# Just finished up a Filet knife



## Tim Rowland (Feb 22, 2019)

Hi everybody, just finished up this filet knife a few days ago and thought that I would share.

Blade: 6.5" long x 1" tall at the heel. AEB-L with cryo treatment, HC of 61, super flexible with a full height grind on .040" stock.
Handle: Angular shaped Bethlehem Olive wood with black micarta pins and spacers.

A few beauty shots (my photography is not the best), and a few ugly shots with my work bench. Sorry it was the only shot I took of the handle butt for an idea of shape.


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## merlijny2k (Feb 27, 2019)

Nice! Good job on the handle too, I like it.


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## Tim Rowland (Feb 27, 2019)

Thank you


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## milkbaby (Feb 27, 2019)

Nice! Full flat grind on 0.040" is enough to give it good flex? I'm asking because another maker was asking to do a filet knife collaboration with me, but neither of us has done one before!

Is the olive wood natural or stabilized? Very beautiful material for a beautiful knife!


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## Tim Rowland (Feb 28, 2019)

milkbaby said:


> Nice! Full flat grind on 0.040" is enough to give it good flex? I'm asking because another maker was asking to do a filet knife collaboration with me, but neither of us has done one before!
> 
> Is the olive wood natural or stabilized? Very beautiful material for a beautiful knife!



Thanks for the compliment.

The .o4o" stock at that length has flex already. With even a half height grind there is good flex for a fillet knife so you should have no problem.
But as a precaution grind post HT and start with a 120grit ceramic, anything coarser and you are going to eat through to much to quickly to be able to get out the deep scratches. When I get home later today I will take a quick video of another filet knife that I have HT but not ground yet just to show the flex. Oh also you can get the AEB-L and a few Carbon steels in .040" at AKS.

The wood is not stabilized, I usually do not stabilize naturally oily woods. I do however use an 18 hour soak/cure of (Odie's Oil) and then hit on the buffer with white rouge. The Odie's Oil is a natural blend of oils and waxes and is an awesome food safe finish. It is time consuming with full cure after like 3 days but its worth it in my opinion.

If you end up making one with that other maker please post it up so we can all see!


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## Tim Rowland (Mar 4, 2019)

Here you go Milkbaby, sorry it took a few days to get time to post.
Admins not sure if I am allowed to post a link from my facebook page if so I can place the video from somewhere else.


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## milkbaby (Mar 4, 2019)

Thanks for posting that video, so cool... Since it's so flexy already, do you have issues when grinding it then?


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## Tim Rowland (Mar 4, 2019)

Yes a bit difficult. 
My best advice is to step up to the grinder, don't breathe, clench your ass, and hope for the best.


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## Matus (Mar 4, 2019)

Love that advice


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## DukeHarley (Mar 20, 2019)

That is one beautiful knife!!! 

Jay


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## DukeHarley (Mar 20, 2019)

Tim Rowland said:


> Yes a bit difficult.
> My best advice is to step up to the grinder, don't breathe, clench your ass, and hope for the best.


I just did one .050” and that was bad enough! I love your description. Lol...... True! 

Jay


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## Tim Rowland (Mar 20, 2019)

Thanks for the compliment.
Yes it is quite nerve racking.
I did a 230mm Gyuto a few months back in .040" just to see if I could. It is a flexible laser gyuto.
Serves absolutely no usable purpose but it was fun to do.


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## DukeHarley (Mar 20, 2019)

Tim Rowland said:


> Thanks for the compliment.
> Yes it is quite nerve racking.
> I did a 230mm Gyuto a few months back in .040" just to see if I could. It is a flexible laser gyuto.
> Serves absolutely no usable purpose but it was fun to do.



I ruined the first one on Sat by trying to convex the edge slightly on my slack on the top and it threw it back into my chest and then it hit the floor. I forgot to hit the reverse switch on my VFD. Kind of shook me up a bit. 

Jay


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## Tim Rowland (Mar 20, 2019)

Leather shop apron is your friend! As well as a full face shield at the grinder......I have done the same but with a nakiri so nothing pointy flying at me. I'm sure you had to change your underoos.


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## DukeHarley (Mar 20, 2019)

Tim Rowland said:


> Leather shop apron is your friend! As well as a full face shield at the grinder......I have done the same but with a nakiri so nothing pointy flying at me. I'm sure you had to change your underoos.



Yep.....just about filled the undies! I literally shut off the grinder and walked out of the shop for the day.

Jay


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## Nikabrik (Mar 20, 2019)

Yikes!

David Boye suggests an interesting technique in his book, where he sticks the blade between the workrest and wheel, pries toward himself, and twists the handle to force the edge into the wheel. I haven't tried it, and there may be better options, but I thought it was interesting.


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## Tim Rowland (Mar 20, 2019)

Interesting, maybe I'll try it on a scrap piece. I usually grind on a flat platen but I have a 8" wheel I can try it with.


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