SPK 7.5" WIP & Passaround

I will be starting a Passaround thread of my SPK (Sportsman's Phalange Knife) in the next week. The knife is not finished so I thought it would be nice to do a WIP of the knife so that people following or participating in the passaround can see exactly what they have in their hands.

I will post the link here when I start the Thread:

Back Story:
My grandfather William Weeks was a cattle rancher (the “W” in my logo was his brand), butcher, construction foreman, oil man, owned and operated “Bill’s Bar and Café”. He was an amateur boxer, which often came in handy when things got heated at the bar…. on, and On, and ON!

He butchered his own cattle, hunted deer and elk his entire life, the freezer was always full. The knife he used and claimed as the “best working blade ever made” was the Schrade Sharpfinger 152OT. I was lucky enough to acquire most of his knives at the time of his passing. Below is his knife, the tip is broken and edge is completely gone. It will stay this way!


I was recently approached by a group of bow hunter’s known as “365 Pursuit” for a custom knife that will be their go to in the field…. My mind immediately thought of Grandpa Willie! I started researching and came across what I feel is a top authority of the Sharpfinger 152 “Codger_64” and this thread: 

CLICK ME

The Design:

Design Features:

• Pinky Well on Butt to aid in many of the common grips utelized with this design
• Fine thumb jimping to aid in finger purchase in wet or bloody conditions.
• Extra Belly to help skinning and caping
• "Safe Choil" left dull (Like Sharpfinger)
• Textured Bi-Tone G10 Handle
• Tapered Tang
• Thong Tube

Profiling and Drilling the Blank:

1. 3/16" x 1.5" x 8" Aldo 1095 Bar Stock with design traced on it. Hand punched to stop drill bit from walking. 

2. Pilot Drilled all pin holes with 1/8" Bit then the appropriate holes with 1/4" Bit. I then enlarge the holes with #30 & #F bits respectively. I make sure to have my drill press table square to the bit. Then I make sure my Bar stock is even with the top of my ShopFox Vise. This is very important when it comes time to drill the handle scales. I dont want to fight Pins at glue up time.

3. I mark pin holes with an "X" and then drill the weight reducing holes in the tang. This helps me in my brain fart moments to avoid drilling the wrong holes for weight reduction with my Uni-Bit.

4. Then using my mounted Porta-band saw cut the excess material away, I have found that an 18TPI blade tears through steel like butter. Always cut relief cuts where needed to avoid blade pinch and having to back out of a cut. 



5. Then to the KMG to clean up the edges, I use an older belt for this. I use the 2" contact wheels on appropriate curves and the Platen on the rest. Again Make sure the Plate is Squared up.

6. I am now ready to mark the center line around the entire blade. I actually mark it a little off center so I have two lines running parallel along the edge.

7. here you see the two lines made by scoring from each side of the blank... Center is in the middle of the two lines. This will help with the Primary grind and when tapering the tang.

8. I like to have visual markers to check sides for even grinds. I trace the blade on cardboard and mark the approximate plunge I want, then cut it out. I then trace it on both sides of the Blade to help with grinding.

Rough Grind and Tapering the Tang:

9. Rough ground the primary bevel with 50 Grit Norton Blaze belt. I stopped each side at the scribe line (Photo #7) to leave some thickness during HT. Mike Quesnenberry once said the "W" in RyanW must stand for WARP...  1095 is my kryptonite!

10. After I grind the bevel, the tang is still full thickness. Time for the Tapering of the tang! I feel tapered tangs are neccessary to maintain a good balance in the knife. I use a 30lb. magnet from harbor freight to keep a good grip on the tang and be able to apply pressure starting at the base and slowly work my way up the flat of the Tang. It makes it really easy to watch where you are at by using a Big Ass Sharpie marker over both sides of the tang.
--- Big Ass Sharpie ---

--- Harbor Freight Magnet ---- 


11. Here you can see what it looks like as you grind up the Tang removing the marker as you grind. I first get the butt where I want it (I stopped at the scribe lines again) then move the grind up and off the top towards the edge.

12. here you see one side tapered and the other not... I then repeat the process and closely inspect to make sure all lines are even on both sides.



13. Sorry Duplicate photo... 

14. This is a different angle showing one side tapered

15. This is a photo of both sides tapered, The left scribe line is hard to see, but it tapers out away from the line at the same rate as the one you can see on the right.

16. Here is the Rough ground and tapered tang ready for the Thumb Jimping... Tonight

Heat Treat and Tempering:

17. Side "A" showing Satanite Clay Coat... You will notice the small marks on the cutting edge. I put the clay on the other side first then mark the back side where the fingers come down. This way I have reference marks as to where to put the fingers.

18. Side "B" of Clay Coat I allow the clay to air dry so I can touch it without problems. Then I put in the oven at 250F for 1hr. to harden a bit more.

INFO: Quench Process
A year ago I switched over from a propane forge to an Evenheat Oven. I have been working very hard to get the process right that came with the change. I have learned a ton and feel like I have what works for me on 1095. It creates a nice Hamon and a great cutting edge. 

