Fantastic work! You demonstrated numerous techniques in the video that some consider more on the professional maker level. In reality, I think that they are techniques that beginners would do well to learn to help build a better project, in both ease of manufacture, and in producing a nicer end result. Bolster and tang straightening in a vise, preforming, and bedding the tang. All super helpful ideas. Keep up the great work!
Your doing a great work with which I’m sure your viewers including me wanting one of those knives I’d like to see a sheath for such a beautiful time consuming process making knife
@mattwatersbladesmith 😂it's an elf that prefers the night and darkness, but their not mentioned much, but I thought the dark handle and blade just fits perfectly with their aesthetic
Brilliant! Great work, brother! 🔥 I still haven't attempted a hidden tang but this video clarifies a lot for me. I'll have to give it a try for sure. Love the blade!
Fantastic work, man! Just finished the whole vodeo. I really appreciate that you explain what youre doing and why--it elevates your content over many other makers in terms of usefulness.
I have a passing understanding of subject of grit to wood relation. basically if it was ash or elm the wood grain itself is larger so at some point the grit does stop mattering. that black wood is both darker so it's easier to see the grain but also has a finer grain itself. consider the grain that will tell you the grit.
As someone that started out making jewelry for 4 years, moving on to do cabinetry for a year, and then bladesmithing/black smithing for over 10 years. I can say with absolute certainty that there is a huge noticeable difference between 400 and 600 grit on any wood, and there is a huge noticeable difference between 600 and 1200 grit on any metal. So I'd say keep doing what you're doing. That said, I don't think there's a lot of reasons to go beyond 600 for wood and 1200 for steel. It's not that it becomes useless or unnoticeable, it's that you start getting diminishing returns. It starts to consume time faster than it improves the product. Personally I prefer satin finishes on pretty much everything anyway, but there are times and places for higher polishes.
I appreciate the comment and knowledge ! I have to agree, a nice satin finish is hard to beat. Definitely see a difference in those higher grits as well. Have a great night!
WoW 🤯🤯 I have no words 🤯 my mind is blown This knife is a perfect example of my dream knife 😭😭😭I want one just like this for Me..e e.eeee..😭..ee😭e.eee... But with tapered full tang❤ Im sorry 🙏 >> To the poor soul who red my comment.
@@mattmakesknives it's really useful design for outdoor activities and the ones you have made in stainless steel with the hollowed grooves on the side where the food sticks is best design for kitchen knives but people still haven't caught up with the trend lol And it will become trend. Sorry for my bad English 🙏 Also Korean and some of the native people who live in Canadian national park but idk the names... They are making the kitchen knives for the Korean and outdoors hunting skinning knives from the natives. So this is not new idea but my guess is this is hard to make so everyone avoided them . I mean the knife with hollows ...And I went deep huh? Sorry for that. Respect from Macedonia
I wish I could! It's not mine, and the smith who owns it asks that no one uses it as he does production work. Basically if he let the general public use it it would likely get beat up pretty fast
If you don't mind me asking I'm curious what your spine thickness ended up at and I'm also curious as to the final sizes of the bolsters? I'm getting ready to try and integral bolster/guard knife myself and trying to figure out a rough size for the bolsters so any light you can share id appreciate it. Your knife turned out super I really like the profile on it. Keep up the great work.
Thank you for the kind words! Prior to forge welding the bolsters the billet was about 5/16” thick. The end thickness of the spine was just under 1/4”, and tapered down to a point. The edge was ground to 20thou and then rolled to an edge.
@mattwatersbladesmith awesome I appreciate it. I was thinking I wanted to shoot for somewhere around 3/4 inch area so I'm glad to know I was aiming for the right idea. I always look forward to seeing your new builds.
Wow, that knife came out really beautiful - very close to a kukri. I wonder, why you chose a rat-tail-tang for a chopper, I'd go with something more substantial, are you really going to chop with it?
Thank you! I love the look of a solid wood handle as opposed to glued on scales. Over time scales pull away due to changes in moisture/ humidity all that. And the tang is robust, goes all the way through (peened over the butt-cap). It would survive a good deal of chopping. I honestly don’t think you’d be able to break it. African Blackwood is really tough, and so is the 1/2”by 1/4” taped steel running through. Haha that’s the end of my mini book. Thank you so much for watching and for the comment!
@@mattmakesknives - I love a hidden tang too, in cold environments your skin doesn't stick to the metal. But a long and massive blade produces a lot of leverage and momentum. From the size of your handle you should be able to fit a tang twice as wide into it without compromising the wood. Would you dare to baton the blade into a stump and step on the handle? With a Mora Companion with its overmold plastic handle and a three-quarter, wide, rectangular tang you can do it.
