Some Things I've Learned Making Knives

[Bill Harsey]

Ok, I may not learn fast but some things I've learned well.

No. 1, Smoke from finger tips while grinding blades is an indication something is getting warm.

No. 2, When pulling blades from the liquid nitrogen (-300 something degrees F)
the wet stuff on the blades surface is not water and the finger prints left there are going to hurt later.

No. 3, Trying to straighten a blade at the wrong time during the heat treat cycle may cause a bright "tink" sound. This is never good.

No. 4, Sharp edges cut many more things well than dull edges.

No. 5, Stay good friends with the local medical community.

No. 6, Grinding belts, on the belt grinder, designed to aggressively cut very hard and highly alloyed tool steels are not damaged by knuckles or finger tips.

No. 7, When out in the field with others and someone asks, "Anyone got a knife ?", pretend not to hear, walk away or point to a non existent elk on the distant ridge.
Your knucklehead buddy already has a knife on him but wants someone elses to cut something that would ruin any blade no matter what it is made from.

No. 8, The old saying, " A dull knife will cut you worse than a sharp one "
In my experience this is not true. Refer to No.s 4 and 5 here.

No. 9, Anything can be broken, period. The biggest toughest blade I ever broke? The road building blade on our D-8 Cat. Don't ask.

No. 10, Bring in enough paychecks on occasion that your wife thinks she married better than her daddy told her she did.