ScheepersBuilt
Designer and machinist making EDC and Kitchen tools --Precision Built for Life-- Proudly made in QLD, Australia. By Luke Scheepers
20/05/2023
Some details from one of the newsletter gyutos. Be sure to sign up to our newsletter for exclusive monthly releases.
28/02/2023
Currently on the work bench...
Over the break, I identified two main areas that I should focus on to improve the performance of my knives:
1.) Distal taper / Forged profiles. (and linked into this is making my own laminates and pattern welded billets). The thicker spine and the location of more weight near the choil make for a quicker feeling knife. I like, I want! The big problem with a forged blank is that its nearly impossible to work hold and then to cnc the food release geometry, because its "unknown" in dimensions unlike a perfectly flat piece of stock. Plus each piece would need its own unique work holding and programming etc. Not gna happen. My way forward was to hand grind in the geometry. Took a fair bit of learning and experimenting and custom platens and wheels, but I've worked out a system to achieve the same (and I would say improved) cutting performance and food release as the cnc'd s-grinds. After grinding I manually mill in food release grooves with my manual mill and rotary table.
2.) The tip. With my standard S-grind, the edge band geometry is the same from heel to tip. The result is a tip that could be thinner and more laser like. No need for the heel and belly of the knife to have the same edge cross section as the tip. My new food release geometry profile allows for a distinct tip zone so I can improve this area without messing with the food release properties.
These are ready for HT (still need to be properly k-tipped, but I do that after). Then I'll grind in the edge band and tip. Once they're finished it should be clearer what I'm trying to do. I'll be doing some more posts explaining some of the changes/improvements in more detail, but thats enough for now.
04/02/2023
Finished knife no.1 of 2023! Still need to get it in the lightbox and get some beauty shots. By far the hardest knife I've made to date. Lots of learning, and developing reliable processes. Reckon I could do it all over again a fair bit quicker. Details of the build in the coming posts.
It's been over 14 months since I've made a knife. But I never stopped thinking about it... the knives I wanted to make, what skills and processes I want to master. I dont recommend such a long break😅, but the distance gives you time to honestly assess things and think critically about what and how you're doing it. I always wanted to start making my own steel layups and damascus. Got sick of using flat sheets, and the limits you accept in doing so. Long story short, I needed a lot more heat in my knifemaking.
Now being a smart guy, I decided to gradually ease my way back into things with a 9" gyuto with integral bolster😆. 52100 core with 316 stainless x 1020 mild steel cladding. Ready for heat treat. If only you knew how many hours are already in this piece... I'd be lying if I said I'm not nervous going into heat treat. Say a little prayer for me! Leaving it very thick to skew things in my favour.
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