@@mattmakesknives i recently water quenched one of those 2 part spring nail punches . i filed it to a nice point first, to center punch metal. it would deform after one hit before i water quenched it, now it stays the exact same. ive even punched pliers and other hard steel, to test it, and it stayed the exact same and leaves a good divot every time. im very surprised that it hasnt chipped at all, but i also made the point super wide, so theres a lot of metal behind it. i just used a propane torch. it really impressed me how hard the metal got, it was pretty soft before.
💯 Part of me thinks Peter Jackson’s success was his downfall. So much was on the line with LOTR, it barely came together. Almost like it was meant to be, once in a lifetime. With the hobbit it was whatever budget he wanted, top pick of actors, all that. Haha idk I’m ranting at this point.
![[FULL BUILD] Making the Independence Bowie Knife](/img/n.gif)
UsingW-1 tool steel, wrought iron and primitive tools is highly admirable. The resulting knife looks fantastic.
Thank you very much!
Fantastic work!
You demonstrated numerous techniques in the video that some consider more on the professional maker level. In reality, I think that they are techniques that beginners would do well to learn to help build a better project, in both ease of manufacture, and in producing a nicer end result.
Bolster and tang straightening in a vise, preforming, and bedding the tang. All super helpful ideas.
Keep up the great work!
Thank you! I appreciate it :) More videos coming!
Looks beautiful, the imperfections add to it. I love the lines it has...
Thank you! Do my best to make it "perfect" but it's still very much not 😂
@@mattmakesknives I do the same, and have the same problem... Haha
Your doing a great work with which I’m sure your viewers including me wanting one of those knives I’d like to see a sheath for such a beautiful time consuming process making knife
💯 Next project is going to be pretty epic, and I am planning on a sheath to be a part of the build!
Nice work Matt❤
Thanks Dale!
Great knife, great video! I like the way you combined the Voiceover and talking to the camera seamlessly.
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback, helps me understand what content you all want!
The knife came out amazing! I love big choppers, and I always enjoy your videos, my brother! Thanks for sharing! 😎👍🏻⚒️🔥🔪
Thank you very much! Big choppers are always epic. Got more cool knives coming soon :)
That is awesome. I love the shape, I can definitely imagine a moriquendi or sindar elf wielding it👍
Thank you very much 🙏 I’m a Tolkien fan, but not sure I know what a moriquendi elf is? Haha I might be a terrible Tolkien fan 😅
@mattwatersbladesmith 😂it's an elf that prefers the night and darkness, but their not mentioned much, but I thought the dark handle and blade just fits perfectly with their aesthetic
Brilliant! Great work, brother! 🔥
I still haven't attempted a hidden tang but this video clarifies a lot for me. I'll have to give it a try for sure. Love the blade!
Thank you!! Yeah you should, hidden tangs are sweet! Well this one is a thru-tang, but pretty similar.
Glad it helped bring clarity!
Cool piece ! Nice work man
Thank you!
Cool build man 😎👍🔥💯
Thank you :) 🙏
Fantastic work, man! Just finished the whole vodeo. I really appreciate that you explain what youre doing and why--it elevates your content over many other makers in terms of usefulness.
Thank you so much! I appreciate the feedback, glad to know the commentary is helpful/ useful!
Exquisite! Thank you for the video
Absolutely! Glad you liked it!
I have a passing understanding of subject of grit to wood relation. basically if it was ash or elm the wood grain itself is larger so at some point the grit does stop mattering. that black wood is both darker so it's easier to see the grain but also has a finer grain itself. consider the grain that will tell you the grit.
also BEAUTIFUL knife. that will cut.
peace be upon you sir from me and zamzam water
So cool and such a great informative video!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it
you did a great job! this is a cool knife! congratulations!
Thank you!
Sanding above 400 grit definitely makes a difference especially on really hard dense woods. On the sorter woods not so much
As someone that started out making jewelry for 4 years, moving on to do cabinetry for a year, and then bladesmithing/black smithing for over 10 years. I can say with absolute certainty that there is a huge noticeable difference between 400 and 600 grit on any wood, and there is a huge noticeable difference between 600 and 1200 grit on any metal. So I'd say keep doing what you're doing.
That said, I don't think there's a lot of reasons to go beyond 600 for wood and 1200 for steel. It's not that it becomes useless or unnoticeable, it's that you start getting diminishing returns. It starts to consume time faster than it improves the product. Personally I prefer satin finishes on pretty much everything anyway, but there are times and places for higher polishes.
