I'm working on a knife that should be finished tomorrow if I don't mess it up. I'm lovin this blackwood.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7398/11076814374_2bdeddce9f_b.jpg)
I'll be posting more pics soon.
Wow, what a teaser!
No doubt it will be fantastic!
Steve
--------
Potomac Forge
Member W.F. Moran Jr. Museum & Foundation.
ABS
Looks like the start of something good.
I'm up early this morning and went over the handle with a higher grit and buffed it. It looks pretty good so far. I've been so busy on this one that I don't have many pictures but I'll try to catch up today. Today is my forth day on this handle starting with a finished blade. :scared:
that's some of the best blackwood ive seen... really knockout stuff... NOW GET'ER DONE! Cant wait to see pics.
I've always sought Blackwood that was not black.
This random brown striations of varying tones is what sets it apart.
Beside being an extraordinary handle, that's some pretty decent blackwood.
What are ya' sticking in that big hole you left there?
Do you use any power tools to shape these styles of handles or is it all good ole fashioned file rasp and sandpaper work? Just curious. I really like the knives you have posted on here in the past with the raised flanges at the handle ends. (forgive me if there is a technical term for that in the knife world, but I'm just a plain old Louisiana pipeliner so to me they're flanges ;) )
Matt
Karl, there will be an escutcheon plate there, but I figure you already know that. :goldtooth:
I just affixed it in there.
Matt, there's no way I can think of to use a machine after the rough in. I have to just get down in there with files and sand paper. I did use a cabinet maker's rasp for some of it. It's a very aggressive file. No. 51 I think.
Thanks
Love the raised borders. Blackwood is such awesome stuff. Cant wait to see where this one goes.
Darcy :campfire:
Flanges, I like that Matt ;)
Looking forward to the finished pics, I can tell it's gonna be a dandy Lin.
That's what I figured Lin. I was just curious if you might have some cool toy that I hadn't seen.
Doug, most people think of pipe flanges when you hear the word flange but it can actually refer to any raised ring or ridge on the end of a shaft, pipe, etc. I've seen medieval weapons called flanged maces which were just a stick with a large raised metal ring on the business end. I thought the term fit here. ;)
Matt
Got it on this afternoon. Man that's a lot of work.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3730/11091283784_e13c817ee2_n.jpg)
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VERY NICE!
I cant seem to size my pics. Flickr went crazy on me.
What I use for some things:
http://webresizer.com/
I think I'll save that picture of that knife.
She's a beaut.
Each time I see your latest, I think that they just can't get any better. Each time you post one, you prove me wrong. A true work of art.
Lin,
That is a beautiful knife. You and your work are 1st Class. WOW! :thumbsup:
I'm speechless.
Wow. It's so pretty. I guess this can be your going to the opera knife...
Really though Lin, that is beautiful.
Lin, you continue to amaze me with the beauty of your masterpieces!
That is beautiful Lin.
Thank you so much guys. I have looked at this thing for four days straight and have to regain my appreciation for what it is I guess.
I see every little flaw and worry that it might detract. While making a good knife is priority and I am certain that this is a well functioning knife, the desire to make it aesthetically "perfect" is always there.
Not trying to be nosey, but how many hours would you typically have in a knife like this? I've just always wondered how long these high end Damascus bowies take to build. I do appreciate you taking the time, on top of what you have in the knives you build, to post your work for us to see and to give us advice/help when we need it.
Matt
Wow... I enjoy your knives, both in design and really obvious craftsmanship. That one looks incredible. Blackwood is one of my absolute favorites and I thought the handle in the first photo looked very nice. But the finished knife made the handle seem even better. I suppose that shows how well overall design plays such an important role in each component making the others look better than when standing alone. Thanks for posting this one-I'm with Karl...wanting to save those pics....
Jeremy
Thats just stunning. I love everything about this knife. I am so glad we have this little corner of the interwebs where you share what you work on. Thank you for what you do here.
I do have a question though, if you don't mind. The pattern on this one looms a bit different than you usual ladder patter. What is the difference? I love the appearance of both but am curious about both ways.
Chris
Thank you guys.
