Journeyman Bowie Knife Build: Part 2

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Will Stelter
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[@antonvermeulen1848]

I just died when I saw that dog paw. The knife looks epic, Will. Well done.

[@faisals1383]

Well done will

[@ashsteele7361]

Will done well

[@mknchpssimmons4281]

The mark of a craftsman isn't not making mistakes. It's how you deal with them and see the project through. A lot like life if you think about it.

[@hazakdds7366]

I have learned from a few of my successes, but I could fill volumes with what I have learned from every single one of my failures.

[@clkersting]

Murphy's Law. The knife is exquisite, your persistence and patience paid off.

[@LisaHarsh]

I understand the sentiment of not thinking it’s perfect but that is beautiful.

[@bradclifton5248]

That's half the journey of trades. Learning through mistakes and being faster and better at resolving them later on. Such a beast of a knife. Awesome finish.

[@philjafo2]

That’s such an elegant blade, sometimes simple is very difficult.

[@paulrapp6]

Simple is the MOST difficult!

[@brianpartribge5175]

My favorite thing about this video is your honesty! Thank you!

[@giggityguy]

Damascus is always fun, but there's something to be said for the look of monosteel with a satin or mirror finish

[@cockeformer2736]

Journeyman knives have to be monosteel as Will said in the 1st video of the series

[@paulrobertson7980]

Gorgeous blade will

[@sjv6598]

Absolutely! Sometimes Damascus can take away the beauty of the design from the knife.

[@jackhemsworth7515]

Agreed. it's also very easy to hide things in a damascus pattern. There's a lot to be said for long blades of monosteel, as there's no patterning to distract the eye.

[@DumptruckDAV3]

Will is always so calm and collected. I just wanna hear him lose his cool once and drop a big ol' f bomb

[@same.smalls5531]

Will, Don't forget that so many of us who create anything are often the most critical of our own details. We know where every flaw is. You share a curse with myself, and many other makers, and you just have to learn from those mistakes and you can't let them get you down.

[@ScottRedstone]

No one said it was easy to become a journey man blade maker. I makes the achievement even more satisfying. Errors are part of learning.

[@markoconnell804]

I am so looking forward to you having more problems during creation week. A long one and keep wearing your feelings like you are in the videos. It makes all of it so fun.

[@blackoak4978]

The road to mastery is paved with projects like this. When you're used to stopping a project at 70%, 80%, or even 90% and calling it "good enough", you get the feeling that you're doing ok and it wouldn't take all that much more to get something really amazing. You get a sense of arrogance thinking "meh, I could do that if I really wanted to" but you never actually do it. But that last 10% is an exponential curve of effort. The last 1% will probably take as much effort as the entire 99% before it combined. If you keep that in mind when you aim for something great, then your whole mindset changes. You stop thinking about "getting it done" and start thinking about "getting it right". You stop rushing or skipping steps which waste time down the line when they need to be re-done. You give each step the focus and importance it deserves, you stress less about it, and after getting used to that mindset and that process, you can go back and knock out 70%, 80%, or 90% projects in your sleep. If you want a good boot-camp style training, dedicate a year to only producing top quality projects like this one. You will hate it, and it might stretch your finances at first as your production rate drops, but you will see the difference in yourself at the end of the year

[@iansmith5052]

Youre such a perfectionist and thats why people commission you to make them knives

[@jimcorbett3764]

Sounds like it's just been one of those projects. It's actually a good looking knife- minimalist look, clean lines, elegant.

[@robertmcpherson138]

Sometimes we learn more from our failures than our successes.

[@IanZ_Forge]

Marty’s sanding clip got me 😂❤️ God bless bro

[@stevenlindenschmidt4049]

Something my wife tells me all the time. Don't point out the flaws. Thoughs who don't know better won't see them unless you do. Keep your head up. Looks absolutely gorgeous to me.

[@stefanovanenio]

Who said knife making was easy....6 weeks, one knife....easy!! Haha. Love watching you Will

[@SpecterSeventy2]

Good to see that your dog is earning his keep by sharing some of the work on this knife. 😂👍

[@Enigma-Sapiens]

For all of the trials and tribulations, you had to go through it turned out awesome, great job Will!

