Knives

Started by foakes, August 07, 2021, 07:21:40 PM

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redsetta

#15
Thanks Fred - great videos and a really interesting little foray into the world of knives!
Definitely count myself among the members who appreciate (and accumulate) edged tools - primarily for their utility in the outdoors.

A friend of mine started a shop some years back, specialising in some of the storied knife-makers mentioned. I helped him develop the brand, website etc - here:


My wife recently gave me a 'knife-making course' for my 50th, which was a fantastic experience.
I have a wide array of options for different purposes - Knives of Alaska for fishing, Gerber for outdoors, Victorinox for general purpose etc - but wanted a handy, drop-point blade for breaking down/de-boning venison shoulders etc.

Here's the before and after - a piece of high-carbon 1084 and the end result...



And in my hand for scale.



Highly recommend having a crack at knife-making, if there's a course available in your area.
It was a sensational experience and one I'll not forget.
The end result was also far better than I'd anticipated - thanks, on the most part, to having a true craftsman guiding the process...
All the best, Justin
Fortitudine vincimus - By endurance we conquer

David Hall

Quote from: oc1 on August 08, 2021, 06:16:54 AM
I don't collect things but will sometimes buy a Camillus knife.  If I carry a knife it is usually a bosum marlin spike rigging knife.

I think I have 4-5 of those in my knife box.  Will be carrying one of them if I ever get to fish the San Diego blue fin or if albacore ever return to the central coast.

Brewcrafter

Fred thank you as always for sharing the knowledge and insight.
Mike - Yes the blade making/steel prowess at Solingen is legendary.  My culinary set is Henkle, but if you look closely at all of their offerings, they have some nice knives at a good price point that are not produced in Germany, and they have some $tellar knives that are and are priced appropriately - but to a casual observer they might appear the same except for the sticker shock with the better knife.
I love Fred's classification of "EDC".  For me for decades it has been a Buck Prince, that comfortably fits in my back pocket (even with business attire) and like Fred, I own 3.  I dropped one and broke the tip, so I went and purchased another.  And when I mentioned why I was buying it then the helpful clerk at my local Bass Pro handed me a form and mentioned that Buck replaces knives, so I sent it away and lo and behold now had a spare.  But I can also be absent minded; I forgot where I left the backup and my "EDC" went missing (later found it in between the cushions of our couch, probably when I was "resting") so in frustration I went out and bought another...- john

Benni3

Who doesn't like a good knife,,,, :D great job fred on this,,,, ;) i don't carry a pocket knife anymore just a razor blade in my wallet,,,, :( because when you lose a knife it's a terrible thing,,,,, >:( i do have 3 collectables,,,i just don't see anything pop up here anymore like this,,,,,,,,  ;D

PacRat

Check these guys out for some sheaths for folders. I have one and I love it and I'm about to buy another. This is a small company in Alvarado, TX.
https://mcdanielsaddles.com/shop/ols/products/horizontal-trapper-knife-sheath/v/KS%20HOZ%20BWN%20MT
https://mcdanielsaddles.com/shop/ols/products/pancake-folding-hunter-knife-sheath

PacRat

#20
"For me, it boils down to just a few things —
How will I use the knife?
How often will I use the knife?
Where will I use the knife?
Will the knife hold up to my use?
Do I need a tool, a cutter, or a pry bar?
How accessible and quickly can I get it out, open it, use it, and put it back in my pocket?
Can I open it with one hand?  And can I close it with one hand?
Is it a locker?  Do I typically need a locker?" -Fred

This was some very good criteria for selecting a knife. It's hard if not impossible to find one knife that does it all well. There are almost always compromises.

My everyday carries are Kershaw Leeks. A lot of people (knife snobs) give me grief over it, but the Leeks serve their purpose for opening packages and some light rope, removing splinters, etc...but that's about it. I use these because they are affordable (I buy them used) and I can fix them just like we do our reels. I'll buy either serrated or straight and a broken tip doesn't bother me because it will be stronger after I re-contour it. I do a few mods on them like removing the clip and safety. I always carry them in a sheath like the one I showed in the previous post. Here's some pics:




I have a couple of specialty knives that I use for work and only special projects where rigging will be required. The Myerchin with a marlin spike only comes out when there will either be some rope splicing involved or someone will be sending some 'granny knots' my way and I don't want to cut them out.