Jeremy, a car fender might be well made but it looks best when on the vehicle. That's true of the parts of anything including knives. The whole is more than the sum of its parts? One part is Meteorite btw. It's in the blade steel and the escutcheon plate is a slice of it.
Chris, Sometimes the ladder just turns out looking different. I have some control over it but there is some "unknown" that remains. The thing about this knife is that I had one chance to make it and no extra material. It is a little different from side to side in pattern but not much. Even so, it cuts good and both sides look good, I think.
What a great knife.
Inspiring,
Thanks Lin
Wow, turned out very nice Lin. Is that the piece of Meteorite you showed me in AR last winter? How'd it weld up for you?
Matt, I've welded up much more than my fair share of pipe and pipe flanges. Spent 14 years in that field so flange works fine for me buddy. :thumbsup:
Nice job Lin.
yep another knockout!
Lin'
Another incredible job. You manage to make each knife a one of a kind with it's own look.
This came out great Lin! And the shiny hardware really works on this piece. Beautiful as always.
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Very nice. I like the Damascus and overall shape a lot. Blade length looks to be 10 inches or close to that?
Darcy :campfire:
Yes Darcy. 10 1/2. I should have more pics soon. Thanks
Lin, I'm afraid that picture went into my "Lin Rhea Knife" folder. One of your others is my current wallpaper. I have enough now to do a slide show screen saver :)
Sure is inspirational!
Thank you Ron. That is Steve Arnold, one of the Meteorite Men from the Discovery network. This has been a year in the works to get from the time I talked to him to finish the knife. This is not his knife btw. It will find a new home eventually after some getting looked at and read about. The knife is being photographed today I think and will be posted pretty soon.
The blade has some of the meteorite that is on the counter in the photo in it. And the escutcheon plate is part of the meteorite showing the unique pattern that is found inside iron meteorites.
The challenge was to make a knife that has iron (meteorite)in it and still retain enough carbon to harden and perform well. For this to happen I wanted to be sure and achieve two things. Number one, I had to get the layer count high enough to let the carbon to migrate to the iron, in effect, making it into steel too. Number two, I had to treat it like a "mystery steel" since the draw back temperature was an "unknown" to me. So, I had to start low and climb till it acted right. We've discussed this in another thread a while back. Anyway, it worked out good.
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5481/11180189306_d781deeffa_z.jpg)
I was waiting to see the pro pics to comment further........the fittings "in the white" didn't look quite right to my eye, but I figured maybe I just wasn't seeing it right yet. Glad I didn't stick my foot in it. They look great when seen through the eyes of Chuck Ward. I guess I am so used to seeing Damascus fittings from you that these looked unfinished for a while.
I really like your ladder pattern, it is slightly less structured than the pressed in ladders of some other makers, and the randomness adds to it's appeal for me.
Thanks for posting, always a treat to see your work.
Darcy :campfire:
So much detail work.
Very nice Sir.
Excellent photo as well.
CTT
yep, tons of tiny little details!
That's a beauty Lin. A knife from another planet.
Truly out of this world.
Speechless!
Thank you my friends.
You are the king of theblades,Lin
wow she is pretty
Lin, you truly are an artist! Just Beautiful
Lin, I just received Knives 2014 for Christmas and enjoyed seeing your several knives in there. One of your comments earlier in this post really set me thinking.
You only had one shot at this knife - no extra material to start over if something went wrong. Every knifemaker I know has a scrap bin with unfinished knives that went wrong beyond the "fix it back up" point. Just knowing the first shot would have to be perfect would have me shaking so badly I would be guaranteed to mess it up.
I think the constraints you were working under, as much as the finished product, show that MS stamp is fully justified.
Truly a "masterful" project and another example of a knife as an art form.
Thank you everyone.
Ron, believe me I mess up plenty and suffer for it. One untold part of this is that Steve sent me the meteorite with no strings attached. He said "if you ruin it no problem. If you are successful and sell the knife, you can pay me for it." That's not going to ever happen again so I'm glad it worked out. But that took some of the pressure off. It also caused me to take my time and do some research before actually attempting the weld.
Lin that is gorgeous!
Rick
:notworthy:
Your so good, your BAD.
When i first saw these pics i uttered words i shouldnt say in public.
But they were all good.
That is exquisite !