! Sheath is hard as a brick dunked in hot parafin wax and knife inserted to form. fits well though LOL!
(http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/qq145/prarieboy/knives/1file2.jpg)
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Well I certainly can't compete to with alot of those but I'm still very proud of my first. I finished it just in time and gave it to my Dad for his birthday about 2 almost 3 years ago. It was cut from an old rusted up saw blade from my grandpa's workshop. I used some wood planks from dads "junk" wood rack. Dad believes it's mahogany? Made the whole knife by hand with files and sandpaper. A bit of file work on the spine aswell. It's still kicking and has skinned and quartered a half dozen deer to date.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/imskippy/knife026.jpg)
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OK give em up guys, I know there are more 1st knives out there than this....
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I'm a beginner..Didn't want to post my first but here it goes.
Made it with a file.Handle is Brazilian Rosewood.Cut the wood out of an old Fred Bear riser.I no its looks pretty bad compared to a lot of them on this site but it is my first attempt & I really like it.A great big huge thanks to all who helped me on this site.The scabbard is also my first.
(http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv166/renos53/000_0352-1.jpg)
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Rick, IMHO that is a first rate 1st knife and sheath too!
We need more 1st knives!!!
Steve
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Potomac Forge
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IN GOD WE TRUST
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I kinda like the mountain man look. This is from a piece of lawn mower blade about 3" long. It cleaned and skinned a deer. Mark
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(http://i1003.photobucket.com/albums/af158/markas4259/100_1342.jpg)
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Thanks Steve,I've made one more after that one & on my 3rd.I'm going to try & do everything right this time.
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mater,
I like that...very simple raw forged blade! tippit
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Woa Mater! When I first saw that blade "Jeff" popped in my head. You keep headin down that road, you'll be doin alright :jumper:
JL
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Here is my first, its an old file and you can see the deep rust pits i left on the blade i thought it would give it a little character.
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff267/anderskfd/2e8715cb.jpg)