Show all posts by user
Highlights of maybe not so well known makers, manufacturers or simply maybe an interesting or simply unusual knife from a not so unusual source.
This forum is currently read only. You can not log in or make any changes. This is a temporary situation.
Re: new product development - 1 year ago
The knuckle clearance helps a lot, allowing chopping over branches in a way I am not used to. I watched the video and realized I was choosing between a lot of different possible chopping points. It could be the symmetry helps in control too. When I started this project I had in mind a much larger blade with a wood handle. That version chopped better and was super satisfying to throw, bby wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: new product development - 1 year ago
a little work... ended up roughing in a spoon tooby wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: new product development - 1 year ago
Thank you all, I don't expect much from the coatings other than some rust protection. We don't worry about rust on our shovels at work, but I hope to sell these and they need to at least resist rust until the new owners go camping. After that they can embrace the Boba Fett. You are right about those corners, they are a bit threatening. I haven't made one with rounded corners but it did cby wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: How and why razors dull - Interesting article - 1 year ago
THank you for posting that link! Awesome photography! So, can homogeneity be improved? Perhaps finer powders in a PM technique? Or different composition entirely... Agreed let us ignore carbide volume. One of the articles linked (links no longer work) to in the science forum talked about high temperature soaks to improve the diffusion of alloying elements, and used mechanical deformatby wnease - Things to read in Denver when you're dead.
Re: new product development - 1 year ago
First batch: It takes longer than I expected to wrap but it can be done while binge watching "Alone"by wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: new product development - 1 year ago
Thanks JPierce, I did some research and couldn't find anything like a thin sheet of thermoforming polymer that was as safe and tough as the regulars like Kydex, Boltaron, Holstex at a price that made sense. Shipping is pretty crazy here in Canada. Right now I think I will have to bite the bullet on whatever is easily available... and remain open to other options if they present themselves. Iby wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: new product development - 1 year ago
Some throwing practice... I think I have found my range. I still need to figure out a scabbard I can efficiently make in my shop. Seems to be a shortage of Kydex out there! Boltaron is more in my price range but even that looks expensive I am reading "The Power Of Simplicity" to try and keep this... simple. Do consumer items like this immediately go to online sales? I liby wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: new product development - 1 year ago
Well it's good to hear that people do bring small expensive shovels camping. I can make a small expensive shovel My wife agreed, which is a bit ironic because she doesn't bring one. I bought a cheap one from a home improvement store, proper handle, thin square head, pretty flat as I imagined grinding the sides for zombie work. It stayed in my truck. BTW just want to make sure I'm NOby wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: new product development - 1 year ago
That's good to know. When I search online for camp shovel or trowel I get things that are not useful by my standards. Wnease Survival Trowel (WST?) is smaller than the CS Shovel, but made my commercial machetes look like toys. They hurt my hands even through gloves, and digging or throwing them is even more silly than throwing a shovel! THe first few configurations were remarkably satisfyby wnease - Nothing under the microscope
new product development - 1 year ago
I'm indulging my deep sentimental attachment to this forum now... I have a product in my brain (several prototypes built so far) that is about to spill out. I'd like some feedback on it from you all. Context: the Cold Steel Special Forces shovel... I want one, but do I want one? I dig maybe 60 seconds a day on a camping trip. If I need to dig any significant amount I want a real shovel,by wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: revisiting the bamboo skewer test - 1 year ago
I have an old Boye 440c dendritic re-ground to zero that passes the test. Even my wifes Ti neck knife can do it with minimal damage. It feels a bit scary, so much force, knife starts to wiggle around...by wnease - I am kind of a big deal.
Re: neck knife design - 1 year ago
Thanks, I did similar to repair a sled last month and have been pondering the application on lightweight sheaths.by wnease - Say hello to my little friend!
Re: revisiting the bamboo skewer test - 1 year ago
Today we managed to cut zip ties at 15C but bamboo skewer was a no-go! Meanwhile, a Victorinox paring knife and my kitchen knife passed this test. The Eagle might be pretty small by the time I get to good metal. It's kind of a downer... this was my EDC because of how light and slim it is.by wnease - I am kind of a big deal.
Re: revisiting the bamboo skewer test - 1 year ago
Welp, it didn't go well. Reground the main bevels wet with a Trizact A65. Finished on a Fallkniven 800 grit diamond, added a couple degrees for micro. The other side of the diamond hone is a fine ceramic, final finished on that, Catches and cuts hairs above skin. Today I cut two zip ties, crumpled the edge. I wasn't even being rough... well not rough for me anyway. Will try again tomorby wnease - I am kind of a big deal.
