Thanks and Hello,

[hawkeye]

I'm new here so a short intro.

Ya'll probably get kinda tired of newbies jumpin' into your established network of friends and cohorts, but hope to be able to learn as well as contribute to your fine forum on KMG.
I'm an avid outdoorsman. Enjoy all things connected with same. Hunting, fishing and trapping are among my interests. Also a Marine Corp vet. (4 yrs)
My father-in-law was a great knife maker IMHO and piqued my interest in this fine art. I'm looking forward to sharing some of his work with you as I learn my way around the forum.
Well, I won't ramble, but anticipate many informative and just plain fun exchanges.

Thanks again,
hawkeye

[John R. Fraps]

Welcome Hawkeye,

Curious who your father-in-law was as a great knifemaker...and tell us more about you and your experience as a knifemaker yourself......Thanks,

[hawkeye]

Was his name. I think I heard he was a member of some knife making guild at some point. (no pun intended)
He enjoyed flint knapping and made some blades this way.
He also worked in damascus, did some very nice work in that.
Most of his work had to be in high carbon steel. He would acquire old saw mill blades and cut blanks from them with a torch and then grind them down.
He had (and they are still there) about 6 or 7 dbl wheel grinders all in a row with diminishing grinding stones from heavy grinders down to ones with cloth wheels. (my terms are probably incorrect here)
When he finished a blade it had gone from the aforementioned saw blade to what appeared to be an almost chrome looking, finely honed, surgical precision cutting instrument.
He hated stainless as he stated it would not hold an edge like the high carbon steel.
If you will tell me where to post pics I will only be too happy to show some of his work.
Myself am not a knife maker, but that may change when more time is available. The wife and I have all that was his to work with, as he sadly passed away in '96, due to prostate cancer.
Thanks for your interest,

Hawkeye