My first time using CF - 3 little knives

[Ruben Calo]

Ariel still hasn't got time to use the CF panels he bought, so he gave me one to use in some of my knives. Here's what I came up with.

It was my first time using carbon fiber, and I found it very easy to drill and cut, but extremely hard to sand.

Please let me know what you think.

Regards,


Ruben


Some designs I drew to see what I wanted to make.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF1w_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF2w_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF3w_big.jpg


Knife designs drawn on the steel bars.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF4w_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF5w_big.jpg


Comparing sizes with a small blade I use to cut leather, as that's the lenght I wanted for this knives.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF6w_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF7w_big.jpg


Designs on steel and the first roughly ground blade.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF8w_big.jpg


Grinding a blade.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF9w_big.jpg

[Ruben Calo]

Blade after grinder. The knife starts to show from the steel.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF10w_big.jpg


Drilling the steel for the pins and to lighten the weight of the overall finished knife.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF11w_big.jpg


Drawing some blueprints for the filed thumb rests.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF12w_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF13w_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF14w_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF15w_big.jpg


First marking for the filed thumb rests.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF16w_big.jpg


After the initial markings with the saw, it comes the file.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF17w_big.jpg


Filed thumb rest.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF18w_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF19w_big.jpg


All three filework models (thumb rests are finished, the end ones still not)

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF20w_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF21w_big.jpg

[Ruben Calo]

Blades almost ready for heat treatment.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF22w_big.jpg


Knife almost ready for heat treatment.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF23w_big.jpg


After the first tempering, I made a second one at lower temperatures to relief tensions.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF24w_big.jpg


Knives after heat treatment.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF25w_big.jpg


3 blades already heat treated with a first polish.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF26w_big.jpg


One of the blades ready to receive the slabs and bolsters.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF27w_big.jpg
.15625

Cutting the CF.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF28w_big.jpg


Drilling the CF for the pins.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF29w_big.jpg


Presenting a piece of CF on an already bolstered knife.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/work/3tactCF30w_big.jpg


Finished knives

Blade lenght:
Overall lenght:
Steel: N678 stainless steel (similar to AUS 8)
Thickness: 4,2mm (right in the middle between 5/32" and 3/16")
Bolsters in 316 stainless steel, carbon fiber handle slabs and hand made leather sheaths.

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF1_big.jpg

Bigger picture:
http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF1_bigger.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF2_big.jpg

Bigger picture:
http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF2_bigger.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF3_big.jpg

Bigger picture:
http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF3_bigger.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF4_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF5_big.jpg

Bigger picture:
http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF5_bigger.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF6_big.jpg

Bigger picture:
http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF6_bigger.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF7_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF8_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF9_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF10_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF11_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF12_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF13_big.jpg

http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/images/3tactCF14_big.jpg

[Pumpkin]

That is so damn cool! :bow:

[WT351]

Very nice work. They look like good, simple made-for-using knives. The finished products look great. Nice sheaths as well.

And as always we appreciate you knife makers posting your process pics for us. It is extremely interesting, but it also shows knife new-comers a little of the amount of behind the scenes work that takes place.

[bart-1]

Cool look like folders!! Sweet!! :love:

[cutty]

Very good post.:bobdance: Thank you again Ruben, for takeing the time out to do this type
of thing. I looks like a lot of work. Always very interesting.

GOOD JOB!:bugeyes: :oooh: :jawdrop: :clap: :clap: :clap: :thumbsup:

[Geode]

Fantastic set of pictures - thanks. Your knives are truly hand made.

[OilMan]

Very Cool. I'd like to see the finished wharncliff too.

oily

[BenDibble]

wow, they came together so nicely, well at least in the pictures! Too bad you can not write down everything you said while putting these together. :D:

[Ruben Calo]

Thank you very much :)

Ben, Next time I'll use one of those digital recorders and upload the file to my website... :-D

Oily, I'm not sure what you mean, the middle knife is the "wharncliffe"...

[Spufnik]

Very cool post Ruben :bow: It is neat to see the knives go from paper to finish product like that with all the steps inbetween. Its amazing what you can do with a piece of steel...

[Hawaiian-Stylan]

Wow, sick! Lovin those filework patterns and damn the sheath! :love:

[Stabber]

Very nice Ruben!! Exellent step by step pics!!!:bow: You make it look easy.