[@joshrepik]

Will - that knife is gorgeous. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ve done a superb job, regardless the internal monologue that tells you you aren’t good enough. Well done sir

[@ryanrider808]

my dear old nana dorothy went on her way , and the presentation of this video made me giggle and laugh. well done you.

[@robertzarfas9556]

I watched this video during a particularly difficult poop. And I just want you to know that your pain helped me make it through mine.

[@mathieuf.2788]

Many learning opportunities here, always turn on the camera!!! Can’t believe we missed the “Ping”. Glad you’re safe and thanks for being candid about the whole thing.

[@phizc]

I know it's been a long time, but if you want to see what it would have looked like, you can watch the pizza wheel series on Alec Steele's channel. He did the exact same thing then, 2 years earlier. 😅

[@DigitalPetrol]

With the number of opportunities for something to go wrong, it's amazing to see you create such a beautiful object. Great work! Thanks for sharing the process.

[@h2energynow]

Don't be so hard on yourself. You are awesome, and your talent is off the scale.

[@stevenwilliams5668]

How you are not a master blade-smith is crazy! Awesome work!

[@flyboy6876]

perfectionism is one step below insanity, I am an engineer who was taught if you don't intend to do it right don't do it at all. So many projects were do-overs till it was perfect. Then I was told there is no such thing as perfect, it is in the eye of the beholder

[@thomascaldwell184]

Being able to look clear-eyed at yourself and admit those things without judgement is not easy-- and not something I'd expect from someone so young. I think you're way ahead in that regard. Also, if you learned from this process, it is still a success.

[@Niksow]

Wills gaurd fitups are insane.

[@Zero_8347]

i love how that ridge on the handle looks

[@Youn6J]

One thing I learned Will is those “stupid” mistakes and all the frustration and time to fix them really teach you ways to avoid them! I do flooring and I’ve fucked up countless times and had to rip the boards up and fix my mistake but now I’m at the point where I’m looking for any mistakes so I can learn more! I still make em! 😂 But we’re always learning

[@willyhoogs]

Sometimes it helps to talk it out like you did. The end recipient will undoubtedly see it as perfect.

[@justmutantjed]

I'm glad you pushed through in spite of the setbacks. We've all had projects that have run our patience and will to pursue our crafts to the ragged edge. You've come out with a knife that looks absolutely fantastic, regardless of what you initially planned.

[@stuartbrittain6650]

Just saw on the Alec Steele video that you got your Journeyman award, Congratulations Will.

[@travisjames1490]

The dog paw got me good!

[@RandomAmerican]

You have given me the motivation to finish a knife I have put off for over a year. Don't get too down!

[@davidcanoy8579]

I didn't spend 6 weeks arguing with it, but it is beautiful. Perfection is very subjective.

[@mikejanzer7324]

Absolutely gorgeous Knife Will, I love how Humble and Honest you are with the Challenges in Building and Finishing this Knife.

[@Mounty621]

Well, if perfection is what you must have, you can send that beautiful mistake to me. Gorgeous work, Will!

[@m4oni]

I absolutely LOVE it Mr Stelter. Thank you for being an artisan, sharing your work.

[@jonathanvanderpol1435]

I appreciate your honesty and the dedication you put into your craft. Thanks for taking us along.

[@White_devil1980]

Great job teaching your dog to help you with your sanding 🥳😎

[@sergiocedeno5944]

Love the sneaky paw in the sanding montage!

[@warrenbaker4181]

just remember that perfection in unattainable, the more skilled you become the farther away perfection moves. All you can do is the best you can and learn from your mistakes ( you learn more from your mistakes than form your successes )

[@zhilaohu50]

By making those mistakes, you learned more each and every time you had to fix an issue. That's what journeyman is all about.

[@vannoo67]

The deliverable was not the knife, but the expertise gained by making mistakes and learning from them.

