Hey Lin--Arkansas Big Buck Classic Stories?

[tippit]

Hey Lin,  I hope you had a great time last weekend at the Arkansas Big Buck Classic.  Also hoping you got some stories & pictures for us...tippit

[Doug Campbell]

Yep, bring em on Lin....

[Lin Rhea]

I am waiting on some pictures. WE had a great time and I talked myself hoarse. Lots of people were interested in the process of forging and also the finished product.

 Another Tradgang member, Starkman, spent all day Saturday with me discussin his perspective as a collector with the folks. It was a cold windy day, but we did good with the forge going as well as the forge.

  I'll post some pics when my buddy get's them to me.
                                        Lin

[Lin Rhea]

I got a few pics to share of the Big Buck Classic.
 
    Here I am forging for the folks in attendance.  
 
Another maker (Jerry Petty) and myself talking and forging blades.
 

Testing the edge holding ability.
 
 
 
 
The Camp Knife that I was testing. 10 inch blade of High Carbon spring steel.
 
        We were hoping there would be more presence of traditional archery  there.                         Lin

[Starkman]

Fellas,
I'm always amazed how quick folks gather around when the hammer hits the steel.  Lin's knife performed great...Lin didn't do to bad either     .  I don't know how many times that knife chopped 2x4's, sliced 1" rope, water bottles and free standing, empty aluminum cans and never once sharpened.....I was impressed.  
Bob

[Lin Rhea]

Bob,
       I appreciate your being there. It was a cold day to be out, but I enjoyed it. It's too bad the camera arrived on a day you werent there.

    There has been a lot of discussion about different steels for knives. I also realize that the knife I used and in the picture is a rather large knife. A camp knife. By the way, a camp knife can almost take the place of a hatchet. Tadgang  stresses traditional hunting equipment. So do I.  

  My point of this is that any of you with the desire to stay true to tradititon can take available materials and make a very durable knife for yourselves. It dont have to look like a museum piece at first. The knife I have shown was forged from a Chevy truck spring and the handle was laminated from scrap pieces of handle materials I otherwise could not use. I like the idea of taking something discarded and giving it another chance to be usefull.
                                 Lin

[tippit]

Lin,  You're an amazing craftsman    Thanks for showing us what can be done with a forge & hammer...gives us all something to shoot for.  I like your little forged blade beside the camp knife too!  

Please explain the use of your flattener...not sure everyone has seen one in action.  Thanks again...Doc

[d. ward]

Vary nice...bowdoc

[Lin Rhea]

Tippit,
        Thanks. The flatter is used to flatten an area of the blade called the Ricasso. You just hold it on the area to be flattened and hit it with the hammer. Of course, the anvil needs to be flat as well.

  Nearly all hammers have a curved face and although you can do a pretty good job of flattening just with a hammer, the flatter does a little better. Flattening the Ricasso provides a baseline to reference the whole blade's straightness. It also keeps you from having to grind away too much material in an attempt to grind the blade straight.
   In the sunshine, the blade dont look very hot, but it was hot enough to move a little. I like to reduce forging heat in the straightening phase of forging a blade. This refines the grain structure, which is good for the blade.

Incidentally, the flatter in the picture belongs to Big John Fitch MS. He came up with an ingenius idea of having the flatter head fitting very loosely on the handle, with a keeper pin out in front of the head. This allowed the head to truely flatten the work piece and not be influenced by the handle being held, perhaps, at a bad angle. Reduced handle shock too.
                              Lin

[Butts2]

I'm going to get a head cold. Always taking my hat off to Lin    

[Montauks]

Starkman wrote: I don't know how many times that knife chopped 2x4's, sliced 1" rope, water bottles and free standing, empty aluminum cans and never once sharpened.....I was impressed.   Wow me too, thats some feat

Gene

[sticshooter]

MORE PLEASE! Great stuff right there. Lin awesome knife.<><

[tippit]

Lin,  Thanks for the explanation on the flatter.  I don't usually see blacksmiths using one.  They are a great little tool to straighten and flat a piece of hot steel.  As Lin said you don't use it as a hammer, you hit the flatter to kinda sandwich the steel between it & the top of your anvil. Here's a close up of mine...Doc

 

 

[kbaknife]

Lin, you look like you've got the Zen "focus" goin' on in that top picture.
Man, THAT is concentration!
I love forging for audiences. It's just flat out fun.
(You can tell 'em anything and they'll believe it!)
Looks like you had a great time, Lin.

[Lin Rhea]

Karl,
        We were able to give a few forged blades to some of the kids while there. I did keep a couple to finish out. You're right, it makes for a nice day.
                           Lin