Forged for Critique

[tippit]

I was invited to spend a little shop time with Jason Knight MS.  Jason taught the forging/grinding segment at the Great Smokey MT Blade Symposium this spring.  He lives about 1 1/2 hours south of our farm in Aiken, SC.  So I forged up a few blades all in different stages to get some critical advise & helpful hints on my way of forging.  I'll take a few finished knives too.

I figured it would save time to see my steps in taking bar stock to a finished blade.  I'm beyond the stage of someone saying nice knife.  I want to hear what's needed to improve...Doc

Top Blade was Quenched & Tempered but not finished out...so not touched coming out of heat treating.

2nd is ground, normalised, and almost ready for Quenching.

3rd is first forge from bar stock so still quite thick and undecided what I want to do with it.

4th is how I start to forge out a broadhead.  Jason said he hadn't seen that before so maybe the only thing I can add as Grasshopper to a Master Smith    :rolleyes:    

   

[Lin Rhea]

Jeff,
      You make as many of this style as anyone on the TG forums. Your eye is probably trained better than most. They look pretty dang good to me. Lin

[Lamey]

Jeff,  I would agree with Lin,  you make that style of knife as good as any ive seen.  As far as a real "critique" thats real hard just seeing photos.  If you asked Jason to look them over and give you a "critique" then he would definitely let you know if something was "wrong".

IF there would be anything at all, and again its real hard to tell from  pics, I would say the finger choil on the bottom 2 has more "curve", which I like.  The top one has less "curve" where the finger choil meets the tang (or it looks like it in the pics).

Cool knives!

[tippit]

Lamey,  The finger on the third one is ideal.  I had a couple smiths show me their tools to get that.  Much different than the Keeslar hammer.

I'm more interested in a critique of the forging process, the grind, and the final edge.   I'm looking forward to spending some time with Jason.  Might have to try some hidden tangs some day!

[kbaknife]

Jeff, it looks to me like you did exactly what you wanted to do on all of those.
I like the finger radius in #2.
When they are too tight like in #3, I think it makes the knife uncomfortable.
Now don't forget to send $2.00 for every one of these to Joe Keeslar.

 

[Lamey]

There is really no way to critique the forging process from a photo, but your end result sure looks good!

[tippit]

Karl,
You're right...the checks on the way to Mr Keeslar    

Lamey,
I think Jason will be able to see the
progression from one blade to the next.  Thus being able to pick out areas where I might need some help...Jeff

[Lamey]

yep Jason has a good eye, tell him I said hello.

[Scott Roush]

you're a lucky man....  that must've been a blast.

please keep me posted on the progress of that broadhead. I'm wounded right now (severed the tendon in my left hand...) but i plan to get some broadheads going as soon as i can wield a hammer again.......