My first handle

[Icho]

So a couple weeks ago I did my first handle. I enjoyed doing it so much that I was bummed out when I finished it.I never did buff it because I didn't want to take the guard off of my bench grinder. I am hoping to get a buffer soon. I just picked up an oscillating sander and little band saw for a pretty good price and I need a drill press asap. I drilled the holes with my air drill. I bought the blade already finished and it already has some marks on it because I have been using it. Sorry about the pic quality. I guess I'm not likely to be a photographer but I'm ok with that. I just hope I get a little better at it. Thanks for looking.

[Crex]

Pics are kind of small, but the handle looks ok and comfortable. You can hand sand a handle to a higher grit and hand buff with wax and cloth and still get a very nice finish on one. Buffers can actually ruin some woods if you don't have a lot of expericence working the different types.
Good start.

[Icho]

Ya I kept shrinking the pics until I was able to upload them. I may have went too small. The handles are canvas micarta and I sanded them to 600g cause that is the finest I have right now but I will probably polish them up a bit more when I get some finer grits

[metal99]

Looks pretty good! I know what you mean about feeling bummed out. I had the same feeling after I finished my first knife.

[Icho]

Thanks. I have such an itch to do some more. I have a wish list going with a few finished blades, an assortment of pin stock, handle and bolster material and other supplies . I should have plenty of materials left over to start some stock removal blades. I am hoping to place the order within the next couple weeks. The tool steel and blade steel is available minutes away from my house.

I am also hoping to get into the knifemaking challenge that is starting up.

[metal99]

That's awesome that you can get steel so close to home! What's the business called? I have to order mine from Alberta but that's no big deal. Shipping is really fast and the prices are very good.

[Icho]

Essex metals has just about everything from expanded metal, CRS, HRS, tool steels, stainless, aluminum, angle iron, square tubing, etc. Windsor is kind of a mold and die making city. Not as good as it use to be but there are many industrial supply places here. Check out KBC Industrial tools web site. They sell some flat ground O-1 and maby even A2 and D2. Donno if they ship but they also have a huge selection of tools and machinery. Also I live literally minutes away from Detroit which has a good selection of steel and industrial supply places. Likely your place will be more convenient because the places around here are usually pick up but still worth looking around.

[metal99]

That's pretty cool man, there's almost nothing available here for knife makers. Any big orders I make come from the states and smaller ones from Alberta. I may have to give them a call to see what their prices are like. I know somebody near Windsor so they could always pick it up and ship it to me.

[Icho]

Ya the closest place to me for knife specific supplies is over two hours away and is more than double the price some things all most 3x(not exaggerating at all) of jantz. I'm still hoping to find a knifemaking supply store in the detroit area. I go shopping there a couple times a month.