[@ohlookitsmatty2982]

That feeling of "I don't want to look at this project any more" I know all too well

[@misterrbl5156]

The best advice I can give you to avoid project fatigue is the rule of two. In a nutshell most pro artists or craftsman are always working on at least two projects so if you get frustrated you can work on the other project to keep your mind fresh. It works going forward you should try it.

[@nicholasviney5975]

Will don't be down on yourself, you did teach the dog to paw sand. Great knife, miniscule imperfections are like the soul of the object.

[@TheWolfster001]

Anything worth while is worth the sweat & tears.. I am (by trade) A Master Carpenter (now retired) My testing (testing in general) that long ago was brutal (about 50 years ago) Today with computers, KZbin & all the modern stuff, also no more secrets, it is easier for almost anyone to make something amazing in wood.. Thank you for sharing.. Good luck.. Be Blessed...

[@lotuselanplus2s]

I can imagine how you feel, however its about learning and i have a feeling that this taught you a lot.

[@321-sleep]

bruh, your file work is second to none.

[@Artemis-artemis]

I totally get the frustration. I can't wait to see how the time spent compares to the other knives.

[@runamonk]

Stunning contrast between the bronze and steel man. Beautiful work of art. Awesome.

[@VagabondTexan]

Well done, Will. That is a great looking knife. Put it in a closet for the next weeks until the show. Your brain will come around to appreciate it too.

[@JarrodZerr]

Will is really good at breaking metal

[@Ebbyman413]

I think it turned out beautiful! Di Vinci said it best; "Art is never finished, merely abandoned." But with that said, always remember why they put "Journey" in the name - it's not about the destination, but what you pick up along the way.

[@adriennefraschetta5391]

Don't beat yourself up too much, you made a beautiful knife, You are improving everytime you do a knife.🤗

[@andrewprice6008]

Important lessons learned… now they are out of the way! Excited for the next knives!

[@jimminey-fooking-cricket4903]

An old wood turner once told me no project is every prefect there just done. Those words kept me sane and my love for wood working alive all these years.

[@blackoak4978]

Any skilled person will have a similar mindset. Part of being good is knowing when you're just chasing zeroes, as machinists would say. However, Will is still early in his career, and I think that he could use the practice at chasing those zeroes until his "lazy days" are still great quality

[@regulatorjohnson.]

don't let perfect get in the way of good enough

[@Unbreathless]

It's a Journey... man. (badum tsss) Mistakes happen on the journey. You learn from them, and master your craft through mistakes. Nice work.

[@G8trDunn]

Dog sanding! Love it!

[@davidjondoh8671]

You are your own worst critic. Which is a good thing! Well done.

[@justinbanks2380]

"Not to brag or anything, but I feel very poorly right now." I felt this sentiment so much. And love how even though you felt poorly, you tried to put a bit of levity and positive spin on it. I'm gonna have to try that. If it even helps at all in the moment by reframing it, totally worth it.

[@LGustavus81]

Hell I'd buy that blade with zero issues. Came out damned good.

[@lordskorpius1971]

Buddy, you're too hard on yourself. Its gorgeous. I'd be proud to own a blade like this. Well done sir

[@MURPH10US]

You rock bro. Don't let disappointment sour your perspective. Keep on keeping on!

[@matrimhelmsgaard]

6:30 Will, you're the best! Hands down

[@iaininchley9334]

Thumbs up for the paw sanding 👍

[@matthewnelson5293]

Perfection is a tough standard to meet. It looks fantastic! Can't wait to see the rest

[@hamijoh]

Nice of your pup to lend a paw. If he spends much more time on the projects he may want his mark on the blade next to yours. Exceptional work. I’ve never known an artist who couldn’t point out their “imperfections“. I couldn’t see them.

[@ThisTall]

@9:30 this is exactly what I try to explain to people that don’t make things with their hands when they try telling me I shouldn’t get so frustrated or I’m to hard on myself. That if I get exhausted or frustrated, I’m just not patient enough. Sure you should always try harder blah blah great advice. But morale is important with tedious and technical work and you can always just keep working, but you’ll only be so patient before lose a bit of love for that work permanently. Then eventually all your demonstrating is skill. And you’ll always see the difference in the end product, even if others don’t.