Re: Picking the right steels - 1 year ago
I used to pick steels based on marketability. Slowly and painfully I found it wasn't the main factor in marketing a product. Personally I now look for grindability and simple heat treat... but I do have this chunk of cpm10v someone gave me to make a hatchet head! If there were a way I could machine Ti alloy on a larger scale it might replace most of my stainless (haven't found a source for 4by wnease - I am kind of a big deal.
revisiting the bamboo skewer test - 1 year ago
So I was making a model tent frame this morning and remembered the ckc bamboo skewer test. The first two cuts went fine. The third cut caused the damage in the photo. I had to push very hard to make the third 90 degree push cut, over 40 lbs on a bathroom scale. The handle was starting to flex. It's enough force that I was tempted to use my other hand to push on the spine. It's a liby wnease - I am kind of a big deal.
neck knife design - 1 year ago
It's been a while but I got some shop time so this is what came of it: There was more design time in it than build time! I didn't see much on the web that I liked for a neck knife. Of the ones that were light enough to seriously consider, they rarely had much of a handle. I also like a wide blade for survival work and defensive use. The butt is squared so it can be struck with a wood mby wnease - Say hello to my little friend!
Re: Blade Magazine -- The Pros And Cons Of Paracord Handles - 1 year ago
I mostly soak in low viscosity epoxy and vac bag... very solid and crazy tough, but sometimes slippery especially with certain types of paracord. Recently I have been exploring ultralight handles and noticed paracord is quite heavy. The look of nice wraps, especially with a turk's head guard, still appeals to me. There isn't a cheaper way to get a nice guard (hand stop)by wnease - Things to read in Denver when you're dead.
Re: Swords and Spears for Home Defense - 2 years ago
My home is too cramped and cluttered for a spear or longsword, though the spear has been used to chase a black bear out of the chicken run. I feel like a shield and gladius-style shortsword might be the ticket in here.by wnease - I am kind of a big deal.
Re: A few hollow handle knives... - 2 years ago
Well this is an epic thread with an unassuming title. I was surprised to see it was still going and current. There is much to learn here, about steels and geometry, about evidence, about human interaction, about faith, about pedantry, and about clear and concise language. Thank you to cooler heads.by wnease - Say hello to my little friend!
Re: Knife, axe, etc. - failures - 3 years ago
This is a regrind that I was using on sod... This is a D2 kitchen knife I made from a slitter blade. Heavy corrosion in the tang. It may have been cracked before I made the knife.by wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: Interesting choice and performance in steel for large blades/ sword. - 4 years ago
D2 still has a a reputation of being tough, even in some tool and die shops. I think maybe it's the high retained austenite. Austenite is tough, right? Of course retained austenite might not stay austenite forever. Compared to water quenched W1 untempered, air hardened D2 is toughby wnease - Things to read in Denver when you're dead.
Re: wet grinder woes - 4 years ago
some progress... I usually grind at over 3000 fpm after roughing in at 5000 plus (6" drive pulley at 3450 rpm). Drips and streams of water just bounce off, but grinding slower takes precious time and usually I make large blades. The key was researching nozzle design. Turns out there is quite a bit to it. It's possible to get a nice mist from a hole in a hose but usually it will dripby wnease - Under the hammer (or in front of the grinder)
Re: Knife, axe, etc. - failures - 5 years ago
I broke a Cutco table knife in frozen banana bread, a flooring knife just trying to straighten it a few degrees, a cheap paring knife just testing the flex to see if it might be worth re-grinding. No corrosion in the breaks. Usually these things are on the softer side (and they still might have been, just not ductile)by wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: Going Back to Budget..... - 5 years ago
Olfa! Also at work I carry a cheap kitchen knife with about 9" blade , reground, in a stout Holstex scabbard. Apparently it looks aggressive to the softscape crews but the hardscape guys all love it.by wnease - Nothing under the microscope
Re: wet grinder woes - 5 years ago
Thanks for the ideas guys, I still can't make the water stick to a coarse belt at speed. It just bounces off. Even the garden hose will not force a fine spray into the belt, though it's great for flooding. I have noticed that spraying the blade does remove the need to dip blades in water... that's good because my shop is not large enough for a sword dip trough. So production speed can incby wnease - Under the hammer (or in front of the grinder)
Re: Power sharpening: how fast is too fast? - 5 years ago
I'll take all the data we have going here... interpreting the data is the tricky part and not caring who's right, that's tricky too. Any Cal I think you have some good points there. I have also noticed that my Blaze belts seem to last longer running dry, though I have not done controlled testing (not having made the same blade twice that's always an issue) I thought it might be washingby wnease - TuneUp's
Re: Sharpening Stone Prices (Watch the Free Market Work!!) - 5 years ago
What you really want is Muskoka granite I have plenty ground flat... the best part is you have the fun of lapping AND grading AND figuring out what they are good for. Seriously though the cost of stones can be crazy. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to buy any more after the last round of purchases. I was thinking "what would happen to them if I died..." they'd get used as weby wnease - I am kind of a big deal.
Re: Unsticking the apex: Full Flat Grind vs Sabre Hollow Grind - 5 years ago
I like what Shaper is suggesting even though it sounds time consuming. I think a chainsaw will speed that up. Basically we need a way to observe directly whether the damage is on entry or exit. Feeling the chip happen on exit is hard for me to believe but that doesn't mean it's impossible, just very hard to duplicate. It's been a while since I chopped and much longer since I had much edge damby wnease - I am kind of a big deal.
Re: Pivot Bearings: A Solution Looking for a Problem? - 5 years ago
I was doing some research into roller v plain bearings. It's hard to rationalize for a folding knife. "solution looking for a problem" - well saidby wnease - Things to read in Denver when you're dead.