Oven is set at 1475F (My oven reads a little hotter than it actually is) for 40 Minutes. It takes approximately 25 Minutes to reach temp. 
The following times are what show on the Oven "CLOCK"

• 40 Min - I allow the oven to stabilize for 10 minutes
• 30 Min - I place the blade in the oven Cutting edge up, Mike Q. helped me work out an issue I was having with the edge down, thanks MIKE! 
• 35 Min - I quickly check with a magnet to see if the blade edge has reached Critical. on smaller knives it usually has become non-magnetic at this point. If it is non-mag. I start my 6-8 minute soak time
• 28 Min - Quickly check for color and flashing motion in the steel (Darkened Room) Close the door
• 26 Min - Quench in Parks 50 and allow to cool to room Temp.

19. This is what it looks like right out of the quenchant. Pretty Damn ugly and Prudy 

20. I then scrape off the clay and clean off the oil and looking even better now, I check for Straightness and she is dead Straight!



21. To the Grinder 120 Grit Blaze to get a glimpse of that Hamon... moving in the light it is easy to see what you have! We got Lucky... 

22. Blade Just out of temper. I make sure to bring the oven up to temp and let stabilize before placing the blade in. My first 1095 temper is at 425F for 1 Hr. let oven cool then Temper again at 450F for an hour and let cool. I usually do this over night to kill time while I sleep. This should put me in the 60 - 61 HRC range. Great for this style of knife. It is a slicer not a chopper. Fresh out of the temper we get all kinds of colors, a lot of this color is caused by oil and stuff on the steel... Dont freak out if you get too much blue in there, I trust my Oven temp and check it frequently.

23. Luckily the spine was still soft enough to do the jimping I forgot to do before HT... I saw BenT do the two large notches around the fine (30TPI) jumping and liked the Idea since this will most likely be covered in Blood. I have a 20 TPI file on order and think it will create functional teeth

24. In my research and viewing some of the different grips used with this knife i decided to put some jimping on the Spine near the tip. UNFORTUNATELY this 
was not soft steel so I did an after thought hack job with a Dremel and diamond Bit. Ugly I know but will give the users an idea if they like this feature or not.

Mike (Codger_64) gave me permission to show some of the different grips he sent me to get an idea of the versatility of this design. I will put a few up as they pertain to design features. These would seem to utilize the front Jimping and "Safe Choil", I am not sure if Codger is one that wants the jimping near the tip but I can see how they might help in these grips.

 

Etching Makers Mark and Hamon:

25. Here the blade is Slowly ground down to final thickness, Making sure to keep it cool avoiding work tempering the Edge. I grind with bare hands and dip in water with every pass.

26. Here is the Machine finish in Hand to help with Scale / Size estimation. I finish grind with Gator Belts.

27. This shows the tapered tang and unsharpened edge, The edge gradually tapers to the tip to accommodate the "Safe Choil"

28. I keep referring to the "Safe Choil" it is the portion (Approx 1") of the cutting edge left dull so that one can put their finger on the cutting edge without getting cut. The original Sharpfinger has it (I don't remember what they call it). Based on Codger's experience it is an essential element, I Believe him. The mark shows where the transition from Dull to Sharp will happen.


29. This is the Boring time consuming portion of the process - Hand Sanding. I start with 320 Grit and go through about a sheet of sand paper on a blade this size. then move to 600 Grit, I use a bit less of the 600. once I have it Clean I move on to Etching the Makers Mark.

30. Etching Process (I have the Personalizer): 

• I wash the entire blade with Hot water and dish soap then dry with paper towel.
• Wipe area with Acetone.
• I Then Elec. tape exactly where I want the stencil
• Attach Negative alligator clip to Tang
• I place the felt on the positive "Etch Block" drizzling a small amount of solution on the pad. Rubbing with finger over Felt then dabing excess off with a paper towel.

• With the Etcher set to "Etch" I do the following

45 Seconds on
15 Seconds off
45 Seconds on
15 Seconds off

• Then switch the Etcher to "Mark"

5 Seconds on
5 Seconds off
4 Seconds on
4 Seconds off
... and so on down to 1

• I remove the stencil and spray with Windex (With Amonia) to neutralize the Solution and dry off with a Paper towel
• I then start hand sanding to sharpen up the mark. Using Windex as a wet agent.

31. I had this Mark laying around from my kitchen Knives... Thought It would look cool under that Thumb jumping. I like it

32. My standard mark



My Hamon Etch Process:
I am doing what I call a "Dirty Hamon" on this knife. Going for High Contrast and less ashi activity, IMO the time involved shooting (and failing) for a "Wheeler" (and Others) Hamon is not worth it on this knife because it is going to see heavy use and get bloody. Most likely the hamon will fade into the Patina over time.

33. Here you see my Nasty Ferric Chloride Tank, with Rubber gloves and Makeup pads.

• After the Makers Mark I hand sand it back to a Clean 600 Grit finish.
• Wash the blade in HOT water and Dish soap, then run out to the shop and start.
• I do a quick Dip in the FC and rub the fluid all over both sides of the blade with a makeup pad to assure I get a clean even etch
• I place the blade back in the solution stirring it around for 5 - 10 Seconds. pull it out and rub both sides again removing the oxides.
• Repeat a few times (5 - 10 Seconds Each time)
• Here is where I am a bit different than others:
• I then do one quick dip and rub one side very hard with the now saturated makeup pad. like I am trying to remove a layer of steel.
• Dip and do the other side....
• Repeat until you have a look you like, Usually I do this (Both sides) 5 times.
• I then spray the Blade with Pure Amonia to neutralize FC and wipe dry with paper towel.

