Grinding on the Hardened Steel of Mules

[Xplorer]

I have a done it wrong draw

Assuming you meant drawer, (I am not fully fluent in Australian yet ) I too have one of those.
It's overflowing with handles and a few blades I messed up along the way, and the bottom is probably still wet from the tears of the first few times I threw away dozens of hours of work.

[Xplorer]

I searched a lot and there's no spring with the right dimensions to replace this one. It's piano wire, 5mm diameter, rolled over itself in a coil of like 15 turns. It's pretty strong already ! all I seem to be able to do is buy the same hardened spring steel called piano wire and do another one, which wouldn't change the results lol.
I'm working with the machine this week-end, I'll take some pictures to show how everything is setup !

I'm sure I can find a pneumatic cylinder, but having the right force and position on the machine might be difficult for me to figure out though ! The more I talk about it the more I'm thinking a video demonstration would be better

If you're just unfamiliar with working with air cylinders don't worry, they're pretty simple and you'll have no trouble setting them up. You'll need at least a small air compressor. For this application, even the smallest portable ones will work fine. The fittings to run the air lines are easy to get and easy to put together. The amount of pressure you apply with the cylinder will simply be adjusted (or regulated) with an air pressure regulator.

Also, if you can add a ratchet locking system like mine you would be able to hold all the tension you want without an additional air supply. It would require making a toothed semi-circle and an arm to lock and release in the teeth. They're pretty easy parts for a knife maker to make. It's really just a question of whether or not your frame will accommodate that addition easily or not.

Let me know if there's anything I can help you with.

[legOFwhat?]

I have a done it wrong draw

Assuming you meant drawer, (I am not fully fluent in Australian yet ) I too have one of those.
It's overflowing with handles and a few blades I messed up along the way, and the bottom is probably still wet from the tears of the first few times I threw away dozens of hours of work.

Too funny, I don't have a drawer, I have what I call a "wall of failure". A mounted rack with all the messed up scales or bad ideas

Could be called "wall of lessons learned" but I've repeated the same mistakes

[standy99]

I have a done it wrong draw

Assuming you meant drawer, (I am not fully fluent in Australian yet ) I too have one of those.
It's overflowing with handles and a few blades I messed up along the way, and the bottom is probably still wet from the tears of the first few times I threw away dozens of hours of work.

Too funny, I don't have a drawer, I have what I call a "wall of failure". A mounted rack with all the messed up scales or bad ideas

Could be called "wall of lessons learned" but I've repeated the same mistakes

Nearly made the 2 left scales again the other day

Pretty sure that both sets of liners have to be on the inside of the handle scale against the tang, mistake has been made once or twice by me…..

[Ramonade]

Nearly made the 2 left scales again the other day

Pretty sure that both sets of liners have to be on the inside of the handle scale against the tang, mistake has been made once or twice by me…..

Man, I made 3 left scales for a Tenacious a couple of months ago. I notice I made 2 left scales. I'm pissed but I grab another slab of micarta (had to order it, it was my last in that color) and go to town, a bit fast because I lost a lot of time. Made a third left scale !

[Xplorer]

Too funny, I don't have a drawer, I have what I call a "wall of failure". A mounted rack with all the messed up scales or bad ideas

Could be called "wall of lessons learned" but I've repeated the same mistakes

Maybe if I mounted some on the wall like you, I'd make fewer repeat mistakes....probably not through

[Xplorer]

Nearly made the 2 left scales again the other day

Pretty sure that both sets of liners have to be on the inside of the handle scale against the tang, mistake has been made once or twice by me…..

Man, I made 3 left scales for a Tenacious a couple of months ago. I notice I made 2 left scales. I'm pissed but I grab another slab of micarta (had to order it, it was my last in that color) and go to town, a bit fast because I lost a lot of time. Made a third left scale !

I'm glad to hear it's not just me. I've done the same exact thing, more than once. It's really bad when it's your last piece of a material and you cost yourself multiple days and a bunch of $$.

Sometimes my ideas don't pan out, sometimes I mess up the execution in one way or another, and sometimes I just do something stupid and ruin the work for no good reason... those are the worst.