I appreciate the comment and knowledge ! I have to agree, a nice satin finish is hard to beat. Definitely see a difference in those higher grits as well. Have a great night!
Heck yes 🙌 awesome job
Thank you!
about the carving looking into getting a Japanese carving set if you can afford it. the tools are great for that
Definitely will! Thanks for the tip 🙌
WoW 🤯🤯
I have no words 🤯 my mind is blown
This knife is a perfect example of my dream knife 😭😭😭I want one just like this for Me..e e.eeee..😭..ee😭e.eee...
But with tapered full tang❤
Im sorry 🙏 >> To the poor soul who red my comment.
Haha I’m glad you like it! Thanks for the comment! 🙏
@@mattmakesknives it's really useful design for outdoor activities and the ones you have made in stainless steel with the hollowed grooves on the side where the food sticks is best design for kitchen knives but people still haven't caught up with the trend lol
And it will become trend.
Sorry for my bad English 🙏
Also Korean and some of the native people who live in Canadian national park but idk the names... They are making the kitchen knives for the Korean and outdoors hunting skinning knives from the natives. So this is not new idea but my guess is this is hard to make so everyone avoided them . I mean the knife with hollows ...And I went deep huh? Sorry for that.
Respect from Macedonia
you can't use that power hammer in the background at 8.32? I've done damacus by hand so ik how hard it is to forge out so props to you for doing it
I wish I could! It's not mine, and the smith who owns it asks that no one uses it as he does production work. Basically if he let the general public use it it would likely get beat up pretty fast
If you don't mind me asking I'm curious what your spine thickness ended up at and I'm also curious as to the final sizes of the bolsters? I'm getting ready to try and integral bolster/guard knife myself and trying to figure out a rough size for the bolsters so any light you can share id appreciate it. Your knife turned out super I really like the profile on it. Keep up the great work.
Thank you for the kind words!
Prior to forge welding the bolsters the billet was about 5/16” thick.
The end thickness of the spine was just under 1/4”, and tapered down to a point. The edge was ground to 20thou and then rolled to an edge.
And I think the bolster was like 3/4” thick at the end? Ish? Haha
@mattwatersbladesmith awesome I appreciate it. I was thinking I wanted to shoot for somewhere around 3/4 inch area so I'm glad to know I was aiming for the right idea. I always look forward to seeing your new builds.
Wow, that knife came out really beautiful - very close to a kukri.
I wonder, why you chose a rat-tail-tang for a chopper, I'd go with something more substantial, are you really going to chop with it?
Thank you! I love the look of a solid wood handle as opposed to glued on scales. Over time scales pull away due to changes in moisture/ humidity all that. And the tang is robust, goes all the way through (peened over the butt-cap). It would survive a good deal of chopping. I honestly don’t think you’d be able to break it. African Blackwood is really tough, and so is the 1/2”by 1/4” taped steel running through. Haha that’s the end of my mini book.
Thank you so much for watching and for the comment!
@@mattmakesknives - I love a hidden tang too, in cold environments your skin doesn't stick to the metal. But a long and massive blade produces a lot of leverage and momentum. From the size of your handle you should be able to fit a tang twice as wide into it without compromising the wood. Would you dare to baton the blade into a stump and step on the handle? With a Mora Companion with its overmold plastic handle and a three-quarter, wide, rectangular tang you can do it.
👏👏👏
Thank you! 🙏
respect to the food knife maker. your cool with me
👏👏👏👏👏🤜🤛
🙏
rail road spike would be ?
Why did you oil quench with W1 instead of using water?
I’ve never done a water quench, haha so I guess that’s why. I’ll have to give it a shot sometime. Have you done many water quenches with W1 or 2?
@@mattmakesknives i recently water quenched one of those 2 part spring nail punches . i filed it to a nice point first, to center punch metal. it would deform after one hit before i water quenched it, now it stays the exact same. ive even punched pliers and other hard steel, to test it, and it stayed the exact same and leaves a good divot every time. im very surprised that it hasnt chipped at all, but i also made the point super wide, so theres a lot of metal behind it. i just used a propane torch. it really impressed me how hard the metal got, it was pretty soft before.
The Hobbit movies are a mystery to me. I get why they existed, but not why they were made so goddamn poorly.
💯
Part of me thinks Peter Jackson’s success was his downfall. So much was on the line with LOTR, it barely came together. Almost like it was meant to be, once in a lifetime. With the hobbit it was whatever budget he wanted, top pick of actors, all that. Haha idk I’m ranting at this point.
@@mattmakesknives It's true in anything creative. Sometimes the constraints give us a better product.
His love of the halfling's leaf (Jack Black's weed) clouded his mind.
How DARE you, sir!!😅