The Spyderco Mariner goes on my 'golden triangle' (chest area, outside layer) for quick access. The Mariner is serrated and will go through most rope and webbing like butter. I use this while on towers. We do some helicopter lifting and entanglement can be an issue when the safety guy insists on tag-lines that are too long. It's there for safety and back-up but it's always there. I only had to use it once to clear some fouled rigging.



ClintB

#21
I have had a pretty large collection in the past, I whittled it down to put those resources in other collections. I'm probably in the 40-50 range on how many I have now. I have most of my pics stored on another device, I'll have to figure out how to get them over here. Mostly vintage.

Pacific Cutlery Corp
Bench made
Al Mar
Buck
Schrade
Western
One Scott Cook
Marbles
Others
Cleavers
Axes
Hatchets

This one that I somehow imported from my facebook is the first real knife I made, hand forged from a truck leaf spring.
The railroad spike knife is my first knife shaped object.

jgp12000

#22
I also collect knives and if you are ever near Pigeon Forge ,TN SMKW is a must see,3 floors of knives. I have several fillet knives but my pretty knives are in a display case never used. Case, Kissing Crane,Boker, Hen & Rooster to name a few. Some in the case are from great uncles that have passed away. The knives I carry are lightweight and easy to sharpen on my paper wheel. The Buck 284 is so light and the Kershaw 1830 has spring assisted opening almost fast as a switch blade.

smnaguwa

I am curious about re-contouring a damaged blade. What do you do to not change the temper? Dip in oil or ice water? Thanks, Stan

ClintB

#24
Quote from: smnaguwa on August 10, 2021, 12:08:56 PM
I am curious about re-contouring a damaged blade. What do you do to not change the temper? Dip in oil or ice water? Thanks, Stan

Just don't get it to hot as your grinding it, keep water nearby to dip it in. If it's not too hot to hold it by hand, you're not changing the temper.

Another quick tip: if you're reprofiling a broken tip, grind the backside of the blade, not the beveled side. It's much easier to grind the back to match then to reprofile the beveled side.

PacRat

#25
After watching so many episodes of Forged in Fire I have this false sense that I know what I'm doing. Seriously though, I first re-profile the curve of the tip using a bench grinder and quench often to keep the heat down. I might even do a rough profile of the blade angle. Then I switch over to a Work Sharp tool which is a small hand held belt sander. You hold it down to a stable surface with one hand and pass the blade through the guides with the other...again, going slow and quenching. When I'm happy with my cutting edge profile I go to the Lansky and put a precision edge angle on it and it's done. When I'm done the blade is a little less pointy but a whole lot stronger and will stand up to mild abuse better than when it left the factory.

I was fortunate to go to school in the 1970s. In my middle-school shop class we forged tools so we learned about hardening, tempering, annealing, etc. This stuff was just common knowledge back then but is no longer taught in school.

-Mike

foakes

Good looking knife collections, guys!

Thanks for posting.

Whether experts, amateurs, collectors, users, enjoyers, makers, or just whittlers — we have talent on this site.

Best, Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

jgp12000

One of my great uncles thought it was bad luck to give a knife away,I don't believe this superstition but I always had to give him at least a penny or nickle when he gave me one,I think it was more tradition for him that actually believing it...

philaroman

#28
Fred,
so what's my Solingen-made Wüsthof?  (excellent, BTW)
do they just get raw steel or blanks from Boker & make kitchen knives?
thx

foakes

#29
Wüsthof is one of many knife makers in the world that get their raw steel from the Solingen Region of Germany — not from Boker.

Similar to Silicon Valley in California, Detroit in Michigan, or Walla Walla Sweet Onions in Washington — not brand specific — just regionally sourced.

I purchased a set of kitchen knives and a block last year from Boker, on sale.  They are made in Argentina, and labeled Arbolito — same Boker lifetime guarantee — same quality — just a different country with lower labor costs — but they are the same quality Bokers.

Being a cheap B****** — I would have a hard time paying $150 for one kitchen knife — when I could buy a whole set for less than that — including a nice hardwood Chef's block.

Works for us.

Best, Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.