[@paulsaunders8457]

Good to see you had help with the sanding.

[@bjf10]

That's a pretty dang intense project for "journeyman" status. Jeez!

[@Whytho2000]

The maker is always going to be aware of all of the "flaws". The buyer will never give a second glance.

[@andy14169]

dont be so hard on yourself! the work looks amazing! and comeon, if this was back on Alec's channel it would have been a 56 part series 😂

[@elementjoe]

Look great Will, don’t sweat it. Your doing great work!

[@skipstang]

Bro ... the dog paw at 7:39 straight got me! Laughed out loud, scared the wife's cat, beautiful moment, thank you would laugh again, 5 stars!

[@AlphaMachina]

Holy crap. That thing is incredible. Gorgeous finish.

[@justinbanks2380]

That lighting when you started the final process was great! So was the snuck in doggie paw 😉

[@bigbird2451]

Gut reaction, I'd have said seven weeks. Well done Sir!

[@williamhart4896]

Six weeks well spent that sir is a beautiful knife

[@gymnosophist7471]

That is a fine looking knife, despite all the setbacks!

[@MattKitten]

If nothing else, Will, this is a perfect example of exactly what the Journeyman set is for. Pushing yourself to the limits, putting your all into something, making, failing, then making again, and learning on the way

[@ethanbaker831]

Great work Will! Impressive when the only flaws you can see in the final shot is the dust that settled!

[@gijimbo1337]

Nice work again Will. Your persistence is inspiring. The dog paw was a nice touch.

[@MadMathMike]

😂😂😂 That sneaky little paw-sanding edit!

[@metalbob3335]

This knife reminds me of a car I restored spent many days of a year covered in all kinds of muck and rust only for someone to wreck it only two miles away from the shop.

[@nathanklosterman4907]

That is an absolute stunning knife. Be proud of your work, and accomplishment. That is the whole point of being a journey man, well on your way to becoming a master smith.

[@dawsy20069]

I would be proud to own that knife and happily keep it all my life! Absolutely stunning job.

[@ANonymous-mo6xp]

Will: Disappointed in the knife. His subs: We would be honored to own that spectacular knife.

[@smasheddragon]

As a bladesmith, I almost spit my coffee out when he said that butt cap was stupid 🤣 I know the feeling Will, work for weeks and all you can see is the 14/1000ths when it should be 10/1000ths 🤣😂🤣 beautiful peice Sr

[@Neforax]

Will that handle is beautiful.

[@cerealport2726]

Ultimately, you're probably very proud of your work (for what it's worth, I think you should be), but I 100% know first-hand what it's like to go through a phase where you more or less never want to see your work again, and even sometimes it feels like the project or work has no "fun" left in it, or there's no feeling of "a job well done" at the end. Trust me, these negative feelings pass, especially if you're doing something you are really passionate about. Keep up the amazing work!

[@markoconnell804]

So nice… B roll. The B roll that was done on the white handle civil war styled sword in Alec’s channel is an example of how outside white clouds, blue skies and green backgrounds really can make your work pop.

[@frankierzucekjr]

Good luck buddy, don't get discouraged. You're one of the best I've seen. Take it easy and just do what you love doing, because that's what it's all about. Take care bro, God bless.

[@Beamer1969]

When you have had a week where you have not looked at that thing you’ve been obsessing about for a month and a half you may be able to see that it is a beautiful knife

[@jmsdgwck]

7:40 Awesome. Great assistant!

[@GlassArtist07]

The knife is quite well designed and executed - thanks for sharing some of your process. But perhaps more importantly, you revealed your ability to examine and re-examine some of the smallest details of your progress on the knife, and then invest the necessary time and effort to make changes to those details, which required a great deal more time, but resulted in a knife that better embodied your vision, and displayed your talents. I'd say that's what has most impressed me with these two videos, your keen and critical attention to the smallest details, your willingness to admit flaws, and take the time to rework the piece to best suit your goals for the overall project! Right nicely done Will!