34. This is what the blade looks like after cleaned up with ammonia.

I then (After taking a photo) wash off the blade with water from the outside hose and dry with towel. Wife gets angry when the kitchen sink rusts from Etchant Solution!! Then use Heavy oil to coat entire blade, holes and all to prevent rust from the Ferric Chloride.

35. This is what the blade looks like after the oil is applied

36. I then leave the oil on the blade and polish the blade with Flitz.

FOR A MORE Detailed Hamon Process Check my Earlier Post: 

CLICK ME 

(The link will open a New page to view)

Here is the finished blade ready for Handle work!

Handle Work:

37. I am a very visual and hands on person. I always trace the finished tang onto paper, mark the pins and pull my materials together. Looks like African Blackwood and Curly Mahogany is calling!

38. I then trace the tang onto the material and get my angles right, then cut the materials on a Precise chop saw. I only have to cut each piece once then flip one half so the angles are right

39. Here I have all the pieces together, including the liner and spacers. rough sand all the sides that are going to be epoxied together and wipe down with acetone. You will notice the worm hole in the Mahogany, I thought I could work around it... Nope. Luckily I had another small piece that I used instead.

40. This is where I glue up the scales with two part epoxy. It takes a bit of work to get everything straight, it is critical to get all angles and edges together here. I use extra epoxy to make sure all voids are filled. I do this all on a thick piece of G10 wrapped in Saran Wrap to make sure the liners are dead flat.


41. This is what it looks like after the epoxy has cured. I then cut the individual scales out and cut off the scrap.

42. I then stack the scales liner to liner and overlay the blade EXACTLY where I want it on the scales.

43. I make sure to have the top and bottom spacer lined up before I clamp it all up. 

44. I then clamp it Square in my drill press vise and drill through the front 1/8" hole and the back 1/4" hole. these will be my alignment holes so I can do the rest of the work through the liner side.


45. I then line the blanks up on the liner side, and Clamp it up in place

46. Put the scale back square in the vise and drill the rest of the Pin Holes

47. While I have it clamped in place I use a White Out pen to trace around the Tang.

48. I then put the scales back in the Vise (Squared Up) and drill out the holes with the #F and #30 bits


49. I then make small holes in the liner, making sure to penetrate the liner so that the AcraGlas Epoxy grabs the wood scales for extra strength. Don't go too deep though.

50. I then cut out the excess material on the Band Saw

51. I then get my assembly pins and see where I want to cut the Face of the Bolsters

52. I then cut and sand to final the face of the bolsters. I will not be able to access this after it is attached to the blade.


53. I slide in the assembly pins and check the face of the bolster to make sure I have it where I want it.

54. I then roughen up all the surfaces that will be glued

55. Cut my Pin Stock to size. I am using 1/8" Nickel, 1/4" Mosaic's and Stainless Tubing. roughen up the pin stock and wipe everything down with Acetone.

56. I prefer Acra-Glas as an Epoxy... Mix it up 4:1 


57. I then spread epoxy on one scale making sure to fill all the little holes, Insert Pins in the scale then slide the blade over the pins. Epoxy the other scale filling the holes and slide it in to place over the pins.

58. I use strips of paper towel between the clamps to avoid permanently attaching the clamp to my pretty wood. 

59. I then take a small towel covered in Acetone and wipe the Blade and Bolster face. Making sure there is no epoxy in the area. I then take some 3 in 1 oil and coat the entire blade and bolster face to help clean it up.

24 Hr Cure time started at Noon... Time to catch up on my day Job!

60. After the Epoxy cures for 24 Hrs. I pull the clamps off and carefully square all the flats and around the tang on the Grinder. I then use the 10" and 4" Wheels to shape and contour the handle scales how i want them. Paying close attention to make both sides symmetrical.

61. After I have the rough shape where I want it I take Sandpaper on a roll and cut them into thin strips so that I can hold an end in each hand and round the edges using an up and down motion.

62. I then work the entire handle with a fiber backed micarta sanding block. I start with 150 Grit, then 320 Grit making sure to sand with the grain of the wood.

63. after I have a nice clean 320 Grit finish I take out the tung oil and apply it liberally and let sit for 20 Minutes. Then Sand with 600 Grit, Apply Tung oil again and let sit. and so on up through the grits until I have a finish I like.

I Finished the sheath up as well today, I did not take photos of that process!

The Finished Knife and sheath...





That Curly Mahogony is Beautiful Stuff!


And here we have my larger SPK, Along with the original Sharpfinger for comparison.


Thanks for following this, we are not quite finished. I will put a final edge on it tomorrow, which will be a little different than I usually do it. On Codgers advice I thought I would try a rough grit cutting edge. Schrade called it the "ACA" as explained in Post #48 of this thread. I am calling it "Micro-Serrations" I put the cutting edge on with a 120 Grit belt (Didn't dare go with 80 Grit) then knocked off the Burr with a cloth wheel and stropped it with a Leather Strop. 

Here is a close up of the cutting edge, very toothy and cuts extremely well with a slicing motion. 

