My First Bottle Opener

Back in the workshop I decided to try something a little different, so set to work making a bottle opener.  As this required a number of the same skills that I would use to make a knife, I used the opportunity to try out some techniques I have not done before, such as a 'full tang' design and applying 'bolsters' on the sides instead of a 'guard'.

The central silver part is 304 stainless steel.  The 'bolsters' are brass and the wooden 'scales' are walnut.  After cutting, shaping, glueing and polishing to get the mirror finish, I treated the wood with beeswax to give it a natural, rich shine.

Overall dimensions:
Length 100mm (4")
Width 28mm (1.1")
Thickness 16mm (0.63")

Overall I am very happy with the result.  Hope you like the photos!

My first knife

Over the past several weeks I have been making my first knife, which I finished today.

I started off with an old, rusty file that looked like it had been rotting in a ditch for a few years.  Needless to say, it required a lot of grinding to get it to the right size and shape, not helped by the fact that it was already hardened.  My grinder performed well as I breathed new life into the steel.

Shout of thanks to Pa Jerry in Mulberry, USA, for the selection of wood offcuts that I brought home after my last visit to the ranch.  For this knife I decided to keep it simple and just used a single block of cherry wood for the hidden tang design.  The guard and pummel are brass with a black perspex insert for visual effect.

After cutting, drilling, epoxy, assembly, shaping and sanding, I finished it off by polishing the cherry wood handle with beeswax to give it a rich sheen as well as protection for the wood.

The blade is 150mm long (6") x 32mm wide (1.25") and 5mm thick (0.4").  The handle is 110mm long (4.3").

Overall, for my first knife, I am very happy with the result.

Enjoy the photos!

Belt grinder

For some time I have been keen to make knives, just for the fun of it.  I had most of the tools and equipment needed, with the exception of a suitable grinding machine.  From my research on line, it seems the most popular type among knife makers uses a grinding belt that is 2" wide and 72" long, but the grinding machines that take this size belt were all too big to fit in my workshop and too expensive.  Then I found a smaller machine that takes a 2" x 48" belt. It appeared solid, compact and the right size to fit my workshop.  Ann convinced me to get one and it arrived a couple of months ago.

I have spent some time practicing how to get good results with it.

The photos below are of the grinding machine.