Making a knife handle with CNC - Resolute MkIII
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- For more information on my hunting / camping / survival knives: store.goughcust...
Over the last 9 months I've been working to try to move my process over to CNC! It's been an absolutely insane amount of work, and there's still much more to go, but the new process is finally beginning to become reality!
In this video I show how I make the handle scales for the new Resolute MkIII knives. The bulk of the machining is now done on my Vertical Machining Center (CNC) which allows me to make everything much more consistent. Consistency has been a main goal of mine for a while now as improving consistency allows me to focus on nailing down my process and continuing to improve quality.
These knives are primarily designed to be hard-working outdoors knives for hunting, camping, bushcraft and so on, and as such need to be made well to hold up to a lifetime of use!
I'm happy with how things have turned out so far, but of course there's still much more work to do!
The tooling used in this process is supplied by Maritool (maritool.com) and is all made in the USA. The vise I'm using is made by Orange Vise (orangevise.com) and is again 100% made in the USA. I think it's important to support local industry and I do so whenever possible!
The G10 that I use for the handle scales is supplied by Alpha Knife Supply (www.alphaknifes...) and is also 100% made in the USA.
Hope you guys like the video! More coming soon!
-Aaron Gough
Is it just me or are Gough custom videos very very relaxing to watch.
Glad you think so Matt!
I have a CNC router and a small CNC mill and not only do I never get tired of watching them, but I watch other people's CNC machines on RUclips. Its truly addictive.
Now normally I enjoy watching your videos as they are, but with all the new machinery, I just couldn't take my eyes away. Congratulations on becoming a full-time knife maker by the way, you deserve it with all this hard work.
+nareteV denosaeS Thanks very much mate! Glad you like the new videos!
Art work. From the filming to the editing to the knife. Wow. My gosh. Talented to the max. Thank you for sharing man. To cool. I am extremely impressed and thankful. Thank you. ONE LOVE.
+hairfarmer07 Thanks very much mate!
I've worked 5 year in a small/medium size machine shop with both conventional and CNC mills/lathes. With that background, I know exactly the amount of work and tears it takes to make something that beautiful with that fadal. Good job!
+takebackthepower Thanks very much mate! It's definitely something you have to be exposed to in order to realize just how much hard work it is! I have even more respect now for the guys that make those complicated parts for cars and planes!
Gough Custom Great attention to detail. You made it look easy but what people may not realize is how every move that machine makes was prescribed by you. Yes the CNC enables speed and repetition, but it relies on you for the design and iterative of its every move. Custom shaper is the icing on the cake. That saved you about 4hrs of 3D machining per set. Kudos.
Im addicted to watching your videos at the moment. I always wanted to get into knife making on a small scale, but this is just too cool. Im canadian too and its nice to see someone working based in ontario. cheers
Glad you like them mate! Cheers!
I admire your attention to detail. Everything from your personal protection equipment to deep cleaning the VMC to your recorded stress tests on the blade blanks. You remind me of a more disciplined me. ;)
Aaron! My MkIII (s#074) arrived today and I'm completely awestruck. The fit and finish is first rate, and the blade is a killer. This is my first non-leather sheath, but I love the snap and the push-off. Very easy also to move the belt loop to the other side (because I'm a leftie). I didn't think I'd ever replace my Russell Belt Knife, but your MkIII totally exceeds my needs, wishes, and desires. Phenomenal work.
+David White Hey David! Very glad that you like it so far mate! I hope it provides you with many years of great service! If you ever have any feedback please let me know!
As a software engineer, I totally appreciate you automating the roughing out portion of your process. The hand sharpening and final forming is what keeps me thinking that this is still an worthwhile investment. Keep on turning out quality knives. I love the quality testing videos as much as I love the "this is how it came to be" videos!
Thanks mate! I've been working more on the automation actually, will release another video about that soon!
This video is seriously fun to watch. There must be a lot of satisfaction watching the automated process do it’s thing after so much programming and prep. Bravo.
More sorcery from Aaron. Automatic bit-changer, wow! Another great vid.
+Brian Parker Hey Brian! Yeah that machine is pretty tops eh! 20 year old technology and it still kicks ass!
Wow that machine is super impressive! Love how you don't skimp on tools and boy is your shop clean!