 

Then This guy will make the rounds for some field use and reviews by some great Blade Forum Members. I will post up the Testers as soon as I get the last confirmation.
......Ryan

THE PASSAROUND

I recieved some great input on design features before and during the creation of this knife. I felt that it needed to put into the hands of those that know and do. 5 great people stepped up and agreed to take this knife and put it through its paces... as the feedback comes in I will update this info below.

Mike - "33875"

Oregon, USA

Well, I had really hoped to be able to use this knife on an elk or deer, but I didn't hold up my end of the bargain 

I have had the pleasure of having it for a week to admire though, and although I didn't get to use it for it's intended purpose, I have developed some thoughts on this one. I want to thank Ryan for allowing me to spend time with this one... 

I tried to take good pictures of this knife, but they truly don't do it justice.

I usually don't have a lot of patience when opening a box, that contains a new knife. Here she is on her first trip from home.







I can't honestly tell you how many knives I have owned over the years, but I do know there have been very few that I immediately bonded with, as soon as I got them. This knife is one of those few. 
It is also one of the few that I have grown to like even more, every time I held it...

I have to many pictures to put everything in one reply, so bear with me  

Knowing that Ryan was asked to do this knife for a group of bow hunters, I wanted to take a few pictures that tied it to archery equipment.

And finally, a few pictures of the knife in hand, and some thoughts on this knife...







The first thing I noticed when I unboxed this knife was, the outstanding workmanship. It looks great in the pictures Ryan posted, but it is even nicer in hand.

Being someone who has liked the original Sharpfinger for quite a few years, I never thought of trying to improve on it.
IMHO, this knife is a great tribute to the original.

I have fairly big hands, and it is very comfortable for me. As far as the notch on the bottom/ rear of the handle, it didn't really make much difference when I held it. I have a feeling, someone with smaller hands may notice it more though.

When I first started playing around with it, I tried the usual shave the arm, and push cut some paper. It didn't work well for either of those tasks. As I thought more about it, I remembered the toothy edge that Ryan put on the knife.
I contacted him and asked about this. He said that was indeed why it didn't do well with those tasks. But, he also reminded me that the knife was mainly being done for processing game.

I didn't have any game, but we bbq'd chicken last night for dinner, and the wife overcooked it a little, so it was kinda dry.
I used the knife to cut across the grain, and it worked great. I also used it to cut up some fairly thick cardboard, and it took care of that task with ease...

The chicken didn't have any sauce on it, just salt and pepper. As soon as I finished eating, I cleaned the blade, and noticed I had been the first one to
leave a mark. It developed patina very quickly. But, that is one of the things a lot of us like about 1095 
I had just never done it on a knife this beautiful...

I've never owned a knife with an edge quite this toothy before. I have a feeling if I would have gotten to use it on game, I would have appreciated it, but I guess after all these years, I'm use to having a polished edge.

I would probably order one with a polished edge, but that in no way means this edge wouldn't work very well for its intended purpose. I'm just a little to old to change my ways 

I have to say, anyone would be proud to own this knife. After seeing Ryans work up close and personal, I am seeing a new knife in the future from him.

I hope I didn't leave anything out. 

Thanks again Ryan for letting me enjoy this beauty,

Mike

Mack - "Protourist"

California, USA

I got it and I must say, I'm more impressed than I had expected. This fits my hand as if it had been made for it. I can't find a flaw in the fit and finish yet but I will be going over it much more closely. I really doubt that I'll find anything though.

After falling in love with Sharpfingers, I didn't think they could be improved on. I was wrong. Very wrong. This is a work of art that will be a dream to work with.

More to come when I get some more cutting time....

>>> WARNING DECEASED CRITTER CONTENT FOLLOWS <<<

Kent - "mewolf1"

Minnesota, USA

The blade made it here today and could hardly stand it not to open it , but I waited til my girl said "well, are you gonna open it?" Drove her crazy. My first impressions were admiration of the work. Ryans craftsmanship is beautiful and the leather work stout for a long life if not many lives. The balance of this knife is spot on IMO and fits my hand the way I like a knife, creating an extention, meaning it feels "natural". After getting a paper towel to wipe the drool off my face I grabbed some pork loin out of the fridge and cut it up.





By the end of the first piece I found that I wasn't thrilled by the micro serrations. It felt draggy to me so I pulled it through a hone. Four times though lightly.This made a world of improvement and I cut up the rest.




Next I got out some Salmon I just cured up.Had to make sure it turned out OK.





This was not this blades intended use obviously, but I had to try it. Gravlox needs a thin blade.

I then went outside to clean a couple of Squirrels I picked off the bird feeder.
The first one I did across the back method and the blade zipped right through. Squirrel hide is tough stuff!





The second one I cased skinned just to use the knife more.





All in all, the game prossessing went as expected but there is more work for this knife on bigger game as pork loin and squirrel is not a challenge for this blade.
More to come.

To sum up my experience with this knife I have to say I'm honored to be apart of this pass around. The pinky dent didn't have any effect on the useability for me, but adds to the look. In taking apart the front shoulders of a deer, the front jimping is a non issue as well; not that they were any trouble, just that I am indifferent to them. The balance is awsome with this knife and the heft of such a small blade is very nice. I still maintain though that a razor edge, without safety, would be scary wicked. I say that with the utmost of respect, as this knife has so many ways to be customized without really changing the labor for the blade master i.e., "a little here, a little there".
I also forgot to say before, that from the first time I saw this knife everything says to me "out west". It is obviously gorgeous and is very useful!!

