What's on my Bench Today?

The knife that tested was K-Sabatier and looked exactly like the one on Brad's picture, except for the black wood on handle. First the F&F was pretty poor on all the line of K-Sabatier knives (rough handles with noticeable voids between tang and scales on some samples). Also I'm not a fan of their finger guard bolsters (to say the least). Softer steel is minor and doesn't really bother me. The real reason why I haven't got such a knife — I prefer birds beak shape on parers.

 

Good to know my friend!

 

I wasnt saying that the sab could in any way be better. I am simply saying i think the profile on the sab is the best. Your knife looked very close to it and I thought it would be cool if your paring knife design was razor shaped like that. Only trying to make a suggestion, I never doubt the level of skill and craftsmanship that you put into your knives. And the overall quality could never be compared.

 

I understand my friend, but it came across as 'why buy a custom parer, when you can get one for $30?' lol. That's a perfectly reasonable statement, but probably shouldn't be placed on a guys page that sells custom parers, right after he posted a custom parer, and accompanying it by saying the profile is rough .

I know you didn't mean it to come across that way brother, but it kinda did lol.

By the way, what didn't you like about my profile? I know you weren't disparaging it, but I am always interested in constructive commentary, both positive and negative!

 

Looking what landed on my doorstep today...


I've got to thank my bladesmithing brother Mert for this one!

Now...what to do with it...hmmmmmm.....

 

Might be enough for 2 funyaki. Anyway you do told us that prefer shorter blades
Is it a stainless steel laminated piece?

 

It's a small gift for your new shop brother , would love to see a short suji or funayuki out of it from you
@Anton it's iron clad

 

What ever you do with it take pictures!

 

Too small for cleaver...hmmm...

 

Well, thank you again Mert...whatever I do with it I'm sure it will be fun .

Anton...I'm looking into the forging processes required for this material. I've never worked with laminates of any sort, but I know that depending on the materials used, one can move more or less at a given temperature. If the iron deforms more at heat, it'll be cake. But if the carbon core moves more...forging it might not be an option.

Jason, you're talking to me here. Pictures are part and parcel of my bladesmithing experience, lol.

Robert...you sure you don't want a 37mm tall cleaver??

And what's with the freakin auto correct on Internet Explorer? 'Looking' should have been 'Lookie'. I may as well have put the thing up on my Android!

 

Blue #2, killer steel! Can't wait to see what you do, Cris. I'm thinking maybe a 180mm Funayuki..... Hmmm???

 

I'm not really sure what it'll be yet . Hell...maybe two really nice wa-petty's. I even thought about a fun wakizashi as well lol! I'm actually sure it'll stay kitchen related though, in honor of my friend that gifted it to me .

But...as for what's on my bench tonight...



80 and 85mm paring knives, 150 and 155 petty knives, a 265mm gyuto, and two kiridiashi.

And yes, I just came in from the shop. When it's still 105°F outside during the day, you learn to get as much done as you can at night, lol.

 

Yea buddy!

 

Right?!

So, I spent a good part of my day today in the forge banging on steel. I decided I'd go ahead and use up all of my smaller pieces of remaining W2. Ends and cutoffs of this or that project, etc. I was surprised at how many It was able to make. Some of these were from yesterday's work (as you can see), and some were already forged, profiled, and put away while I built the shop. I actually have two more suji's (including yours Mike!) that didn't make the picture, lol.

Only the 5 longest of these, and one kiridashi are spoken for.

 

Looks like the forging gnomes have been hard at work at the Scorpion Forge shop!

 

Yes sir!

Today I'm giving my right arm a rest, and working on handles for the few blades that are completed .

 

And beautiful works of art they will be, I'm sure!

 

Really like the 2 parers at the upper right.

FWIW, I'm not a fan of the Sabatier paring knife, either. There's just not a way to hold it that's comfortable for me. Hubby has it now--he seems to like it, although I haven't seen him using it.

Personally I like a short stubby paring knife--they fit my short stubby hands.

 

Thanks everyone!

@Lucretia, I'm not sure which you mean by 'upper right'. All the paring knives are in the bottom of the picture, middle right...next to the 280 gyuto. The knives on the top right are actually EDC knives...though, thinking of it...they could easily be ground as a parer if someone were interested. Blade length is 3.25" on them, which is about 83mm. Overall is 7" if I recall correctly.



As for what's on my bench today...I just finished glueing up a walnut and blackwood handle for the other parer...and am moving on to a fun combination of these next:


That's koa, Oregon maple, and bog oak from Mark...and a lovely piece of .024" copper beneath it. I keep going back and forth on the copper though...nickel silver is really calling to me as well. I may make up spacers in both materials, and see what it looks like stacked before deciding.

 

I chose copper .