+BallewBlade86 Thanks mate! Henry Ford has a pretty great quote related to tool buying:
"If you need a tool and don't buy it, in time you will have paid for it and won't have it"
Very true in my line of work! If the right tool for the job speeds things up, then it's usually money well spent!
Great work you have done with this machine to make such a nice knife. Keep up the good work, would love to see the rest of the processes you have developed.
+James Davidson Thanks James! The other videos should be coming relatively soon!
Dude your build process has come on leaps and bounds over the last few months. Well done and great work
+BigA Thanks mate! Yeah there have definitely been lots of changes eh! Many more still to come!
Greetings from Singapore Aaron. Never been into knives but am an engineer. Really admire your approach to processes, constantly optimizing every step. Such a joy to watch your videos. Best wishes and hope to own one of your knives some day.
+theflyingblues Thanks very much mate!
You are the epitome of efficiency!
+Maxwell Wenerstrom Well this video doesn't show the bits where it all went wrong :) Getting there though!
this makes me feel like I'm wasting hours of time hand grinding/sanding knife handles. But then I realize at the end that you probably spent more time than I could tolerate getting this operation running
great job, and can't wait for the next one
+ThePatriot4freedom Hey mate! As you said there is just a huge amount of time invested up front to get this running smoothly... The blades even more so as the process of making them is currently split across 5 different fixtures!
you must be incredibly satifisfied with the CNC machine, absolutely amazing.
The future of knife making.
Great video.
+Stefan Wolf Thanks mate! I definitely think this will be the future for me, I think there are lots of different 'right ways' to make knives though!
Hola, amigo! This is so very cool and a massive improvement over your shop just a short time ago. The knife collector and knife user in me is totally freaked out at the end knife, while the businessman in me is also freaking at the enormous outlay of cash for the equipment! . Seriously impressed! Thanks for the great video.
Best Regards , John
+John Boyd Hey John! Thanks mate!
The investment so far has been substantial, but relatively speaking I have definitely managed to do things 'on the cheap' which is great... Shouldn't be too long before I'm able to recoup the investment. Main obstacle is just getting to a point where the process ticks over nicely for a few months. I'm sneaking up on that goal though!
Awesome work, and thanks again for sharing all of this. I'm mesmerized by the "thread milling"!
+jcapcik Thanks mate! Glad you like it! The thread milling process is very cool eh!
I love seeing your dream take shape. I really enjoy the way you choose to video this, it's very clean.
+TheOxanian Thanks mate! Very glad you liked the video!
That’s sooooooo satisfying to watch, almost illegal!!!! If I could afford a CNC machine like that to make handle scales I’d throw a kid out just so it could have it’s own room, but until then I’ll continue making them the old fashioned way with a band saw and belt grinder. I started media blasting some of my knife scales, even wood, when I get them finished out and it not only gives it great texture for grip, but it also brings out more of the grain/layers or the material used. It’s not only aesthetically pleasing, but offers a bit more form and function of the handle scales.
Nice mate! I have done some media blasting on G10 and really liked it as well! Yeah having a CNC machine is great, can't imagine being without it!
Amazing craftmans work! Well done Gough!! I love working like that...clean, neat, structur. Can't wait until your next batch is ready ;-)
Thanks Frank!
O you tease!!!! The video links at the end got me so excited to watch more as I realized I had not seen them.
Will have to wait patiently (much like I am to order the Resolute!)
So much fun to watch and follow your progression. Keep it up man, rooting for you all the way!
+Dale Knudsen Hey Dale! Don't worry the new videos should be along relatively soon hopefully! I'm aiming for the next one within about 3 weeks or so!
Thanks very much mate! The support is appreciated!
That knife speaks to me!!! That is a work of art my friend.
+Jason C Thanks Jason!
Your shop is looking great. The CNC machine takes all the guess work out of it . Great vid.
+glen mckelvey Thanks Glen! Once the machine is up and running the CNC definitely takes the guesswork out, but I can tell you that get everything ironed out is a process that involves a lot of educated guesses! The nice thing is that once it's worked out, then it's repeatable as long as everything is looked after!
Wow your shop is clean
Thanks mate!