This was a bit slushy but came apart just the same.






Shot a nice Buck yesterday. Have lots of pics of knife in use. Butcherin to follow in the coming days.

This is the biggest Whitetail I've ever shot!

First things first; off with his nuts! This went quick with this blade.

Cut down to the Pelvis



Time to head up the belly; all of this is instruction to my son as this is taking place and he does the photo shoot.




This is the point in gutting I would like a full sharp blade.

I drove the blade into the center of the pelvis and rocked it to try to get it to start splitting to no avail!! Not one knick is in the blade after working the bone!! Awesome knife!! I did finally give up on trying to split the pelvis and went on to the gut removal. Even after the workout on the pelvis, this knife cleanly removed the diaphram and wind pipe. Everyone one needs to remember that all of this is my opinion and does not reflect upon the HIGH QUALITY of Ryans work, but I believe that a razor edge would have made this a much quicker job. The thickness of this knife is something one can rely on FOREVER if cared for properly


My son is far more photogenic than I

RYAN W: 

1. Do you like the fine jimping or would prefer heaver / Bigger notches

I LOVE the fine jimping

RYAN W:

2. What are your thoughts about the re-curve in the cutting edge, would you keep the re-curve but fully sharpened?

The recurve is awesome. With a fully sharpened blade. This way when one turns the knife upside down and running up the belly of a carcass the critters flesh will stay in the "pocket" of the recurve giving more control. Just my opinion. It too is one of the main reasons I love small blades; it gets you closer to the work.

RYAN W:

3. Any input on the sheath after using it a little?

The sheath is what I think a sheath should be. Tougher than Woodpecker Lips The friction fit is very nice and I don't feel that I would ever be concerned about the knife falling out. I like simple. The Denim tent is made when the knife is drawn No addition are nessessary from my point of view

Joe - "JParanee"

Pennsylvania, USA

Guys, I am up next I believe but I sit here very depressed. I have been catching a very nice buck on camera the last few weeks and just had no time to hunt him. Yesterday I got home late and since the wind was right I slipped into the woods with a climber on my back. I hadn't been in the tree an hour or so when he came slipping by me hot on a doe. He stopped at 30 yds with his head behind a bush and I saw my chance. I put the arrow right into his shoulder. Even though I seemed to get good penetration the blood was sparse. I waited 3 hrs and took up the trail only to back out and wait for light. Well after looking all day I'm heart broken and truly saddened to have not recovered this deer.

I have hunted deer my whole life and this is the second Buck I have ever lost. The first time it really messed with me and this time it is worse. 

I am very excited to be involved with this pass around but it is very bitter sweet for me because unless I recover this buck I doubt I will be shooting another one this year. 

I will find something to test the knife on but right now I'm very upset.

I got it guys  

Just came this morning while I was in the woods hunting 

We did a quick sweep and push looking for the one I hit 

I had a ton of deer mostly doe and small bucks with in bow range but not my big boy so I did not loose an arrow 

Are early archery season ends Monday and we have no hunting on Sundays so I only have one more day to look for him and I'm not gonna shoot any other 

I just unpacked it when I got out of the woods and had to run to meet an insurance adjuster on one of my buildings for a storm claim

So a quick impression is that it's a very nice knife just really dull  

I just found a minute to start enjoying this little gem of a knife

Ryan makes a very nice knife and this is the first piece of his that I have gotten to fondle and I am impressed.

The first thing I did was to put it on a Jewel Stik, and a very nice edge popped up with just a few passes and a back drag.

I sharpen free hand and i can tell Ryan definitely has a good grip on edge geometry because the edge came right up to a nice biting edge in short order.

I really would prefer if the blade was sharpened all the way down but that's just personal preference and maybe as I use it I will see the logic in not doing so.

The handle is smaller than I imagined it to be but I find the shape pleasant and I like the way it tapers in the center kinda wasp waisted and where my middle finger lies feels nice and indexes well.

I will be honest, I am a big fan of simple in lack of a better word paring type utility / skinning knives like the Jurassic B&T that Jason and I just did, but that is probably because when I was younger and really learned to skin and cape it was on a Ranch In Texas where my buddy who was a surgeon on critters when it came to skinning had cases of cheap paring knives we would use and throw out.

But I can immediately see how choking up on this blade and putting your pointer finger out on the ridges toward the tip would make for a very exacting tool and I like it. I am not a fan of very upset tips on a game knife but I can see how the generous belly would really be able to cover some ground when removing large animals skin and then just choke up an index the tip to do the more detailed work

So simple put this is just a knife I would have to get used to to get the most out of its designs and over the next few days I will see what I can do.

If my plan would have come to fruition I would of had this buck on the ground and hanging on my scale waiting for this knife to arrive. But as usual plans when it comes to big deer don't work out





I looked all day again for him and we saw no sign of him on the hoof when we did a push.

