# Just took the jump to Hobbyist Craftsman!



## Matus (Sep 18, 2016)

After some considerations I have decided to up my membership to Hobbyist Craftsman. It may be a little premature as I will need 2-3 months more to have anything for sale, but it also helps me to focus more on the results and also to put the word out that I mean it more seriously 

My knifemaking activities so far are mostly concentrated on WA handled knifemaking and making WA handles for existing blades/knives. The only gyuto (that D2 beast that learned me a couple of lessons) is currently on long term loan to a chef in Prague and the feedback has been rather positive - experience like that not only gave me a boost in confidence and motivation, but also is partially responsible for me to join the Hobbyist Craftsman club as this will give me better chance to have my knives tested as the feedback from experienced users is for me crucial to further learn and improve.

I have also thinned and re-finish one Gesshin Hide 225 blue #1 gyuto (will soon appear on my blog) and learned a LOT of respect to guys like Jon who can do such a job in fraction of time. 

For the near future I plan to continue focusing on WA handled knives and will leave wester handles for later.

I would also like to use this post to thank all those craftsmen from KKF than have been (and are) very helpful and supportive as their advices have often spared me running in the wrong direction or just missing the better/easier/more reliable way to do things.

I am really enjoying the process. I hope that I should soon have a proper 2x72" grinder that should allow me to improve and speed up many parts of the process. So stay tuned 

This thread would be worthless without pictures, so here are a few (most of these have been posted around here) of the work I have done until today:

Grinding my first kitchen knife blade






... and here is the knife finished






Grinding my first gyuto ... in D2 ...






... hand sanding it - this took for ever ...






... and the finished knife after 25 hours of work in total






Birch bark handle for a puukko Polar blade - this was a fun project that turned out really well






I am working on 8 of these, 4 are already ready for HT






Hide Gyuto before refinish ...






... and after (not quite finished in this photo, but nearly there)






And I am about to rehandle this 2 little guys (in the process of choosing material)


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## chefcomesback (Sep 18, 2016)

Congrats Matus


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## Matus (Sep 18, 2016)

Thank you Mert


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## Mucho Bocho (Sep 18, 2016)

Goods for you Matus. Those knives look great.


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## zoze (Sep 18, 2016)

Glückwunsch Matus.


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## daveb (Sep 18, 2016)

Kewl!


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## _PixelNinja (Sep 18, 2016)

Awesome!

Congratulations and all the best to you with your endeavors in this adventure, Matus.


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## Mrmnms (Sep 18, 2016)

Really like the way these came out Matus. Cool rig for the bevels.


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## Matus (Sep 18, 2016)

Thank you guys 

Mrmnms - it was actually once I discovered that bevelig jig (from Aaron Gough youtube video) when I realized that I can actually try to make a knife without large and expensive tools.


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## Dave Martell (Sep 18, 2016)

Great news Matus! Now you're really screwed.


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## Matus (Sep 18, 2016)

Dave Martell said:


> Great news Matus! Now you're really screwed.



You know, I just keep telling myself that I can just walk away form it anytime I want ... :cool2: ... just kidding, I am indeed screwed :cry: ... :laugh:


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## Doug (Sep 18, 2016)

Matus said:


> Thank you guys
> 
> Mrmnms - it was actually once I discovered that bevelig jig (from Aaron Gough youtube video) when I realized that I can actually try to make a knife without large and expensive tools.



Congratulations Matus.

And just thought I'd mention that Aaron has moved on from the hand jig to a 5000lb CNC machine.:bigeek: Maybe a power hammer in your future? Will enjoy following your progress here and on your blog.


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## Matus (Sep 18, 2016)

Thanks Doug. I follow Andy on IG and he really stepped-up his game  A power hammer? Maybe one day, but I do not keep my breath and rather focus on what I can actually do today and try to learn as much as I can and improve my skills. And there is a lot to learn and a lot to improve upon


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## mark76 (Sep 18, 2016)

Congrats Matus. The knives look great!


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## aboynamedsuita (Sep 18, 2016)

Congrats on upping your game Matus looking forward to seeing pics, etc.


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## toddnmd (Sep 18, 2016)

Congrats on making that big step, look forward to see more of your knives and handles.


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## Dave Martell (Sep 18, 2016)

Matus said:


> You know, I just keep telling myself that I can just walk away form it anytime I want ... :cool2: ... just kidding, I am indeed screwed :cry: ... :laugh:


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## pkjames (Sep 19, 2016)

congratz for the dive! 

J.


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## zetieum (Sep 19, 2016)

wünsche dir beste glück!


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## Matus (Sep 19, 2016)

Thanks / Danke / &#270;akujem


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## Krakorak (Sep 20, 2016)

I just would like to mention that Matus was very modest when he mentioned that "The only gyuto is currently on long term loan to a chef in Prague and the feedback has been rather positive"...The feedback was HIGHLY positive...he loves the knife and was excited about it (I meet that guy quite often so I have first-hand feedback, currently he uses it at work more often than his beloved Konosuke Fujiyama Blue 2 gyuto what already says something)...I personally had the opportunity to test the knife for a few days along with some other toys like Kato, Gesshin Hide, Munetoshi, Tanaka Blue 2, Kochi santoku and all of my knives including, Itinomonn, Yoshikane, etc. (we also had a nice knife party with Matus and that guy about one month ago - here are a few photos of the toys: http://rhamphorhynchus.rajce.idnes.cz/Knife_party/)....and was also excited how the knife cuts, I tried to make a "face to face" comparison of all those knives on tomatoes, carrots and potatoes one day...and Matus's gyuto scored the 2nd place of all of them, slightly behind Munetoshi, it was definitely one of the very best cutting knives I have ever held...And that 52100 150 mm petty was also very pleasant to use...

I don't intend to praise Matus's work somehow uncritically just because we are friends, its obvious that its a long way from a single good knife to a consistent high quality (and Matus, of course, is fully aware of that), but I truly believe that he has a great potential to reach that point and all the necessary prerequsities (OK, currently except enough time for the knife work, but that's a separate story) for it! So, good luck, Matus!


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## Bill13 (Sep 20, 2016)

Matus, congratulations on becoming a hobbyist craftsman. Looking forward to seeing your knives, especially since your photography skills are so good!


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## Matus (Sep 21, 2016)

Krakorak, thank you, I do not quite know what to say other than the knife getting so much praise changed its profile (and lost about 10 mm in lenght) because of all the mistakes I did in its production. I did my best to give it a thin, convex geometry and I am very happy that it cuts so well, but there is so much to improve so that the knife comes out as I want it to. I do hope to improve on that once I get a new grinder (it takes longer than expected, unfortunately)

And a little correction - that petty is O1. 52100 is unfortunately not available for stock removal in Europe.

Bill - haha, photography skills. I have indeed spent in my life much more time with photographing than with knifemaking and it shows (on both ends)


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## riba (Sep 25, 2016)

Congrats! Looking forward to following the continuation of your journey


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