# A few new knives



## steve Pannell (Jun 12, 2018)

I'm a newbie on this site. Been making blades off and on since I used to shoe horses. Too old and weak to pick up a foot on one of those natural born killers but I still enjoy working in a fire. Here are the last 4 knives I finished yesterday. Today I will be making sheaths for them and grinding two more EDC blades like the 3 in this picture. Most of my blades are either W2 or 80CRV2 carbon steel. I also use a lot of 1095 since it is so tough. Enjoy

Reactions: Like 5 | EyeCandy! 3 | Way Cool 5


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## steve Pannell (Jun 12, 2018)

My little backyard knife shop

Reactions: Like 5 | Way Cool 4


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## steve Pannell (Jun 12, 2018)

I make a variety of knives and even some to customer specs. Some large and some small. About the only kind I don't make are folders. I have made a straight razor or two just for grins. I really like turning old discarded steel into something useful that will last a lifetime like this pig sticker from an old hoof rasp. Sometimes an old trailer leaf spring is fun to beat into a novelty item.

Reactions: Like 4 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 6


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## Wildthings (Jun 12, 2018)

Great shop! @Kenbo will love how clean it is!!

What brand is your grinder?

Reactions: Agree 4


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## NYWoodturner (Jun 12, 2018)

Nice work Steve! Great looking knives. Welcome to WB! Glad you joined us.


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## woodtickgreg (Jun 12, 2018)

I was admiring the grinder too! Tell us about it.


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## steve Pannell (Jun 12, 2018)

Wildthings said:


> Great shop! @Kenbo will love how clean it is!!
> 
> What brand is your grinder?


It is a Reeder Products RPS 250 plus made in Carollton, Tx 
Shop ain't so clean now. That was when I first moved my tools in about a month ago.
It's a Mueller building 12' x 21' and already getting too small with her Harley motorcycle in there.


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## steve Pannell (Jun 12, 2018)

Now, about the grinder: It has lots of bells and whistles and can flip over to horizontal position. Some of the features are great and some are just not very precision. Seems the tolerances are too loose on the tool bars. The big 12" wheel (not made by Reeder) is not very precise and a bit out of balance. It was sold by Reeder but not made by them. I really need to get me a 10" wheel too for doing hollow grinds. 12" works OK for large width blades but not so good on small skinny blades. I can do hollow grinds on the 2" rubber wheel at the top of the flat platen attachemnt when I need to. Adjustability is great overall and allows me to do a lot of things on just one machine. It came with a hollow grind fixture which is not a very good piece. Very poor precision and pretty much worthless except to muck up a good blade blank. Freehand on the big wheel could be better if the wheel didn't jump around so much. I still use the old PorterCable 4x36 grinder although it's platen is worn smooth out but the 8" disc is real handy for some things. Flat grinding on this thing is really fast with the variable speed motor. A 60 grit ceramic or Zirc belt will hog off some metal quick. 36 grit is just too fast for me plus the grind marks cleanup is a PIA. My best piece of equipment is my band saw. Wood or metal I can cut it all with great precision. It also makes the biggest mess even with the shop vac hooked to it.

Reactions: Way Cool 1 | Useful 1


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## SubVet10 (Jun 12, 2018)

How on earth is the shop so clean! You must have an army of roombas

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jun 12, 2018)

I love the third one in the first picture!


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## NeilYeag (Jun 12, 2018)

Really nice looking work area.


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## Tony (Jun 13, 2018)

Great knives, I really like the rasp pig sticker in the second post! Tony


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## steve Pannell (Jun 13, 2018)

SubVet10 said:


> How on earth is the shop so clean! You must have an army of roombas



I have a roll up door and the grinders are on casters. I move the grinders over to the doorway and turn on a big floor fan behind me that blows pretty much everything out into the yard. Iron dust is really good for the trees and grass. I also use a leaf blower to clear the shop out the doorway.
When I use the bandsaw I just hook the shop vac to it and suck up most of the dust before it ever hits the floor.

Reactions: Useful 1


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## steve Pannell (Jun 13, 2018)

Tony said:


> Great knives, I really like the rasp pig sticker in the second post! Tony



Those are always popular. I make about 4 to 6 a year and they don't last long before somebody snags them. The rasps I use are Heller red tang big hoof 19" rasps which to my knowledge are W1 tool steel and they harden super hard in a brine quench and will take a beating. They also take on some pretty good hamon lines naturally without claying.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Leroy Blue (Jun 14, 2018)

You are making some Good Looking Knives. I like your Bowie’s very much long lean and poiney!


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## steve Pannell (Jun 16, 2018)

A big ol boy knife from W2 tool steel with Axis deer antler. Knives like this mostly sit on the mantle or a shelf but they are fun to make once in a while. The old crate hammer in the picture was found way out in west Texas on a ranch in Sterling county. It was laying on the ground near an old home site. Probably been there since the 1800's. I just added a piece of oak limb to give it a crude handle. The scottsbluff triflow obsidian point was napped by me a few years ago. I don't do much flint napping anymore. Arthritis has taken it's toll on my grip and my hands can't stand the shock of beating on rocks.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 3


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