Ryan your work is very nice and I love the look of the blade.......from its shape to the etch it is quite the wicked little bugger

Thanks to all for involving me and let's see how the next couple days go with it 

I know there has been a lot of pics of this knife but it is very photogenic 

I had kit out today with bow in hand and snapped a few pics

This knife is on its way to Codger and it saddened me to let it go 

Ryan is a great maker that I can see many great things coming from him in the future. His fit and finish is very good and beyond that in a sea of knives his pieces stand out as his which is an accomplishment many makers never achieve. 

His use of modern handle materials and his etched blade finishes combine an ancient and modern look that I truly dig  

I see great things coming from him and I anxiously await the day we can work on something together.

As for his knife .......simple put I love it 

As stated earlier I am used to a more paring shaped knife as a skinner etc. I wish I could of put this knife thru its paces actually caping and skinning an animal but alas I failed at harvesting my target animal and no doubt will not get a chance to put something down or at least one of my kids putting something down till later in the season.

I could easily see how I could get used to the upswept blade and by choking up on the blade I am sure detail work would be a pleasure.

What I do like about the knife is as follows 

Handle shape 

Blade shape 

Finish 

Serration on the spine of blade for when you choke up on it and different hand positions 

Blade takes a keen edge quickly 

What I don't like 

Would prefer the blade was sharpened all the way down 

On a handle this size I would like all one material (personal preference) 

Although the sheath is very well made on blades this size I would prefer a horizontal sheath but again that is personal preference 

Ryan Ill be watching you and thanks so much for including me 

Michael - "Codger_64"

Tennessee, USA

Czech Republic Visit

Thanks to the help from my great family I was able to get away and join my better half in her home country the Czech Republic. Nikki went home for a month due to the loss of her Grandmother, I joined her for the last week.

Praha (Prague): Nikki and her father met me at the airport with the traditional greeting of Pivo, Bread and Salt. "They are the physical manifestation of the guest-right tradition, whereby anyone who receives such in a castle, inn, or home cannot be harmed while under that roof."

Nikki arranged a full day and night in Prague. I had to fight off my jet lag but the beauty and history made that an easy task. We jumped on the subway and headed to Town Square. I got a quick lesson from Nikki about the different architecture styles through out history. 

• Romanesque (10 -13th Centuries)
• Gothic (13 - 16th Centuries)
• Renaissance (16th Century)
• Baroque (Catholic influence to the 18th Century) My Favorite
• Rococo (18th Century)
• Revivalist (Late 1700 - 1800's)
• Modern / Art Nouveau (Late 1800 - 1900's) Nikki's favorite

Living in the United States we miss out on the deep history found in Europe. The age and "Heavy Feeling"  of the buildings and structures have to be experienced in person to fully appreciate. I was in awe more than once during this trip.

We walked past the expensive shops on each side of the square, peeking in the occasional one that caught our interest. The snow melted last week and the weather was beautiful, there were no crowds to speak of which made it a nice stress free stroll through the sites.

 

I found this statue carved into the side of a building particularly interesting. Blacksmith?

OLD Town Square (Staromak)
The famous Astronomical clock, the skeleton on the right rings the bell on the hour. the 12 apostles appear moving through the two windows above the clock. Most amazing fact to me was it was built in the 1400's by Mikulas then made to function as it does today in 1490 by Master Hanus. 

We Crossed Charles Bridge headed towards the imposing Prague Castle on the hill above old town square.

Hrad - Prague Castle

The largest ancient castle in the world, dates back to the 9th century. Built as a fortified settlement, over the centuries buildings have been added and renovated. This explains the many different styles found within its walls.

War Monument

Sedlec Ossuary / Kostnice (Bone Church)
This was possibly the most interesting and disturbing attraction of the trip for me. After the 13th century a man named Abbot brought back soil from Jerusalem and sprinkled it on the graveyard here. Word traveled that this had become sacred ground and the site was overwhelmed with loved ones remains being buried here. With Europe hit by Plauge the tens of thousands of graves and bones began to pile up.

All monasteries were abolished by Joseph II and the site fell into disrepair. It was purchased by the Schwarzenberg family in 1870. A Czech woodcarver named Rint arranged the bones into these formations.

Bone Chandler 

Rint Family Crest made from bones

Grandma's Grave
I was not fortunate enough to meet Grandma, but the influence she had on Nikki's life is great.

On the weekend Jan and Inka took us on a whirlwind tour of all the Castles and Chateaus we could fit in. The views and beauty of the country is hard to show in photos or words.  (Humprecht, Trosky,

Birth canal on our hike up to Rock Castle

Trosky Castle Ruins

Kost

Jindra (Inka) Nikki's mom joined us for another day of touring. We meandered through sleepy ski towns and winding roads towards Jested Tower where we rode the tram and had some lunch. 

Hamon HT in Gas Forge

I had a few people contact me on a follow up to my Hamon Process when using a gas forge... Again, I have to say...

 "I am not an authority or expert on this topic, this is just what I have learned through trial and error and advice received from some amazing makers in the community. It works for me and I am happy to share it."

I used a gas forge for my first 2 years of Heat Treating and actually had more consistent results than the last year of using my Evenheat Oven. They are different animals, and require a different approach.

My Gas Forge HT Process:

My Biggest concern when HT-ing in a forge is getting too hot during my Soak TIme. It is very important to have good control of your heat and let it stabilize as close to 1470 - 1500 F  as possible. 1095 and W2 (The steel I recommend for active Hamon's) require a soak time of 6-10 minutes at austenitizing temp. 