I will never forget creating one particular piece of trash pictured below. I cut multiple pairs of jeans into dozens of swatches, made my own denim "micarta", stabilized some cocobolo (or, tried...that was a separate learning experience), worked it all into a handle with 3 liners, 2 corners on each scale with liners flowing around corners, and then drilled the mounting holes so wrong that I couldn't use the handle at all.

There was the time I learned (about 24 hours into it) that strips of copper have to be pinned in place if you want them to stay put forever.

There was a time before I had a mill that someone asked for glow-in-the-dark mixed with tortoise shell. I worked on it for too long and ultimately decided...that's just ugly!



Here's the biggest thing I've learned from all of those mistakes (and knife making in general) that I would like to pass on to anyone who'll listen....

As hard as all of those lesson were in the moment (some of them literally dropped me to my knees when they happened), I love them all. I now understand that obstacles are truly, genuinely gateways to excellence. The more of them you overcome, the better you get. This applies to all aspects of life, really. With this understanding I now seek the challenges that one might consider obstacles and look forward to the improved person I will be after I've passed through that gateway. With that approach, the mistakes I make don't hurt like they used to.

[Ramonade]

As hard as all of those lesson were in the moment (some of them literally dropped me to my knees when they happened), I love them all. I now understand that obstacles are truly, genuinely gateways to excellence. The more of them you overcome, the better you get. This applies to all aspects of life, really. With this understanding I now seek the challenges that one might consider obstacles and look forward to the improved person I will be after I've passed through that gateway. With that approach, the mistakes I make don't hurt like they used to.

That's the main thing I try to transmit to my pupils at school. No matter their age ! That and ask yourself "why" or "how" from time to time and you'll be set for life

You can't be more right about that, it truely does apply to everything ! I'm happy to learn that I am not a drama queen though, because some failures did it me hard already, and I consider that I haven't even started knife making yet

[standy99]

I will never forget creating one particular piece of trash pictured below. I cut multiple pairs of jeans into dozens of swatches, made my own denim "micarta", stabilized some cocobolo (or, tried...that was a separate learning experience), worked it all into a handle with 3 liners, 2 corners on each scale with liners flowing around corners, and then drilled the mounting holes so wrong that I couldn't use the handle at all.

Beautiful set of scales I would just drill the mule tang to match those holes and attach with solid pins the same as that lanyard hole pin material (brass?) … Who’s gunna know….
Send them my way

[Xplorer]

Beautiful set of scales I would just drill the mule tang to match those holes and attach with solid pins the same as that lanyard hole pin material (brass?) … Who’s gunna know….
Send them my way

Thanks mate! But that handle won't fit a Mule. It was actually made for a kukri knife I was building but also messed up, and I have yet to return to that project. That handle always stays near the top of the scrap pile to remind me to be careful with every step.

If I thought that handle was usable I'd gladly send it to you, but I really don't think it's worth working with any longer. I do have another idea for what I could send you though...I'll send you a private message on I.G. about it.

[RustyIron]

I now understand that obstacles are truly, genuinely gateways to excellence. The more of them you overcome, the better you get.

Right on, brother.
Sometimes a project will be on something of little value, or a part that could be replaced for ten bucks. But I have an idea in my head, so I spend untold hours working on it. Sometimes the projects work out, sometimes they flop. Some people might consider my endeavors a pointless waste of time. Maybe they are. But by throwing all your skill and effort into anything, you improve your level of skill and capability. Work on the nonsense projects when time allows, and when a priceless and irreplaceable project comes your way, you can approach it with confidence.

[Bolster]

Here's the biggest thing I've learned from all of those mistakes (and knife making in general) that I would like to pass on to anyone who'll listen....As hard as all of those lesson were in the moment (some of them literally dropped me to my knees when they happened), I love them all. I now understand that obstacles are truly, genuinely gateways to excellence. The more of them you overcome, the better you get. This applies to all aspects of life, really. With this understanding I now seek the challenges that one might consider obstacles and look forward to the improved person I will be after I've passed through that gateway. With that approach, the mistakes I make don't hurt like they used to.

Heard!!