# The albatross knives



## milkbaby (Jun 12, 2017)

Not much to show but I was just so happy that I got to a major point in the process of making these knives that I thought I would post!

Four weeks ago I hacksaw rough cut two knives out of 15N20 steel 3/32" thick. This western chef was a design I came up with after being so happy with the result of another western chef I made for friends. It has even more belly towards the tip for rocking, totally different from what I usually dig.

The western chef that I made for a couple dear friends:









The western chef with more belly rough profiled. Plus my sister has been bugging me for a paring/small utility knife, so I drew one onto a leftover off cut piece of metal. Waste not, want not. Also in this pic is a hidden tang utility that I've had partially profiled but had sitting around since last year...








After a little profiling and drilling and grinding when I had a spare moment during the last four weeks, I finally had enough free time today to get these durn things mostly ground, at least enough to heat treat next. A major pain on my 1x30" belt grinder, especially since I should've gone to a new belt instead of spending so much time slowly grinding with an old one. Doing a beefier grind without much distal taper, kind of an experiment for me.








During the four weeks of barely doing anything, I also picked the wood and glued up the scales for the chef's knife. It's a pain making multipart handle scales, especially with metal liners and spacers, but that stuff looks so nice when finished that I can't resist.








Obligatory Spongebob appearance:


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## Beau Nidle (Jun 12, 2017)

Really nice stuff there, the multi part handles look absolutely killer.


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## daveb (Jun 12, 2017)

You got termites on those tangs?

Handles look good. Upping the bar.


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## milkbaby (Jun 14, 2017)

Thanks for the kind words Beau and Dave! Woohooooooo 

Went to heat treat, and one knife stayed straight while the other warped. Kind of expected it as I ground it asymmetrically more convex meat on the right. Martensite transition increases the volume, that should be the side that expands more, although it's possible there's memory from the steel being rolled too. These are 15N20 steel, I didn't have warping issues with 1084 though those weren't as heavily asymmetrically ground. 









Into the oven for the second tempering cycle... that's when I started counterbending to straighten the knife. IIRC it took three or was it four cycles to get the warp out, grrrrrr...














Cleaned up and finished grinding to zero edge here, ready to start freehand sharpening. First "stone" in my progression is a DMT XC diamond plate (not the XXC) which doubles as my stone flattener.









Wheeeeeeee!









I was really happy with my design of this chef's knife but it's been a struggle the whole way making. I thought it was gonna turn out crap or be scrapped, but I'm actually pretty happy right now. Gratuitous choil shot, hnnggggg!


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## WildBoar (Jun 14, 2017)

Nice work!


...please post a video of slicing the Snickers bar so we can see if there is much stiction :biggrin:


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## jessf (Jun 14, 2017)

Sweet blades. Keep it up! Looks as though your work space is limited but you make the best of it. Gotta admire someone grinding a knife on the balcany.


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## merlijny2k (Jun 18, 2017)

I'm moving next month to a house with a garden so as soon as we are settled in i'm going to get me something like that and grind my first too. And man those handles!!!


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## Sillywizard (Jun 18, 2017)

SPONGEBOB!


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## MrCoffee (Jul 1, 2017)

Loving the scales, what woods did you use?


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## milkbaby (Jul 25, 2017)

MrCoffee said:


> Loving the scales, what woods did you use?



Hey sorry, I didn't see your question until today! The woods in these are dyed maple burl and bocote.


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