I always get excited as I start working on a new knife, and this new build is no exception. It took me some time to work out the design and details for these next two knives, but if they turn out as good as I picture them in my mind, they should be a couple of great pieces of edged art. The initial work was spent tweaking the design details to meet the clients' needs, but I also got started out in the shop work on the actual knives. Here are a few pics of the beginning steps of this knife build.
Even though these two knives are for two separate clients, they will both have very similar characteristics, the first of which is the choice of blade steel. These blades will both be made from Mike Norris stainless Damascus. This pattern is a raindrop pattern that is going to look really great on the finished knives. The Bobcat spacer will also be made from the same material.
I didn't get any pics of profile grinding the blades or of grinding them parallel and to thickness, but that's kind of boaring work anyway. Here are the two blades wrapped in tool wrap and ready for heat treatment.
Into the oven they go for hardening. They will followed up with a plate quench, dry ice cryo treatment, and two temper cycles.
Here are the blades after the full heat treatment cycle, ready to be final surface ground and fit up with some handles. There was a lot more work done than the photos demonstrate, but next week we'll get started on the handles and watch them come together pretty quickly. Thanks for following along with me on this new knife-making adventure. I hope you enjoy the ride.
- Brandant Robinson
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