Knife maker's vlog (sanding blocks and a Japanese wa-style handle)

Making some sanding blocks and building a WA handle for a kitchen knife.
Check out the sanding blocks here: homesteadknives.com/products/...
Check out the video of making the handle broach: • Making a knife maker's... this is the tool that I used to hollow out the handle.

[@hagsmich]

The difference between a good carpenter and a bad carpenter is the good carpenter knows how to hide his mistakes.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Indeed👍

[@donclary5293]

I don't think that I've seen this detailed of a demo for this technique. Genius!

[@Simplelittlelife]

Right on! Thank you 👍

[@the_sharp_carpenter]

Good to see those blocks coming to life! I've actually stopped the complete bedding, I bevel the top of the dowel and just glue the ferrule to the body with the tang in place. Even with a tiny bit of movement you can still get a nice straight handle as long ad the ferrule is fitted well. Loving the content 👌

[@Simplelittlelife]

Yeah buddy! That's interesting there. I'm going to have to look into that. Never thought about it but anything to save time while maintaining quality right? Cheers buddy!👍

[@the_sharp_carpenter]

@@Simplelittlelife I'll shoot some pics over when I get a chance

[@glenpaul3606]

I think I have the ideal sanding blocks. They kinda look like his but smaller and not metal or wood. You don't need a mill or lathe. They are made from a 3/4" HDPE white cutting board. Cut them 3-3/4" x 2" in size. then cut two channels all around (top, sides, and bottom) the 2" ends about 1/8th deep and 1/8th from the edge. Then using a router,cut two 1/4" U shaped channels on the 2 longer sides only on the top side, about 1/4" from the edge and about 1/8" deep. When you fold and cut up a 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of sandpaper you will get 8 pieces 2-3/4 x 4-5/8 in size. These small sheets fit perfectly across the 2" wide block. Use 1/4 " rod or spikes and a tight fitting O ring on each end to capture and keep the sandpaper tight around the sanding block. These blocks work out perfectly.....they are flat, they have 90 degree edges, they are waterproof for wet sanding and the sandpaper sheet is utilized to the max. The sandpaper can also be changed in a few seconds and is held tight in place. They do not warp or crack and can't rust. To load the paper onto the block, simply lay it across the bottom then pull the edges over the block and press into the U channels then roll the rod or large nail over the paper into the U channel to hold it tightly. I've found that O rings about 1- 1/4" and less than 1/8th inch thick work just right and provide sufficient tension on the rods/spikes to hold them and the paper in place. Buy some extra O rings as they will break after a while. HDPE is easy to work with and no splinters. Great for hand sanding knives.

[@dozierlester3971]

Nicely done. Excellent video.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Thank you!

[@destructionjunction8195]

Relief groove. Sir,......thank you.

[@Simplelittlelife]

You’re welcome! Thank you for watching 👍

[@JohnSmith-gs4lw]

Love me some Trollsky.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Me too!👍

[@T_B]

Cool idea with those clamps!

[@Simplelittlelife]

Yeah I was happy when I learned that one too. Always nice to pick up useful info to pass on 👍

[@murphymmc]

Drilling the hole halfway through then flipping it to drill from the other side will minimize the small bit walking issue, though not always solve it. The method used by RSaMa60 is the better answer for your application. As usual, excellent work Jeremy.

[@brysonalden5414]

Thanks for reminding me about that dowel trick!

[@Simplelittlelife]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@Rsama60]

I do a different sequence when I drill the holes on the Wa handle bolsters. I drill the large diameter hole first so the desired depth using a wood drill bit with a center point. Then I use the center point in the hole to drill the small diameter. Why? Small drill bits tend to wander away and follow the wood grain (even with stabilized wood). Doind like this i minimize the depth I need to drill with the small bit. Never had any issue since I do it like this. I also use the dowel method. I don’t have a mill so I use a jewlers saw and needle files for the rectangular opening.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Wow! Thank you so much for this! I really do appreciate it. That is brilliant! I hope you don’t mind if I mention this in tomorrows video. With credit of course. Seriously that makes so much sense. Thank you!👍

[@Rsama60]

@@Simplelittlelife feel free to mention this. And of course, small drill bits > high rev and low feed rate. Give the drill time to do it’s work.

[@grillingaddictionwithnick4982]

Great video brother ! 👍

[@Simplelittlelife]

Thank you so much!👍

[@seandowning5518]

Love the music in this video.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Thank you!

[@NuManXplore]

Good stuff Jeremy! I've always wondered how that dowel technique worked. I'm enjoying the nice variety of uploads you're doing these days too, by the way. All the best!