+Gough Custom that was the coolest thing i have ever seen, man i wish i could do that lol. But nope. Im just here with a drill press
Glad you liked it mate! I hope CNC machines will become more accessible in the near future!
You get plenty of time to clean when you have an army of robots doing the work for you :p Though I'm sure setting all that up was a real challenge.
That is such a fascinating process. I kept thinking that the milling was too aggressive, but the final result showed how misled I was.
+Richard Caniglia Hey Richard! G10 is a fairly soft material so you can go at it fairly hard! The roughing process leaves the scales about 0.020" oversize so that any tearout and so on can be cleaned up with the finishing pass at the end...
That being said I have pulled a pair of scales off the fixture one time when the threads weren't quite right, and I have also had the process pull the endmill down out of the holder and take a cut out of the fixture! So you're right when you say it's fairly aggressive!
It's crazy how your process has evolved over time! They look great.
+Dylan Cyr Thanks Dylan! Yeah there's been lots of change eh! Still lots more to come too!
Great progress. You have certainly come a long way in a short time. Thanks for letting us follow the journey...
Cheers from Downunder... ;-)
+Jeff Keen Thanks for following along with me Jeff!
wow aaron! you've moved leaps and bounds with this blade! very cool!
+tone1132 Thanks very much mate! It's very cool to get the feedback from you guys! I can tell you I needed it today as nothing seemed to be going right!
No worries. I'm the guy that emails you every once in a while from colorado, me and my buddy work for the army down here and always reference your videos for info. Keep your head up!
+tone1132 Thanks man, will do!
Absolutely amazing, Aaron! I am glad it works so great after all that time you have invested! Thanks for showing us the process, best regards Robert
+bangalorebobbel Thanks Robert! Still lots of improvements still to come, but I am quite happy with this process so far for sure!
yes and I am happy, too - considering to catch one masterpiece of the next free batch or so ... ;-)
Great job developing the process Aaron 👏👏👏
+Sulaiman Ali Thanks mate! Pleased with how it's gone so far, but of course there is still much more to do!
IT crazy to see how you started your channel with minimum power tools to having almost the entire process done by machines. Good job mate
+USCommando Thanks mate! The handle scale process is definitely more completely automated than the process for the blades, but it's great to get the extra consistency on both fronts!
Too freaking cool. Loved this video. Can't wait to be the proud owner of one of your knives.
+Adam Holbrook Thanks Adam, glad you liked the video!
What an improvement from your beginnings to this kind of automatic set up; the quality of your finished product must be high class
+katana24 I am definitely very happy with how the knives are coming out! My previous knives (made by hand) were good, but the new ones made with the help of the CNC are better for sure. More consistent and more perfect, which is great for me as it allows me to really dial things in and make sure the knives will perform well!
This is amazing!!! I love watching your earlier videos up to this. It's so crazy to watch your progress.
+Treyvon Dee Thanks man! Yeah it's definitely been a crazy road so far! Still lots more work to do, but I'm happy with the progress made so far!
It's inspiring to see your process from the first file knife that you shared on the british blades page so long ago and to now see your nearly full cnc process. Well done mate! Super stoked and appreciate all the time and effort that goes into you sharing your journey with us! Thanks heaps!
+furai333 Thanks for following along the journey mate! It's pretty awesome to be able to share it with guys like yourself!
Ah, the wonders of machinery~ Such a satisfying feelings to watch it do its work... which was painstakingly programmed by hand before :)
Also, love color accent :)
+Evgeniy Deus Thanks mate! Glad you liked the video!
Your work continues to amaze and inspire me! Thank you for sharing.
+dagrb Thanks very much mate!
Really impressive!
I love this kind of stuff!
It should be included in the How Do They Do It/How Stuff Works/How It's Made.
I am eager to watch more footage.
This kind of information makes me wish to own one of your knifes.
Thanks for sharing what you do and how you do it.
+Jorge Tierno Rey Thanks for the kind words Jorge! Thanks for following along the journey!
Mind blowing set-up Aaron! You have traveled a mighty long road! Thanks for sharing...
Thanks Jim! Wait until you see my next video upload... I've updated and improved this process a lot already! And I have big plans for next year!
So cool! And there i am, with my old fashioned belt grinder... Really nice to see you've got your machine well setup Aaron!
