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Finished this up for my sister's wedding a couple weeks ago, and it just dawned on me that I didn't show it off here yet.



The blade is 1075 that's been through-hardened, and the handle is hardened locust that I got a from a fellow forum member and RI native, along with a briar bolster and copper accent.

My sister was drooling over a set of knives done in a similar fashion that I use daily, so I figured now was as good a time as any to gift her one. And it was a good way for me to freshen up on a couple things that I don't do nearly as frequently as I should - polishing steel, and grinding right to the edge.

I normally prefer a satin finish, so I belt sand to about 220, then start hand rubbing up to about 600, then finish it off with an etch, or bead blast, or just a simple satin treatment with steel wool. Polishing this knife blade was an exercise in patience, one I don't actually intend to repeat any time soon.

Wow thats beautiful work, sure beats a crappy toaster

This is crap and you're a hack. I'd rather have a toaster.

Whoa, I missed that somehow... That's a beauty in a difficult style to capture.

I feel your pain on the polishing, I usually stop at 400 grit myself. Last week I had to put a mirror finish on a jeweler's bench block, so it was hand rubbing up past 1500 and then buffing for hours...

Just out of curiosity, what would you charge for a blade such as this?

Alan L wrote:Whoa, I missed that somehow... That's a beauty in a difficult style to capture.

Thanks Alan, that means tons!

The next project is... a hatchet for making kindling! This will be a serious stretch for my forging skills.

frazeeg wrote:Just out of curiosity, what would you charge for a blade such as this?

It's difficult to say. I didn't keep track of time at all. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 as it sits, I think.

Hi Kurt,
that is a wonderful knife, i like it very much,
unbelieveable work.
Best wishes
Tommi