# Knives for Christmas



## NoWake (Feb 7, 2006)

UPDATE: Only one of these 4 knives I made for Christmas presents got used for field dressing duties so far this year, but I got some valuable feedback. 

I was helping him hang a nice doe he shot and he said he finally got to try out the knife I made for him. He said it worked great and was telling me how he even split the pelvis with it. :SHOCKED: I cringed right down to my toes at the thought of this at first. Then once I got the details I was very pleased how it performed, especially when I got to use it to help skin this doe. Still as sharp as the day it was made. Pretty pleased.


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## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

No Wake,

I notice on one of your pics it looks like you have a year and maybe a name on the blade. Can you tell me how you did that? What did you use? I figure I'd better start marking these master pieces or they may never be worth anything on the "expense old stuff" show.

Also, just curious, why did you say you cringed when he told you he used it to split the pelvis? Would that be when a overly hard blade breaks?


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## NoWake (Feb 7, 2006)

I engraved these blades with my name and numbered them. Since I made 4 very similar they are numbered 001 002 003 004. Not sure why I decided to number them. These were engraved on a CNC milling machine. What many knifemakers do is use a electro-chemical etching process. It can make a nice dark mark and you can adjust things for various depths of marking. Eventually I want to start using this method. The equipment isn't too expensive and some guys even build their own electro-etching machines.

As far as cringing with him using the knife to split the pelvis. Well I'm confident the knife is treated and tempered well and all that, but if a person is too reckless cutting bone like that with a knife the result could be similar to using a pocket knife as a screw driver. Plus, admittedly I probably put a little too fine of an edge on all these knives. I can get a finer edge sharper easier than a steep angled edge, so I am often guilty of not using what would be considered a tougher edge or angle and making it finer and more vulnerable.


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## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

Ha! Wait until I tell my wife I have to buy a CNC machine to finish the job on my knives! 

Thanks for the info. I'll go research electro-etching now!


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## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

No Wake.....I think you jinxed me! I had the good fortune to shoot my very first coyote sunday morning. I used the very first homemade knife I made to skin it. It worked out great. Then when disposing of the carcass I decided to sever the head and keep the skull for a mount. I cut all the muscle and then.....jammed my knife in the spinal cord and gave it a twist! I'll tell you this, I did not properly harden that knife. Instead of breaking it put a 30 degree bend on the last third of the blade. The knife performed great for skinning and I was really proud of that. I thought for sure i would be talking about that knife for years to come. I'm going to try and fix it, but I don't know how much I can really do. I'm bummed, but learned a good lesson.


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## NoWake (Feb 7, 2006)

That's a real bummer. You might be able to straighten it, but there isn't much you can do to heat treat the blade without re-doing the entire thing. 

That's one of the reason I only use a known steel type for my blades. Otherwise, for me, it's too difficult to get the right hardness / temper. Nearly impossible.


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## fishineveryminuteofit (Mar 31, 2011)

Very nicely done, its a blast when you gift something you made yourself. The gift receiver prolly needed help getting his jaw off the floor didnt he! My favorite was giving my dad this knife for fathers day. He broke down and cried right in front of me. To be honest, I definitely did not expect THAT reaction


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