+Alexander Bol Hey Alexander! Nothing wrong with the belt grinder method, I've still got mine and use it all the time I can tell you!
Stunning, truly stunning! Your hard work has paid off and the result it some really fine looking scales!
+NUMan14 Thanks mate! I'm very pleased with this process over all!
Amazing, joy to watch. keep the videos coming and your passion blooming, Aaron.
+xkukubax Thanks very much mate! I will do my best on both fronts!
amazing what can be accomplished with these machines I need to go back to school brilliant work
+glenndoherty it's actually quite possible to learn on your own if you're dedicated. You could spend a couple of grand on a small CNC and just learn as you go!
Finally, great to see some more content of yours.
Also, post this on /r/artisanvideos, we love you there.
+rennie3915 Very glad to be able to post the video for you guys! I just checked on Reddit and someone beat me to posting the vid!
Awesome work Aaron! Enjoy watching your work, keep the videos coming!!!
+zebra002 Thanks mate! Will do!
Just drools! Big respect to your creativity!
Thanks mate!
This has to be one of the best things I've seen on here! Thanks so much for putting this up. I hope to one day soon order one of these knives!
+Mark Youmans Thanks Mark! Glad you like the video and my knives!
I feel like using all this fancy equipment is not called "handmade". But the results are awsome! Great job!
For sure, which is why I don't refer to my knives as handmade anymore!
Hand made for me is the same as carefully supervised machine made, thats why I will order one of your knives...they look awesome and WILL last a lifetime.
When its one man doing the designing, the programming, the fixture making, the machine setup, the assembly and finish work...I'd call that hand made. Depends on the definition of 'Made', but they were definitely produced entirely with his hands. A 2x72 grinder wouldnt be considered Handmade when compared to forging and grinding on a stone, but its the industry standard when it comes to DIY production. He's just using a different machine to make more repeatable results
Nice work. The first video I watched of yours before this one was the Antarctica Resolute one. This is a huge change in the manufacturing process :)
+Brad Griffin thanks mate! Yeah there's been a lot of learning and work done to get the new process setup!
Boy oh boy oh boy ;-) Fantastic work! Can't wait to see the workshop tour ;-)
+Lindsay Wilson Thanks very much Lindsay! Hopefully it shouldn't be too far away!
It's awesome to see your process evolving! Excited to hopefully get my hands on one of your knives once you kick production into high gear!
+TomBombadil7 It's been a really fun journey so far! And it's pretty cool that I can go back through my videos and see the exact progress!
Hopefully within a few months things will be much smoother than they are now, we shall see!
insane to see this video compared to the one for the infantrymen. So much more streamlined now!
+MrMeep1999 Thanks mate! Yes it's a pretty big difference eh! I'm very pleased so far with how the move to CNC is going, lots more work still to go though!
very nice keep the good work and we need more updates we like to see your work more
+elnikoleto Thanks very much mate! Should be more videos coming soon!
Man... The shit just got really serious with this new tools. Is awesome to see the evolution of the process since your first video, making that knife using just your hands and a few simple tools. Great job, man. I wish I could afford importing one of these awesome knives to me here in Brazil.
+Demetrius Silva Hey mate! Thanks for watching, glad you like the video!
I've talked to a few people from Brazil who were looking at buying my knives, but it seems like the import taxes are crazy? People were saying they'd have to pay more in taxes than they did for the knife??
+Gough Custom Exactly like they said. If you consider only the importation tax, it can double the price of anything you buy from abroad. And we're talking about only one tax, I'm not including the 26% that you have to pay to Brazilian IRS and other taxes. So... This is crazy as hell.
Thanks for the reply, man. I'm a great fan of your work.
I sure wish I could work an apprenticeship under you. I've been working on designing my own blades but haven't had the time or materials to complete them yet... There's so much to learn, so little time.
+Deronos55 I do sometimes wish I could take people on in a teaching capacity, but unfortunately I just don't have enough space... Maybe someday!
Make sure to check out my instagram, I do lots of detailed little posts covering various parts of the process there!
i can tell already it's gonna be one hell of a knife!
+John Dyas Thanks John! I think it is, but I'm biased of course!
Congratularions from Brazil!!!
