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MODIFICATIONS .. personalizing our knives !!!!

Many of us have dreamt of "improving" our knives.

Some have even implemented their improvements.

Here is a place to share and document those modifications.

Before & after pics are great .. I realize this isn't always possible .. I did some of mine years ago. A statement of design goals or modification purpose is a good place to start.

Identifying the desired changes & modifications is encouraged. As is a description of

the tools, any problems encountered, & methods used in the process.

A summary statement & pic of the final result will wrap it up !!

Also .. a place to share our mistakes.

Share what works & what doesn't.

Conquered a problem .. post a solution.

Up against a problem .. query for another's advice.

1 member likes this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Daniel Howland on May 25, 2010 at 21:09

Dear J.J. Smith III,

I don't understand why you would want to take down the blade like that, why not just buy a carver made for the job. How did you over come the problem of heating the blade up and removing the temper? This knife doesn't look like the same one pictured above it. Close but not the same, diff logo on blade, scales are different. I suppose altering a finished product can be fun. Have you considered making your own knife from scratch?

Best
Dan

Permalink Reply by Terry Waldele on May 25, 2010 at 22:25

J.J., VERY NICE! A beautiful melding of art and ergonomics! Excellent photo, too, by the way.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on May 25, 2010 at 22:28

It's more or less common practice in carving circles to modify a blade to get what you want. Take a $10.00 knife and make something different and totally useful out of it.
The first pic was a catalog pic, which would explain the differences in the photos.
My talent in making knives is about limited to a modification of the blade. I really like wharncliffe blades for carving pits with. The blade has inherent strength in the design.
I keep the heat down by using a cutting wheel on low speed and cooling it frequently in water.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on May 25, 2010 at 22:38

Thanks. This may well be my new EDC (Every Day "Carver").

Permalink Reply by Daniel Howland on May 26, 2010 at 5:44

Thanks for the explanation! and for spelling out EDC, I thought it meant Every Day Carry... hehehe.....

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on May 26, 2010 at 7:54

JJ

Nice job .. can just barely see remnants of the nail knick .. now, if you were to radius the spine ………..

Locking folders are great .. my Sweetie won’t buy me anything but .. it’s a safety vs foolishness thingie …..

Looks comfortable to the hand .. did you radius the bolsters/scales .. did they come this contoured from the factory ..

How did you grind the blade w/o heating it up ???? did you do the final profiling w/ a file .. that looks like the factory edge .. even on the tip, which is pretty pointy by the way, there’s no discoloration ..

I’ll bet it is robust .. nice job !!

I thought EDC was just my "Every Day Cutlery" .... ??????????????

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on May 26, 2010 at 8:13

"..using a cutting wheel on low speed."

Yuppers..dropped down 2 gears & stopped burning tips .....

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on May 26, 2010 at 10:31

Yep, I left just a hair of the hail nick. With the locking mechanism, the nick is not really necessary. I rounded out the bolsters and scales to take the edge off. Feels great in hand.

Did all the cutting with the diamond wheels that I told you about. Keeping the speed low and cooling with water, kept the heat down. Secret is to use a fresh wheel to cut with, cuts like butter. I finsished the spine with my sharpening stones to keep the curve.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on May 26, 2010 at 10:34

EDC ?

(Even Dale Can)