[@Simplelittlelife]

Thanks for the encouragement buddy! Much appreciated. I hope all is well for you and your family and that you’re staying warm👍

[@franotoole2702]

Little tip on drilling end grain, kindof treat it like metal. Use light pressure, shorter drill bits if possible to reduce flex, and spur bits instead of normal bits. They tend to stay straighter and cut cleaner from what ive seen. When i make lanyard beads it happend a few times till i tried these. Plus my dam chuck is a wibbly wobbly wonder 😂

[@thestork8386]

Hey man just a thought I had while watching you do the sanding blocks at the beginning of this video. I don’t know how many of those you make and how often, however, a CNC mill could run multiple at a time for you. Tormach makes some good small CNC mills for not a lot of money comparatively. My brother and I started a company with a couple tormachs, they’re surprisingly capable. Like I said, not sure if it would be worth it for you, but just a thought I had. Love the videos, keep it up!

[@Simplelittlelife]

Thank you! Yeah I’be looked into those and they do looks sweet.

[@cultivationplus6719]

I like to tape the edges of the pin hole in the tang and the pin itself, that way the pin pulls the materials together during glue-up and the i free hand the shape of the handle after the blade is set. No need for extra steps imo

[@stephentaillandier4759]

Hi dude! Just a lil tips cose you give me a lot! You can put some fin layer of Téflon on your tang before your epoxi and let it dry, the epoxi will not stick to the Téflon… Hope my english is not to bad !

[@Simplelittlelife]

Yeah I’be seen that one too. I have tried wax on the tang a few times but not Teflon. This is still my preferred method. I love knowing that the handle is curing and there is no chance of having a hard time removing the blade. It’s just personal preference 👍

[@SchysCraftCo.]

Very nice

[@Simplelittlelife]

Thank you!

[@jimq]

That tool is called a Broach Saw.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Yes!! Thank you 🙏👍

[@willw7595]

NICE VIDEO Jeremy

[@Simplelittlelife]

Thank you so much!

[@mazur7914]

haha love the comparison to trollsky :)

[@Simplelittlelife]

I just like to throw that out there. I’ve had folks comment on that video saying I copied him but my video came out first and Trollsky commented on it saying it was a neat idea 😆 of course I had to pin that comment too👍

[@davidepeli2980]

I put some grease on the tang and leave the knife in the handle and as the glue cures then when it is set I clean it with acetone

[@Simplelittlelife]

Yeah I've heard a lot of guy do that. I've tried wax but not grease. 👍

[@braylon3233]

petroleum jelly is what I use, no issues so far

[@Rsama60]

I do the same, I use petroleum jelly / vaseline.

[@davesober2093]

How about a giveaway with one of those taped hats as the prize?

[@Simplelittlelife]

Hahahaha! 👍

[@nicholaskillmeier4895]

When making a simple hole in a 2 inch block of wood takes more time and engineering than the entire knife did haha. I did the same thing with a really simple guard last month... just had to keep fixing little mistakes created by poorly executed setup.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Hahahaha! Exactly! That's what it's about a lot of the time isn't it? Fixing mistakes....👍

[@masoodamg6633]

👍👍👏👏👏

[@Simplelittlelife]

👍

[@cooksharp]

Hey Mate, Any chance on some info about your table saw jig you made for doing slots? Cheers love ya vids

[@Simplelittlelife]

I will see if I can find that jig. I haven't seen it since we moved....

[@Zahel_Talaxin]

Did you figure out what was going on with the drill press? Always frustrating when something like that happens!

[@Simplelittlelife]

I think it was that the small diameter bit was following the grain in wood burl. I show a solution for this in today's video👍

[@cristianvaldez-ramirez3618]

Its been a while since ive watched a vlog, didnt realize how much i missed ya bud. Always a pleasure 🙏!

[@Simplelittlelife]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that.

[@Ta2edfreak]

Turtle wax or vaseline on the tang and you can leave it in until the epoxy cures and still pull it out after. Clean off the tang prior to final glue up and theres no problem.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Yeah I've tried that method several times but I always come back to this one. Just personal preference. 👍

[@kensowards2280]

Its called a plane makers float.

[@JhKnife-OZ4HJ-Jimmi]

I told you before, put that light on a magnet 🧲…. 😉

[@Simplelittlelife]

Yeah I should do that......today hopefully 👍

[@robsonez]

A broaching tool.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Yes!! Thank you! 👍

[@challengeaccept2341]

Sir which camera are you using and settings please reply

[@challengeaccept2341]

Mode name

[@joemisak7925]

Why not just leave the knife in the handle instead of pulling it out ?

[@Simplelittlelife]

That way I can shape the handle without the blade getting in the way or risking accidentally touching it to the grinder and ruining it. 👍

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

A knife video on Simple Life?

[@julesgardet659]

I just need $100k worth of tools to make this happen without Amazon.