+Pietrfist Thanks very much mate!
i love what you do, I'm waiting for the next videos on mkIII !
Nice looking handle scales. I really like watching the machine work!
+Andrew Rodríguez Thanks Andrew! I still find it hypnotic as well! And you can imagine it's much nicer than making dozens of these by hand!
Gough Custom for sure! I imagine the machine has just about paid for itself already in time saved
+Andrew Rodríguez Actually right now things are a little slower than they would have been by hand! Mainly because I've been dealing with all sorts of issues in the process for making the blades... Things are getting better though and I'm sure it will be much faster soon!
i swear i'll have one of those knifes one day!!.. i love the design!
+Daniel Chavarría G. Thanks Daniel! Really glad you like them mate!
Interesting to see your process. Your next video should be like a cold steel style testing video of one of your finished knives.
+Bowen Creer I definitely want to do a 'use and abuse' video at some point, it's just been very hard to find the time!
That machine kicks butt
+smugBBQ It does eh! Very pleased with it!
Not sure if you excluded from using it since you were filming but you will get a much nicer finish if you clear the chips with air even if it's plastic you're cutting. Don't need anything gumming up the cutting edge of the end mill. Just constructive criticism I do love your production value and find it very entertaining to watch. Keep up the great work!
+CleanEdgeProductions Hey mate! When I'm cutting steel or aluminum I use an air blast to clear the chips, however I avoid this with G10 as the dust is very abrasive and I don't want to blow it into the spindle or other machine parts! Also the dust from this material is very toxic, so I do everything I can to let it settle rather than blowing it around! I will be getting a bigger dust collector eventually that should pick up all the chips!
oh god!! that's awesome! really gorgeous scales! u really taking it seriously
+psychokazus Thanks mate! Very glad you like them! I am definitely taking it seriously! I really love making knives, and I want to be able to make a living off it, so I have to get everything nailed down and sorted out!
I hope the best for you man! And i really hope some day i own a knife of yours!
The handle looks mint, nice work
+Cod GTA5 Cheers mate! Glad you like it!
Niceeeeee just ordered a Blk/Grn, been waiting for well over a year for the chance to get one of these
+Steven Blum Sweet man! Thanks very much for the support!
+Gough Custom Thx for making a GREAT knife!!!!
Fantastic process. Very nice to watch.
+Belnap Custom Knives Thanks mate!
I see that there is really too much proper work behind. I like that you can do what you like and it is your proffesion that brings you the fruit. My plan is to win in a lottery to immediatelly run such a business :) What else than to do what you really like! Well done!
Thanks very much mate!
These videos are amazing to watch
Thanks mate, glad you like them!
I've milled hundreds of parts in g10 and I was surprised on how fast g10 eats up carbide end mills . I recommend investing in carbide burs they last much longer .
Absolutely incredible!
+whitechevtruck Thanks dude!
Holee crap that contour cutter thingy is a beast!
+Auarhau It is eh! I can tell you I was pretty nervous the first time I ran that!
Surprisingly entertaining to watch the VMC working.Are you planning to make/buy and enclosure for the VMC?
+So5loW Hey mate! Yeah I find the VMC quite hypnotic as well!
I am planning to build an enclosure for the VMC. It will be a welded steel frame, with sheet steel back and sides and an armoured glass front!
I noticed that you have made a lot of changes to your workshop, I was wondering if you could do a updated workshop tour
+Alex H (airsoftgeanie99) Hey Alex! I certainly can mate! It's one of the next few videos I am planning to do!
Awesome, dude!
Congrats on the great work!
+Yuri Darian Thanks mate!
Wow your workshop has really evolved since the last time I looked , looks like the list for your orders should get shorter sooner :) great work fella !
+Mark Scott Thanks Mark! Yes, the new process is definitely helping to shorten wait times!
this is so pro it scares me. wow bob, wow.
+sander schouten Haha, thanks Sander! Glad you liked it!
I looked at your website, your knives are gorgeous. Simple and elegant, yet they still look a bunch of little bad asses :) I like those full flat grinds.
Thanks mate! Really glad you like them!
Very Beautiful! I very much like the precision. Greetings from Germany !
+Max Riede (Wilderness Skills) Thanks very much Max!
impressive process and product. nicely done!
