This is a little thing I made for Crip Dyke. [pervert]
The steel came out quite dramatic, so I parkerized it to emphasize it even more. Why not? It’s a chunk of 1095 wire rope that I welded into a bar a while ago. I cut it off then crushed it end-wise in the hydraulic press (no better way to make sure your welds are tight!) so the resulting grain is comprised of the crushed ends of the wires. I like the effect and may do it more.
Making the handle took two tries, unfortunately. CD said that the handle needed to be curved some, because of arthritis, so I heated the tang with a propane torch and carefully bent it. Then, I assembled a two-part handle around it, and proceeded to cut into the tang-hole with the grinder. There’s really not a lot of excess wood to work with around the tang; this one is rather sturdy. On the second attempt, I used a piece of tape to reproduce where the outline of the tang hole was cut, and pre-cut the wood on the bandsaw, then glued it up. The idea of taking a piece of wood containing a chunk of hardened high carbon steel and accidentally hitting a bandsaw blade gives me the willies.
I forget where I saw the technique of using a steel brush on hardwood to bring out the grain, but I tried it and really liked the results. It was a bit nerve-wracking since I basically had to finish the handle, then potentially ruin it. The bolster is purpleheart.
Shaping a handle can be really interesting. You haven’t got any good way of really knowing what will fit your client’s hand, so you have to take whatever information they can give you, then start grinding away until it feels right. When you’re trying to make a sort of organic or curved form, it’s easy when your curve matches the shape of your grinder, but it never works out that way, so you’ve got to just suck it up and freehand it and keep grinding away wood until it feels and looks right. Sanding and filing and sanding gives you plenty of chance to refine the shapes.
Updated with action shot from Crip Dyke!
Great American Satan says
I think it’s hilarious and rad that our networks output is social justice, pretty pictures, and KNIVES. So many knives.
kestrel says
This is full of awesomeness. The finish on the wood is really wild and looks very cool. A finish like that would not work for me personally, but there is no question, it’s dramatic and looks fantastic. I like the wood choices too.
lochaber says
Probably not as suitable for a nice knife that is relatively small and already has a lot of labor-hours put into it, But one thing I really like doing with furniture and such made out of 2x4s, is to burn it with a propane torch, and then scrub it with a scrub brush. It saves me the effort or sanding, which I loathe, it darkens the wood so I don’t have to mess about with stains, and it literally brings out the grain.
The scrubbing part is best done outside on a windy day. I’ve sometimes cut wood in my studio apartment bathroom shower, as the tub would conveniently collect all the sawdust and make for an easy cleanup (If I can wrangle the piece of wood in there…), and I once made the mistake of scrubbing a smaller burnt piece in there. Don’t be like lochaber, don’t scrub burnt wood inside, even in the shower…
Marcus Ranum says
Great American Satan@#1:
I think it’s hilarious and rad that our networks output is social justice, pretty pictures, and KNIVES. So many knives.
These are all cooking knives, not weapons.
When I got started doing this, my plan was not to make weapons of war (Lao Tze: “the weapons of war are unfortunate instruments.”) but I have backed away from that because 2020 is a time for weapons.
I figure some time next spring I should have the forge systems all moved to the new hot shed, and then I can set up and level the metal lathe. At that point, turning a small cannon (under 36″ barrel) becomes possible. I probably won’t do that, because of the cost in metal, time, and danger but it would be an interesting experiment and it’s within my capabilities as a machinist. My lathe has a DRO, so the main dangers in turning a cannon barrel are lessened (that’s drilling the bore too long and having the breech wind up in someone’s face when it’s fired) I admit that a small cannon had occurred to me as a fun project.
In terms of weapons, so far, the deadliest thing that Badger Forge has released is probably the Samurai Baby Fist Arrow. Spoken of only in hushed terms and oblique fonts.
Marcus Ranum says
lochaber@#3:
But one thing I really like doing with furniture and such made out of 2x4s, is to burn it with a propane torch, and then scrub it with a scrub brush. It saves me the effort or sanding, which I loathe, it darkens the wood so I don’t have to mess about with stains, and it literally brings out the grain.
I have no idea when I will get the hot shed to the point where I build the dias I am planning on building. But, if I do, it will be fire-charred oak soaked in beeswax and oil. There’s a great source of wide oak planks about 10 miles away in Shawville and they are gorgeous.
Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaiden says
Funnily enough, while Marcus was putting this up, I was taking photos of pizza making using the new knife!
You don’t get to see the beauty of the knife so much, at least not in the way Marcus displays it so wonderfully, but you do get to see it in my hands, being functional. And it’s WONDERFUL. I have a very, very large chef’s knife, and it’s good for its purposes, and I have a slightly smaller chef’s knife, which I mostly use as a guest’s knife so that two people can cook at one time & I love my giant knife, but not everyone is as big bodied (and handed) as I am.
But I needed something smaller – still fairly big, like a 5″ to 6″ blade, but more agile for finer work. Since I didn’t want to ship it across the border, Marcus kindly shipped it to a friend’s house in Oregon where he had to wait 2 weeks for me to arrive for housesitting (it’s my BFF’s place, so I visit here often but not every weekend or anything). It took a couple days because I’m forgetful & all that, but I used it yesterday for salad making…and took no photos. So I had to haul out the BFF’s camera today for pizza making. Pardon the flour everywhere.
