Thread: Pocket Knife

Here are some old pics. I haven't made any for a while. I am retired and may make a few but I just moved and my stuff is still in boxes.
I lused to put jeweling on a lot of them as you can see but I haven't done that for a while. To do that you have to get a good polish first and then put on the jeweling. Too much work! Most of my knives are made out of o1 steel and the jeweling helps hold oil on the blade.
With the new stainless steels being what they are not as many people want o1 steel. They just don't understand the quality of it even though razors are often made of it.

Nice work Mackie. I especially like custom folders. Here are some of my 61048 Case XX knives. Old tested (1920- 1940) and XX (pre '64) + an XX elephant's toenail and a XX canoe.

Beautiful knives guys!!

Mackie, there are a couple of those hunters in your pics I am lusting after!!

Thank you!!!

Originally Posted by Wintchase

Pocket knives should be work sharp.. That is all when you over sharpen a work knife it becomes dangerous to use. I hate when people give me a apocket knife that is scalpel sharp..

Edge durability is more important than with a razor.
These days I carry a hawkbill pocketknife which I use a lot for cardboard, zip ties, wrapping, etc.
A scalpel sharp edge is no good if it deteriorates to 'dull' after 2 feet of cardboard.

Due to geometry, an edge more 'meat' to the edge will have a bigger honing angle, and thus will be more durable at the cost of being slightly less sharp.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Additionally, edge durability is more important than with a razor.
These days I carry a hawkbill pocketknife which I use a lot for cardboard, zip ties, wrapping, etc.
A scalpel sharp edge is no good if it deteriorates to 'dull' after 2 feet of cardboard.

Cardboard will kill any edge in short order. I use those sliding razor knives with the blades that break off and you slide a new segment out. Handy.

Originally Posted by unit

My feeling is that a sharp knife is a safe knife. Here is why...if you need to put a lot of force behind the handle, you may not have control when the blade breeches what you are cutting.

I have more scars from borrowing a dull knife than from using my own knifes just because of this reason. I keep my case, buck, and my patch knife sharp. Just not as sharp as my razors.

Originally Posted by Pyrateknight

I have more scars from borrowing a dull knife than from using my own knifes just because of this reason. I keep my case, buck, and my patch knife sharp. Just not as sharp as my razors.

I understand you.

I would suggest to others that "Scalpel sharp" and "durable edge" are not strangers....in fact they can coexist on the same apex I would be happy to demonstrate this in video or person to anyone interested. Like razors, there is a LOT more to sharpening a knife than dragging steel across abrasives to make to planes meet at an apex. I frequently hear the (correct, IMO) cautions about allowing a knife guy to hone a razor...the same concept can apply to a razor guy sharpening a knife....after all, both parties are correct in stating that there is an amazing difference between sharpening a knife and honing a razor! AND there ARE people that are skilled at both.

I have made sharpening things (and modifying blade geometries) a large component of my life for many many years and I like to think I have learned a thing or two about it. There is a time and place for radical geometries...but I am not sure there is ever solid rationale for having a knife less sharp than you would prefer....and if it cannot sustain the level of sharp you want, you need not "settle" for the results you get...there *IS* something better.

I have never seen any demonstration that a less sharp edge will outlast a sharp edge. I have seen countless demonstrations of very sharp edges with no foundation (wires for example) give false credence to that concept however. A knife that passes HHT is not necessarily sharp

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Nice work Mackie. I especially like custom folders. Here are some of my 61048 Case XX knives. Old tested (1920- 1940) and XX (pre '64) + an XX elephant's toenail and a XX canoe.

Here's mine!

I like all mine to be able to shave arm hair. My interest for str8 razor shaving was through love towards sharp metal objects, knives in particular.

I like my knives to be sharp enough to cut what I want, when I need it.

For the kitchen that means vegetables. For my pocket knife it's all sorts of stuff like plastic, packages, fruit, gardening etc.

The d8c followed by soft/hard ark gets me sharp enough for most cuts. I can cut arm hair and hanging paper.

Be careful, sharpening knives seems to be an addiction all it's own. Like me you might find yourself needing more stones.

Michael