+Darryl Machtmes Thanks very much Darryl!
Excellent work again!
+Ahmet Ayhan Thanks very much Ahmet!
Just beautiful!
+7iga Thanks very much!
I love watching your videos. Very well done. (Your knives are pretty amazing as well, props to you.)
Always a Joy, Aaron! Those are giant strides you've taken with the scales. I get the insanity of the load you've taken on but Wow or Awesome is just not enough any more! Surprised you didn't do a 4 up though...not enough throw or vice? Mighty fine work and been saving a few duckets toward one of your masterpieces. Till Then, ~PJ
+pjsalchemy Hey PJ! Thanks for watching as always mate! Putting together the new process really has been insane... Over all the handle scales have been one of the most straight-forward parts actually! The blades have been crazy to get right and I'm still not quite there yet! Things are every so slowly getting better though... I have made the conscious shift of aiming for consistency first, and I think that's going to be the best way to realize actual production improvements!
Now i know what ill buy for my 30th birthday :D So i guess i should sign up on mailing list asp. :D
Great work! I really love your videos! Beautiful knives!
+Triwiwer DoTsI Thanks mate! Signing up for the mailing list is definitely the way to go!
Beautiful knives!
Thanks very much Sherwin!
I love your vids, i hope to make a purchase sometime in the future.
Impressive stuff, i could watch this four hours lol
Thanks mate!
Mesmerizing! Thanks for the video!
+n8guy No worries mate! Thanks for watching!
awesome work aaron! marvellous cnc machining! :-)
+RICHARDSON KNIVES (Luke) Thanks very much Luke!
very nice set-up!
+robin6512 Thanks mate! It's definitely getting there!
Oh man your work is beautiful! One day I will buy a knife from you, that´s for sure.
+Peter “Lillebroor” Lundman Thanks very much Peter! I appreciate the kind words mate!
Wow! That was very impressive!I love the handle scales, they are so beautiful! I definitely want to save up and buy a knife from you. I love your work! :D
+Joshua Jacob Thanks Joshua! Really glad you like the knives and the video mate!
We need more videos sir :) nice work indeed !
+hosamh Thanks! More videos on the way!
Fantastic looking knives and also great to witness the growth of a business that comes from ground level. Even the things we see are more than enough evidence that you deserve this success and appreciation and I'm sure you'll achieve much more in the future.
In the meantime, I'm looking to order a knife to use at sailboat; almost constantly wet with salt water. RWL34 (or something better, you're the expert. Something like Boye's cobalt steel maybe?!?) is the choice of steel, plus I want a marlinspike along with the ferro rod holder. Is that possible and what would be the cost?
Once again, it's a pleasure to witness the growth of your business, hoping to see much more... Best of luck!
P.S. : Great video! ;)
+Mehmet Can Hey Mehmet! Thanks for the kind words mate! It's pretty awesome that I've had guys like yourself around since the start to share the journey with, that's much appreciated!
At the moment I'm simply not able to take on full-custom work unfortunately as I just have my hands too full already with sorting out the production system for the Resolute... It might be as long as a year or so before I can really contemplate doing some one-offs unfortunately!
As long as the business and good things keep you busy, that's good to hear!
In that case, the question becomes, will the Resolute Mk.III stand up in the sea?
+Mehmet Can Unfortunately I haven't been able to do much testing along those lines yet. The blade itself should be fine, but along the cutting edge where the steel is exposed you would likely get some rust unfortunately. Salt spray is very corrosive as I'm sure you know!
Well, good luck with expansion and new model anyway.
id love to see this with a bright blue inlay for a Police Thin Blue Line motif. it would be a great addition to my work gear.
+BigBlueMSP Or, for the thick blue wall.
+Sea Pig nice attempt at trolling
We just see things differently, I guess.
+Sea Pig not sure how you see a "thick blue wall" with numbers like the following:Detroit MI - officer to population 1/297Oakland CA - officer to population 1/632Memphis TN - officer to population 1/284And those just happen to be the top three most dangerous cities in this country. That "wall" doesn't look thick enough to some of us...so as you said, I guess we just see things differently.
+James mitchell I won't tolerate that kind of crap on my videos mate. This thread is being deleted. Sorry for the vitriol here +BigBlueMSP