This step in the knife making process is one of my favorites. What am I saying...I love all of the steps!
When it comes to profiling a knife it is all about how you see it. We will always see it different, and that is what makes it art.
So profiling the knife. You want to start by drawing your design onto the blade. You could use a soap stone or even a sharpie. It is just a rough idea of what you want it to be.
When I start profiling I start with the bench grinder. I hold the steel like it is a knife and get a feel of what the knife could be. When I tell people that the steel "speaks" to me it's no joke. It becomes what it wants and you can not force it.
After i have it all roughly shaped out with the bench grinder I move it all to the vice. I block it into the vice with a couple pieces of wood to
prevent messing with the finish.
Once on the vice I start to work it with a hand file. This will leave the surface as one solid flat surface which will let the handle scales set flat.
Not only do I do the sides with the file, but I also do down the spine and across the front. This will make solid and flat surfaces and will add to the detail of the blade.
I am looking forward to the next step...adding bevels and more filing. Once I have the bevels on I will drill for the handle and then heat treating.
I hope you are all enjoying this process.
Be well
~The Yeti
