Just finished 2 fillet knives. Getting ready for the boundary waters.

Can't wait to put them to the test. Both will cut a free hanging piece of paper towel (my test for sharpness).

1/16" 440c Stainless Steel
Rockwell Hardness: 60
10" Hollow grind
Handle: home-made burlap, polyester layup.
10.25" overall
5.25" from front of handle to blade tip.

As always, feedback welcome.

Those look great. Do you sell them or just make them for personal use?
~JOE~

Hard to tell from just the pictures.
Be glad to field test them for you.
I'll forward my address and you can send me one. I'll keep it for a year, use it, and then submit a report.

All kidding aside ...... those look great. I can imagine the amount of skill it took to make those. What a craft!

Greg

Thanks for the kind words.

I just make them for myself. Always wanted some quality fillet knives, and I really like how these turned out.

They are 'just' flexible enough, and feel really good in the hand (if I say so myself).

Hopefully I'll be field testing them a lot this year. :-)

gorgeous!

very nice

Super nice! Fella on a bowhunting forum I used to pay attention to was a great knife maker. He'd post build-alongs for a lot of his work. Guys like you all really impress me!

How do you sharpen your fillet knives? I have a Lansky set, but it only works on my wider knives, not a long, thin fillet knife.

I've done it a couple of ways. This is what I'm currently doing:

a)220 or 320 or 400 grit sand paper (whatever I have handy)
I'll sharpen until it cuts paper. Then:

b)Strop with a leather belt

c)Then, strop a few times on a piece of paper (backed with a granite surface) to remove the burr.

This will get me to cut a hanging paper towel.

I've found the most important thing is angle consistency. If you aren't consistent on your angle, you roll the edge.

Very nice. Envy your talent.

Thanks, Sammy. What's the trick for angle consistency? Just practice?

Love the burlap handles.

quote newguy: "Thanks, Sammy. What's the trick for angle consistency? Just practice?


Love the burlap handles."

If you are using some type of belt grinder, lock the elbows to the body, and move your body (vs the wrist or arms).

If you are using a flat sheet/stone, use your fingers to rest the blade spine against them, to keep the angle of attack the same.

I'm still learning....

Very nice Sammy

quote sammyN: "I've done it a couple of ways. This is what I'm currently doing:

a)220 or 320 or 400 grit sand paper (whatever I have handy)
I'll sharpen until it cuts paper. Then:

b)Strop with a leather belt

c)Then, strop a few times on a piece of paper (backed with a granite surface) to remove the burr.

This will get me to cut a hanging paper towel.

I've found the most important thing is angle consistency. If you aren't consistent on your angle, you roll the edge.



"

I have mentioned using sandpaper for sharpening knifes and axes, always got the impression readers thought I was BS'ing, or it was a joke. Nice to see somebody else using the simple ways! Beauty fillet knives there!

butthead

Very nice; thanks for sharing the pics!

Nice looking knives! Do you forge the blades or grind?

Excellent job!! that is what I call a labor of love!!

quote Bdubguy: "Nice looking knives! Do you forge the blades or grind?"

Grind. I'm a stock-removal kinda guy.

These are 440c for corrosion resistance (plus it's about the cheapest Stainless you can get).

I get them in 6"x72" sheets, and will cut out the profile on a 6" metal bandsaw that I picked up off of craigslist.

beautiful work sammy !

Thanks for all the kind words. It really means a lot when I see a lot of the frequent posters on here, give their compliments.

A talent I don't have,good job.

Nice knives. Well done. If I may be so bold I have a couple of questions since I have considered taking up the hobby myself. Who does your heat treating and annealing? What resource do you recommend for handle, liner and pin materials?

So, I'm lucky enough to have a local slipjoint master do my heat treating.

I buy my steel from Admiral Steel (comes 'soft').

I make my own handle material.

I've also purchased from the following:

USAKnifemaker (and have been to Tracy's shop-- super nice guy)
Jantz
Ebay trusted sellers.

If you want to do your own heat treat, you can use a good carbon steel like O1 or 1085.

I've heat treated 01 without an oven, so it can be done. It just won't be optimal.

If Karl is reading this, perhaps he can chime in.

sammy if you make another to sell , i'm your huckleberry ;)

Very cool!

quote shock: "sammy if you make another to sell , i'm your huckleberry ;)"

I'm actually planning on starting a 3rd one. Probably end up in the kitchen drawer, to see what kind of abuse it can take.

I've never sold a knife, and only putz with it as a hobby.

Here it is with the holes drilled (to lighten up the handle). It still has some mill scale on it.

You can also see where I drew a line on the butt end, thinking of removing some of the bell.





It's weird how the camera makes them appear different sizes, when they are really close to the same.

Here they are, slightly offset, and on top of each other.






I'm also going to grind the guard down a bit, so there is more flow to it. That square guard tip looked better on paper, than it did actually in use.