Chefs knife

Darren Wright

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I ordered some knife kits online (don't remember where from...on my shop computer). Here is the first one, a chef's knife. I've got a couple of filet knives to build yet and a pocket knife kit. I used some tiger maple scrap on this one and finished it using some mineral oil. Not sure it's the best finish method, but it's what I had available. Anyone else built knives before? If so, what type of finish do you use?
 

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Very nice knife! I don't know what the norm is for knife handles, but I made a few spatulas from curly maple and used mineral oil on them. The one I kept gets re-oiled every few months. I doubt a knife handle would need it that often.

Again, very nice - especially for "scrap" wood!:D

Wes
 
I'll echo what Mike said. Great job, and if you find the supplier, please let us know. My dad would go nuts over a knife like that, especially if he knew I made it.

[Edited to add...]

I just Googled "knife kit" and got a boatload of hits. Off to go read...
 
I'll echo what Mike said. Great job, and if you find the supplier, please let us know. My dad would go nuts over a knife like that, especially if he knew I made it.

[Edited to add...]

I just Googled "knife kit" and got a boatload of hits. Off to go read...
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Nice job Darren.

A daughter will go nuts too. She had this pearing knife, made from an old butcher knife, in her possession before the mineral oil fully soaked in. Ipe wood doesn't make the most beautiful knife scales, as does the Tiger Maple, but it sure is functional around water.
 

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Lookin' good. Echo others, mineral oil is fine. That or nothing. An initial beeswax finish might be good also.
I have some sources for knife stuff. Will sort through and try to post a link of a good supplier later.

Here is a good source. Some fine blades there at reasonable prices. No modern kitchen cutlery that I saw. I'll look for another source, or two.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(2gqbx4a1mfgasz55ib5rja55))/categories/catList.aspx?catID=9

Another, still not with what I'm looking for but lots of choices.
http://www.atlantacutlery.com/atlantacutlery/s-Knife-Making.aspx?CategoryID=415

Last one: This is one of the biggest knife makers supply houses in the country. He has a lot of stuff more modern than I would normally look for. (pre 1776) In his supplies, look for screw type rivets that are over-length. They mount the slabs then are ground flush to avoid the problem Darren had.
http://www.texasknife.com/store/s-pages/TKS_MainframeStore.htm
 
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Thanks for all the compliments, I'll try to get out the shop tonight to lookup the supplier, still have the box sitting there with some of the other blades.

The hard part was shaping the scales once they were epoxy'd on. The blade came sharpened, but left the cardboard cover on it and sanded away with the oscillating sander. I did wear leather gloves and have since bought a leather apron, so might feel a little more safe on the next few.

Bob, nice job on the knife and getting the pins done to a uniform size. I had bought too short of pins and they were hard to get expanded on the ends, so I think the epoxy is mostly holding the scales on.
 
Thanks for all the compliments, I'll try to get out the shop tonight to lookup the supplier, still have the box sitting there with some of the other blades.

The hard part was shaping the scales once they were epoxy'd on. The blade came sharpened, but left the cardboard cover on it and sanded away with the oscillating sander. I did wear leather gloves and have since bought a leather apron, so might feel a little more safe on the next few.

Bob, nice job on the knife and getting the pins done to a uniform size. I had bought too short of pins and they were hard to get expanded on the ends, so I think the epoxy is mostly holding the scales on.
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I can take no credit at all for the pins. Those are a two piece press fit rivets that came from the broken handle of the butcher knife. There is a name for them but I don't recall at the moment. The epoxy is probably holding more than the pins on this knife also.

If the pins you use are brass consider anealing the ends that will be peened. For medium soft, heat to cherry red and air cool. For real soft, heat to cherry red and quench in water. The pin ends will work harden as they are peened.
 
...Last one: This is one of the biggest knife makers supply houses in the country. He has a lot of stuff more modern than I would normally look for. (post 1776) In his supplies, look for screw type rivets that are over-length. They mount the slabs then are ground flush to avoid the problem Darren had.
http://www.texasknife.com/store/s-pages/TKS_MainframeStore.htm

I ended up ordering the "competition cook-off carver" from them. (Towards the bottom of this page.) I couldn't decide if I wanted brass or stainless steel pins, so I ordered material for both. In their instructions, they recommend only gluing the pins in and not peening the ends over. I'll give that a try for the first one, and decide if I like it or not. Found another site -- www.knifekits.com -- that has some cool mosaic pin material.
 
I ended up ordering the "competition cook-off carver" from them. (Towards the bottom of this page.) I couldn't decide if I wanted brass or stainless steel pins, so I ordered material for both. In their instructions, they recommend only gluing the pins in and not peening the ends over. I'll give that a try for the first one, and decide if I like it or not. Found another site -- www.knifekits.com -- that has some cool mosaic pin material.

Vaughn, there is a reason why ends are peened. Peened rivets are found on all kinds of knives, including some very high quality ones. Stainless steel is not easy to work with. Likewise brazing rod, which I have used but not happily. Soft brass is the way to go.
 
I got my knife supplies through NorthCoast Knives. His prices seemed to be a little lower than some of the others and I am satisfield with the quality. The chefs knife is just the right thickness, light with no flexing, even when cutting brisket.

He's actually got some good tutorials on his site I hadn't noticed before. Will have to see if he's got a finishing technique or at least what he recommends.

On his Safety link, he's got some good recommendations to help avoid this.
 
Darren, I like some of the stuff they have on the NorthCoast Knives site. I may have to try making an ulu and the block to go with it.
Vaughn, there is a reason why ends are peened. Peened rivets are found on all kinds of knives, including some very high quality ones. Stainless steel is not easy to work with. Likewise brazing rod, which I have used but not happily. Soft brass is the way to go.
Yeah, I was kind of surprised to not see that site recommend peening. Based on what I've seen elsewhere, I think I'll peen the pins lightly just for good measure. Do most people also glue the pins, or just peen them?
 
Darren, I like some of the stuff they have on the NorthCoast Knives site. I may have to try making an ulu and the block to go with it.

Yeah, I was kind of surprised to not see that site recommend peening. Based on what I've seen elsewhere, I think I'll peen the pins lightly just for good measure. Do most people also glue the pins, or just peen them?

Gluing the pins is like wearing a belt with suspenders.
California ulu?
 
Gluing the pins is like wearing a belt with suspenders.
California ulu?
If peening and gluing serve the same purpose, why peen them at all? What's the advantage over glue? (Not arguing...I'm genuinely curious.)

Oh, and all the trendy chefs have an ulu in the kitchen these days. :rolleyes: I'm thinking they'd sell well at art shows.
 
Vaughn asked, "If peening and gluing serve the same purpose, why peen them at all?"
If suspenders hold up yer britches, why wear a belt also? :doh:
Same difference.
Actually, I believe that if you peen a glued in pin, the glue would break it's grip.
Glue the slabs, peen the pins.
 
... Actually, I believe that if you peen a glued in pin, the glue would break it's grip.
Glue the slabs, peen the pins.

I was thinking you could peen the pins while the glue is still wet. But this gets us back to...why peen the pins? Properly epoxied into place, I don't reckon they'd be wanting to fall out or loosen.
 
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