This is my 666th knife. It's the first one I've finished out of canister Damascus, the "trashcan" or "fossil" variety made of billet ends and scraps with powder. It's also the first subhilt I've done. Fittings are the same fossil Damascus billet as the blade, and the handle is gidgee. Top swedge isn't sharpened, but could be.
Took some still pics last night.
So what did you learn from all these firsts?
Joshua States
www.dosgatosforge.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg
https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71
Also on Instagram and Facebook as J.States Bladesmith
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.â€
Nice looking knife ðŸ‘. Looks like a fun build. Ray
|quoted:
So what did you learn from all these firsts?
A few things. First canister weld went good, so I was encouraged that the process I used was solid. I used mostly billet ends with the flaws ground out, in random shapes. Pattern would have been more interesting if I'd used smaller pieces or higher layer count pieces. I didn't expect symmetry side to side, but I expected more uniformity than I got.
As far as the subhilt goes, it was not a terrible big pain. In many ways it's just another guard. I did most of the metal shaping disassembled from the handle. I also split a scalloped belt into 1" wide to do some finish work in between the subhilt and the guard.
As far as the harpoon/swedge goes, this was the first one I'd done like that also. I really like the flow the grind line picks up from the swedge, and it's also one of the first ones where I built the swedge to be sharpenable. Customer wants it sharp, so I'll have to do that this week.
This one sold just off of that video having been posted on FB. Shows you never know when some of these spec type knives will move. I honestly expected it to stick around a while.
I can tell that you've done hundreds of knives! The way it moves just screams how you've got your process down. Great Job.
Evan L. Cihak
I have no idea how many knives I have made. I just never kept count.
Joshua States
www.dosgatosforge.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg
https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71
Also on Instagram and Facebook as J.States Bladesmith
“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.â€
Jason, that is a beautiful knife. I personally love the randomness to the pattern you got from that canister. Given, that might not have been what you were after, but im diggin' it just the way it is!! Even the handle...just enough grain to keep it interesting but not take away from the blade. Great job!!
Thank you for sharing!!
Image when you get to knife #2381?? LOL How in the heck are you keeping track of all of the knives you build? That would take some serious discipline or a simple process based in repetition. Impressive either way!!
I write each one down in a notebook before I mail it out. Simple repetitive process.
