I think this one is good to go. Went back to the research dept before finalizing. I had not drawn the hardness back enough in the spring area.
Damn I really wanna try my hand at making knives. Once I have a house, and room to work, I'll be better off. I love seeing stuff like this. Really gets me motivated! Thanks for sharing!
It has taken me four years of knife building to get to this slipjoint. I have a good shop, what I lack is time to spend there. This build started a while before I started this thread. Master Bladesnith Steve Culver has an inexpensive book on slipjoints. I was able to attend a brief class he taught on the subject, and buy the book. It has the pattern and pictured illustrations. Invaluable during this first knife build.
I definitely understand the lack of time. That too would be a hurdle for me. I'll be starting on fixed blades, for obvious reasons. Did you find full tang with scales, or a rat tail style epoxied and pinned into something like antler to be an easier starting point?
@IW17 I started with full tang knives for strength purposes. Having built full tang, partial/hidden tang pinned, and through tangs, I am still much more comfortable with full tangs. Full tang, epoxied, and pinned are much more forgiving to build than the others.
That's kinda what I was thinking, but it's nice to hear someone with actual experience confirm my assumptions. Thanks for information semo!
Not to derail this awesome thread ... But while a proper shop makes things easier and allows you to get more complex, with some careful planning and patience you could get started with a minimal of tools and space.
Information is abundant on the web, more than one can effectively wade through. PM me when you start building if you have questions. I don’t have an abundance of info, but will help if I can. Absolutely! Pic a spot and dive in. I built my first knife with an angle grinder, very crudely. Your work is a a great example of patience and handcraft.
Thanks, I appreciate that! I agree, however at the moment, I've only got the kitchen as a work space. No garage, no basement, not even enough yard for a shed. I'm really looking forward to buying a house lol.
Next in line. Some things are better, and a couple of things are worse than the first slipjoint. Learn, and grow, with each.