Mike Quesenberry was gracious enough to help me when I was using a gas forge and gave me some great advice. start heading the blade by holding the tip in the tongs spine up to get everything heated up. This prevents the tip from overheating which I had huge problems with. It is almost impossible to have that tip in the forge when bringing the blade up to temp and not over heat it. 

when the Ricasso / Cutting edge reaches non-mag. (test with a magnet frequently) flip it around and heat tip first edge up, to bring the tip up to temp. Then move the blade back and forth to try and keep the entire blade the same temp. We don't care about the spine just the edge and bare spots between the clay. This is your Soak, it is important to keep the heat even along the entire edge and just above Critical Temp. 

If you have the room darkened or do it later at night you are able to see the waves move through the steel, this is what you want to happen while you are "Soaking" your blade, make sure to keep moving it in and out so you dont get the steel too hot, you can even bring the blade out of the forge during your movement to keep it cool. Don't let it drop too much though.... 

Good Luck,
Ryan Weeks

Resources:

Mike Quesenberry Knives

Low Grit Hamon

My Low Grit Hamon Process

I posted up a few photos around the intranets and had quite a few people contact me asking me how I get my Hamon's. After typing up a painfully long Email response to those that asked I thought why not share with those interested

My process for hamon’s changes quite frequently and I am by no means an authority or expert on the process, this is just how I do it right now.

Always wear Respirator and Safety Glasses!

There are two steel types that I find easiest to produce a hamon with because they are Shallow Hardening Steel: 1095 and W2. They both require precise temperature control for 8-10 minutes during HT. Not "Heat up and Dunk" steel types, you have to be very careful to not over heat.

Thermal Cycles:
After I have the blade rough ground I Normalize it through Thermal Cycles. I thoroughly heat to 1600 F then air cool to Black, Heat to 1475 F Cool to Black, Heat to 1425 (Sub Critical) and let cool to the touch. Clean the blade up again making sure to remove all scratches to at least 220 Grit to avoid the blade cracking along the scratch lines (I think of it as a piece of scored glass). Wash the blade with dish soap thoroughly to remove any oil or dirt and dry it off.

Clay Coat:
Apply a thin coat of Furnace Cement (Rutlands) or Satanite on the spine with thin fingers coming down in the same place on both sides of the blade. Do not go all the way to the cutting Edge. (I will attach a photo of one of my knives with the clay on it). I also thin out the cement and use a small art paint brush to wash around the edges of the already applied clay to increase the Ashi (White stuff in the Hamon when polished up). After I have applied the clay I let it air dry for a few hours, then place in the oven at 275F for 30 minutes to dry completely.

Heat Treat:
I use an Evenheat Knife Oven for my HT. I have spent a lot of time working on the process and temp control of the oven (Over a Year). My oven reads about 25-30 F degrees hotter than the inside is. I set my oven to 1470 F (Actual Temp +/- 1450 F) for 60 Min. It takes about 30 minutes to get up to 1470 F. I then let 20 minutes expire on the timer to make sure the oven heat is nice and even inside.

• Oven Timer: 40Min I place the knife in the oven on its spine, Edge up. I made the mistake of putting it edge down for quite a while. The problem with this is, whatever the blade is resting on acts as a heat sink and pulls the heat out of the steel. This will often cause your blade edge not reach critical. Which is exactly what you want to happen to the spine not the cutting edge!

• Oven Timer: 35Min Take a quick Peek at the blade in the oven. Make sure the room dark enough to see Colors, I close doors and turn all but one light off. I have a magnet on a telescoping rod (Radio Antenna-ish) that I use to check for critical on the cutting Edge, don't burn yourself 1450 F burns quick and deep.  If it has not reached critical I Close the door and Check again every 3-4 Minutes.  If it is non-magnetic I quickly close the door and start my 8 - 10 min. soak time. 

• I used to check with the magnet on the handle because it was close to the door and easy to reach quickly, but got false readings because of thickness variations compared to the cutting edge.

• Oven Timer: 27 - 25Min I pull the blade with my tongs and quench in Parks 50 tip first straight up and down to avoid warpage. Moving the blade back and forth like a pendulum. To reduce the vapor Barrier/Jacket, to ensure quick temp reduction. Leave it in the quenchant until room Temperature.  Sometimes the clay breaks off during the quench and sometimes it doesn't. Depending on when this happens in the process has an affect on your hamon.

Check For Hamon:
I scrape off the remaining clay and wipe off the oil. then lightly grind the blade edge with 80 Grit belt that will show the Hamon in the right light. This is my favorite part of the process because you get to see if all your work paid off.

If your edge did not fully harden or the hamon isn't what you want....  Don't throw the blade at the wall Haha! Go back up to the Thermal Cycling step and start over!!!

Tempering:
If you have the Hamon you like, it is important to get your blade Tempered. Right now it is very brittle and you need to bring the Hardness down. Different steel quenched in different quenchants need to be temepered at different temperatures. Do your research and follow a reputable resource, Kevin Cashen's site is always a go to for me ([URL="http://www.cashenblades.com"]Matherton Forge[/URL]).

