Delta, my first knife (Drop Point) 1./2016
After months of preparation, I finally got here...
My very first knife. I made it. It was an amazing jurney. The feeling to be capable of doing something useful with -almost only- your bare hands.
Although this knife is not a direct copy of Dan Comeau's DH52 knife pattern, I did use his pattern to free-hand draw my own design. This is what turned out.
Bill of materials:
It was extremely easy to work with the soft O-1 steel. For this knife I went with the 3x40mm flat bar
After cutting out the rough shape of the knife with an angle grinder, I used one double bastard file to smooth out all edges. It was all fine and easy in the outer corners, but the inner corner of the handle was a pain in the a** with a 30mm wide bastard file :)
I used a filing jig to create the bevels, and sanded the knife with a p180 sanding paper first, then moving up to p240. I created the cutting edge to be 0.7mm thick.
I have chosen the O-1 tool steel because of the ease of the heat treatment: heated the blade up untill it was not attracted by the magnet, then quencehed it in pre-heated (~50C) engine oil (10w40 :D :D). Then up into the oven, 2x1hour@190C.
Again p240 sandpaper, and sanded all the burned oil residue.
I used some Gorilla Glue epoxy for fixing the scales on the knife.
Scales are 10mm thick, pretty much an overkill. Did not file it down, so overall thicknes of the handle is 22-23mm. Pretty beefy, yet very confortable to hold.
I do not recommend Gorilla Glue epoxy, because it is sensitive to water, and my scales are coming loose after 5 weeks. (used the knife for 1 week only, very mild usage)
I made two copies for my kids, to play with. They where very excited (for 3 hours :):)
Theese are made of oak.
Still a lot to sand, but at least I can already see the forming of the final shape
My very first knife. I made it. It was an amazing jurney. The feeling to be capable of doing something useful with -almost only- your bare hands.
 |
| Patina is forming on the blade: this is how high-carbon steels act when contacting acids. (tomato, oranges, etc.) |
Although this knife is not a direct copy of Dan Comeau's DH52 knife pattern, I did use his pattern to free-hand draw my own design. This is what turned out.
Bill of materials:
- 3x40mm O-1 tool steel (here in Europe: 1.2510 (100MnCrW4 )
- a set of 10x40x120mm sandalwood scales
- Balsin Bright Stock Oil, treated w 4 coats
- Gorilla Glue epoxy (I don't recommend using it)
- Lot of elbow grease :)
It was extremely easy to work with the soft O-1 steel. For this knife I went with the 3x40mm flat bar
After cutting out the rough shape of the knife with an angle grinder, I used one double bastard file to smooth out all edges. It was all fine and easy in the outer corners, but the inner corner of the handle was a pain in the a** with a 30mm wide bastard file :)
 |
| Ready for heat treat |
I used a filing jig to create the bevels, and sanded the knife with a p180 sanding paper first, then moving up to p240. I created the cutting edge to be 0.7mm thick.
 |
| After the first tempering cycle (in my kitchen :D:D) |
I have chosen the O-1 tool steel because of the ease of the heat treatment: heated the blade up untill it was not attracted by the magnet, then quencehed it in pre-heated (~50C) engine oil (10w40 :D :D). Then up into the oven, 2x1hour@190C.
Again p240 sandpaper, and sanded all the burned oil residue.
 |
| Sandalwood handle scales glued |
Scales are 10mm thick, pretty much an overkill. Did not file it down, so overall thicknes of the handle is 22-23mm. Pretty beefy, yet very confortable to hold.
I do not recommend Gorilla Glue epoxy, because it is sensitive to water, and my scales are coming loose after 5 weeks. (used the knife for 1 week only, very mild usage)
I made two copies for my kids, to play with. They where very excited (for 3 hours :):)
Theese are made of oak.
 |
| Still a lot to sand |
Still a lot to sand, but at least I can already see the forming of the final shape
At the end, I have given it 4 layers of Balsin Bright Stock Oil. Altough only sanded with p240, the stock oil gave it a very smooth finish
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