Looking at the pictures my BFF took you don’t see the knife so much as the work on the veggies. Let me tell you that this thing cuts so smoothly. With the right heft to a knife, you can lift it gently and let it fall through what you’re cutting. That’s the way my big chef’s knife works. But the new Crip Knife by Marcus? If there were ever a time when it was appropriate to say “like a hot knife through butter” it was the way I could smoothly drag it through a bell pepper or an onion and not feel any variation at all in the resistance.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, it varied in resistance from dragging it through air, but usually with a knife you can feel, if you’re paying attention, how the fibers of the bell pepper send subtle vibrations through the knife as you cut because they provide slightly more resistance than the non-fibrous pepper flesh. With this knife there was nothing. You drag it into the pepper and then you’re dragging it through the pepper with no variation in speed, no vibration. Even the word “smooth” is entirely insufficient.
And the most wonderful thing? That’s exactly what I needed. With my bone problems I don’t cook as much as I’d like because it hurts. It always hurts. But with the right tools my bones don’t hurt any more while doing kitchen work than they do holding a book to read. That’s exceptional. That’s rare. And that’s just what this knife provided. It’s insanely wonderful.
When we were chatting over e-mail about the possibility of a knife, I mentioned that I needed a bit of a down-curve at the end of the handle. If you look through Marcus’ work, that’s not his usual style. But when I took the Crip Knife out of the box, there was that curve, just as we discussed. And when I was using it, the effect gentled the interaction between handle and hand just the way I had hoped.
The Crip Knife has instantly gained the status of a treasure, and I’m sure that over time it will acquire the status of an heirloom.
(For those curious about the knife-in-use pictures, I sent them to Marcus tonight, though too late to make it into this post. If he has room, i’m sure he’ll follow up by editing them into this post, but he might also post them separately. If he doesn’t, though, i’ll post them to my blog after a few days so that people can see the gorgeous knife in a messy, functional kitchen.)
Giliell says
Whoever said that diamonds were a girl’s best friends had absolutely no idea about knives
kurt1 says
Beautiful craftsmanship. I remember around 2001 we did a trip to a forge with our scouting troop. Each of us made a knife out of an old iron file and wooden handle we pasted together. Nowhere near as neat as this one but they ended up pretty sharp. Gifted it to a friend later, because I prefered my Helle knife.
Marcus Ranum says
kurt1@#8:
Each of us made a knife out of an old iron file and wooden handle we pasted together.
Rasp knives can be surprisingly good. Some of the older rasps are 1095 and 1080 steel and, since they’ve been forged out once already, the crystal structure of the steel is excellent (since rasps are machine made and quenched/tempered they are very consistent)
Charly says
Very nice work. I really like the handle curve. It is not your usual style, but it complements the curve of the blade very nicely.
I have been thinking about burning and then wire-brushing wooden handles. I have done that for decorative wood in the past, and not only does it bring out the grain, it also can give the wood a very “grippy” texture. Unfortunately, I have more ideas in my head than I will probably ever manage to realize.
My kitchen knife handle design was too born out of a need for a knife suitable for a person with arthritis, specifically someone who has trouble closing their hand tightly around a skinny handle. Subsequently, many healthy people liked that design too, so I kept it, even though it is a bit labor-intensive.
kurt1 says
@Marcus
They were quite old and, according to the smith, good steel. The kind of rough edge made them perfect for cutting through rope. But they needed a lot of care to prevent rust and regular whetting.
Food prep with a really sharp knife is extremely satisfying. Cutting onions or julienne carrots are way easier. A japanese coworker sold me her spare kitchen knife a few years back, one of the best things I ever bought.
jrkrideau says
Whoever said that diamonds were a girl’s best friends had absolutely no idea about knives
I am not even a girl, he says stroking a beard, but so true.
I do have a problem with Marcus’ knives. They leave a bit of the tang exposed. Most cooks I know want to be able to grasp the blade with thumb and index finger.
Crip Dyke is grasping the knife exactly as one would an experienced cook to do but behind the blade. Size of blade?
Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaiden says
@jrkrideau:
Essentially. The blade is narrower from top to edge than I’m used to and I have very long fingers. In this shot (and for a little while until I get used to it) I’m being more careful than usual to keep my fingers far from that edge. It’s exceptionally sharp.
@kurt1:
So true.
@Giliell:
Well said!
Marcus Ranum says
jrkrideau@#12:
I do have a problem with Marcus’ knives. They leave a bit of the tang exposed. Most cooks I know want to be able to grasp the blade with thumb and index finger.
Most of the cooks you know probably don’t put their index finger under the heel of the blade, either. My knives are fine for a choked-up grip, in fact they’re designed for it – that’s why I curve the top and bottom in front of the handle – the tip of the index finger can safely ride in the lower curve, and the thumb across the upper curve. It’s a very fluid and positive grip.
Jazzlet says
A beautiful knife, and I am so glad it is working for you Crip Dyke. I use my Eye Gouger nearly every time I cook, and it is still as wonderful as when it arrived.