Just as an example...
I used W2 heated to 1450 F (Remember my oven reads High - 1470 F = 1450 F) quenched in Parks 50. The blade should come out of the Quench at approximately 65-67 HRC.

* Temper 1x at 375 F for 1 Hr. let cool in oven (Slow Cool)
* Temper again at 425 F for 1 hr. Cool in oven.

This should bring your blade down to around 60-61 HRC. Great for a slicer. You can adjust your HRC for the intended purpose of your blade. Choppers should be softer (Temper at Higher Temps)

Machine Finish:
After you have tempered your blade to your desired hardness. I clean up the entire blade on the grinder getting it to final thickness, Be very careful not to over heat your blade in the grinding process now. You can ruin your temper and even your hamon if you are not very careful.

I move through the different grits as follows:
* Norton Orange Blaze (80 Grit)
* Norton Orange Blaze (120 Grit)
* 3M Gator Trizact (A160)
* 3M Gator Trizact (A65)
* 3M Gator Trizact (A45)

Hand Finish:
Now the fun part... Hand Sanding!!!
I use windex as my liquid agent to help move material, I have heard of people using Simple Green, WD40, 3 in 1 Oil, Even Motor oil...

I have a few different size pieces of thick micarta that I use as a sanding block. One side I stick something called "Felt Guard" that I got from Home Depot. It is a hard felt that people put on the bottom of their furniture legs to prevent them from scratching floors or ruining carpet.

This is how I move through the sandpaper grits:
* RhynoWet (220 Grit) Hard Side of Block (Usually takes 20-30 Minutes)
* RhynoWet (400 Grit) Hard Side of Block (20 Minutes)
* RhynoWet (600 Grit) Hard Side of Block (15 Minutes)
... This is where I Etch my makers mark on the blade and rough fit my Handle Materials

* RhynoWet (600 Grit) Hard Side of Block. (Yes 600 again - 10 Minutes)
* RhynoWet (800 Grit) Hard Side of Block (20 Minutes)
* RhynoWet (800 Grit) FELT GUARD Side of Block (20 Minutes)

Hamon ETCH:
Now time for the Acid Etch. I use Ferric Chloride Etchant (PCB Etchant from Radio Shack) Some people use Vinegar instead of FC, I have played with vinegar quite extensively and didn't like the results I got.... To each his own!

You will need: Ferric Chloride, Rubber Gloves, Cotton Make up Pads, Amonia in a Spray Bottle, 3 in 1 Oil, Face Mask, Safety Glasses...
I have my etchant diluted with Water (4:1) in a tall plastic container. I get everything set up in a safe place. I take the blade inside and Wash with Dish soap in VERY HOT water. with the blade still wet I quickly dunk the blade in the FC solution, pull it out and rub the entire blade hard with the cotton Makeup Pad to make sure the FC is making contact with steel during the etch.

* Dip Blade in FC for approx. 10 Seconds, Pull out and Rub both sides with Pad trying to remove all oxides
* Dip again for 10 Seconds, Rub with Pad.
* Dip for 5 Seconds, Rub with Pad
* Dip for 2 Seconds, Rub with Pad (I start rubbing a bit harder like I am trying to remove a bad stain on the entire blade)
* Now I do a series of Very quick dips and Rubs until I start seeing the Dark line develop along the hamon edge.
* I get a new Make up pad and dip the pad into the etchant and rub the blade with the saturated pad until I have what I want.

I immediately spray the entire knife with Amonia to neutralize the FC. then run out to a designated Dirt patch in the yard and wash the Blade off with the Garden Hose (Don't wash the blade off in your kitchen sink). Then Take the blade in the shop and Dry with a paper towel and apply a Very liberal coat of 3 in 1 oil all over the blade.

Hamon Polishing:
I leave the oil on the blade and apply "Flitz Polish". I use the Watery Green Flitz not the thick stuff in a tube. Again I use the Makeup pads to do the polishing. Sometimes I stop after the Flitz, it is a high contrast finish but does not bring out the Ashi.
[IMG]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31S1apr8t4L._SL500_AA300_.jpg[/IMG]

If you want some Ashi in your Hamon (Who Doesn't?) provided you have Ashi from the HT!! I purchased some 1500 Grit Silicon Carbide Powder online. I mix it with 3 in 1 oil to a thin paste. I have a Wood Sanding Block that has a piece of "Felt Guard" (Same stuff I use on the sanding block) on it. I apply the paste directly to the Felt and rub the blade with the saturated Felt. You are polishing with the 1500 Grit and Felt pad. I rub the Entire blade and tang at this stage to remove any Oxides or Color from the FC Etch.

(I am always worried about Contaminants getting into the Pad and scratching the blade finish, I have an test blade that I always use the polishing block on before rubbing on the blade i am finishing... Knock on wood)

The 3 blades on the right have been polished with the 1500 Silicon powder, the blade on the far left has only been Flitz'd

Then apply another liberal coat of Oil on the entire blade!

I am sure I have left some details out or didn’t make sense in some areas. Please feel free to ask questions or correct me where needed!

Next is the Handle!!

MY PERSONAL RESOURCES:

Kevin Cashen (Knifemaker)
Mike Quesenberry (Knifemaker)
Nick Wheeler (Knifemaker)
John Doyle (Knifemaker)
Mike Turner (Knifemaker)
BladeForums Online Forums