W2 and Crotch-cut Walnut

[kbaknife]

This one is a W2 blade that was clay-backed for exposing a hamon during hardening and is fitted with a piece of "firewood"!
Cut this out of a crotch of walnut and then dried for two years prior to sending it out for stabilizing.
It got so dark after finishing that I couldn't manage to truly reveal the "flame" on camera.
Hot-blued mild steel take-down fittings.
   

[LONGBOWKID]

Another fine work of ART!

[chiger]

Sweet Karl,

You've just built a knife using 2 of my favorite materials in the world.  Walnut and W2!

Wish we could see the figure in that crotch wood better.  It's cool stuff.  

I know you're a 5160 guy and I ain't tryin' to pick a fight.  ;~)  But....I think W1 and W2 in particular make the best blades.  And when it's forged by a smith with your skill, well you get blades that look like that.  

Great job getting a hamon that distinctive.  Not easy even clay quenching with W2 and that one is great.  

By the way, love the double bolster.  The bluing is very fitting.  That's one that Bowie would be proud to carry.

[prarieboy]

       

[Chris Surtees]

           

[kbaknife]

Originally posted by chiger:
Sweet Karl,

You've just built a knife using 2 of my favorite materials in the world.  Walnut and W2!

Wish we could see the figure in that crotch wood better.  It's cool stuff.  

I know you're a 5160 guy and I ain't tryin' to pick a fight.  ;~)  But....I think W1 and W2 in particular make the best blades.  And when it's forged by a smith with your skill, well you get blades that look like that.  

Great job getting a hamon that distinctive.  Not easy even clay quenching with W2 and that one is great.  

By the way, love the double bolster.  The bluing is very fitting.  That's one that Bowie would be proud to carry.

JD, thanks for the thoughtful critique.
Yep, I'm a 5160 guy 'cause the supply of 1 inch square 5160 I have was all made from one melt in 1984. It's higher in carbon than the normal off-the-shelf 5160 and was all made from raw materials.
I get performance from it like no other 5160 I've ever seen.
My most recent customer testimonial stated he "took five deer from field to freezer" before he had to touch up the blade, which by the way, on this steel, only takes a few well-placed strokes and you're back in the game.
That Walnut has, besides the crotch "flame", these vertical striations about every 1/2 inch.
It gives the handle this tortoise shell appearance.
I really like it.
I've got plenty of W1, W2 and 1084.
I like them all!

[mastin03]

outstanding work carl...as usual.

That one is a beauty!

[chiger]

Now I am jealous Karl!

I remember seeing a pic of you standing on that mountain of 5160 bar stock.  You didn't mention it was a virgin run.  No wonder the stuff is higher carbon!  It ain't 60% recycled car parts.  

Most people don't realize what a difference there is from run to run of steel.  Or even that there is such a thing as virgin steel for that matter.  No wonder your customers brag on your knives!  They ain't just another pretty face.

I'd give anything if I'd had your foresight.  Especially being a stock removal guy.  Back around 1980 I had a chance to buy a couple runs of W1 and W2 in a couple sizes of flat bar.  Cheap!  I'd started working with stainless and didn't see the point.  

Dought!!!  

Now you can't even buy the stuff in flat bar.  Oh well.  Live and...ahh, who am I kidding.  I'd probably be dumb enough to do it again!  ;~)

But I won't be going back to stainless!

[skullworks]

Awesome work Karl!!!