Primative Forge Along

[tippit]

I seem to be on a new Quest.  I love old looking blades and the anatomy of old bones.  I'd probably be a much better hunter if I'd look up instead of searching the ground for bones, antlers, or any kinda of handle material    

I was looking for info on browning...making blades look old like Daniel Winkler seems to do so well.  I thank ya'll for your responses but I decided to call Dan.  He doesn't know me from Adam except I did purchase a patch knife from him about 20 years ago    

He answered my call and couldn't have been nicer.  Gave me his ideas on antiquing blades with out any hesitation and wished me good forging.  Now I'm into making some blades that look old but have very nice grinds and edges...after all that's what a knife is really about.

Mini Forge Along:

It always amazes me that you start a blade curved exactly opposite of the final shape you want it to end up.  I fought this concept my first few years of forging...not too smart!

5160 bar stock with tip tapered (I still fight that fish mouth end). Then the start of my ricasso and edge with the edge of the blade bending down.  

     

Then as you thin the edge, the tip will start curving back up.

   

I added a small Winkler style flared finger groove.

     

Once I get the general shape I want, I'll forge at progressively cooler temperature.  Finally grinding the profile shape out on my bench grinder.  Now I forge to almost completion and just minimally grind my blade bevel.  I even take it back into the forge to add some hammer marks on the nice blade grind to make it look like you found a 1850's mountain-man blade!

   

Fit the blade to my piece of bone, drill my pin hole, grind to a convex finished edge, and quench.

   

Once tempered & fitted, I just sharpen without any finishing of the blade....tippit

 

[Steve Nuckels]

Wow!  Very nice!  I really like that one!  

So, how long did that project take?

I will be posting a Frontier knife

Steve
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Potomac Forge
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IN GOD WE TRUST soon!

[swp]

Sweet looking knife!

[prarieboy]

Old School looks good Doc!

[Roughcountry]

Thanks Doc, I really like these build alongs.

[Scott Roush]

nice post....

[JohnHV]

You make it look so easy!  LOL

I like your tang design.  I assume the small "tail" at the end is fitted into the bone like a mortise and tenon?  If so, I bet that is pretty strong with out the extra weight of a longer tang.

[kbaknife]

You gonna bring this along to Atlanta so we can all play with it??

[oldpaths]

PURDY!!!

[tippit]

Third Eye,
I actually slot the bone and fit the small tang into the hollow of the bone.  I've seen a number of old trapper era blades fitted by just slotting...possibly cause the blade handle broke.

 

[JohnHV]

Thanks for the tip.  I'll have to try that!

I've seen similar construction on some old blacksmith knives from the colocnial period.  I figured they did it to save on the amount of steel used in the knife.  As long as you are not using it as a pry bar I wouldn't expect there to be much of a problem with that construction technique.

Hope to see you at the Blade show!

[MnFn]

I really like the looks of that one. Thanks for sharing. I hope to make my first knife soon.
Gary

[Ray Hammond]

Jeff,

Hatchet Jack would've been proud to own that one!

Would it add any additional strength to that knife if you were to pin it a little further back?

I've only built one knife in that style so obviously you've got me on experience by a long shot - I was just thinking about some things I read in Joe Keeslar's "Handles and Guards" and am wondering...I've got a pair of those to build for a father and son in Iowa, and am interested in your thoughts.

I'm thinking about adding on a slightly longer, narrower tang and putting my pins about an inch and a half behind where yours is, thinking that would help if they decided to use it to chop something.

[tippit]

Ray,  
A longer tang into the bone marrow cavity would probably give it more strength...but I've made some with just the slot & no tang extension down the marrow shaft.  I have double pinned a couple too.  They are pretty strong either way.
 
What I did do on this one was fill the marrow cavity around the tang extension with glue.  I think you have to either heat the blade to red hot or break the bone to get it apart.

Even that arrow head I make with a slotted 100 grain steel insert hasn't come apart with just super glue and no pin.  I've tortured tested it into oak boards.  The glue weld has held.  Plus because it is tempered just a little softer than a knife, it hasn't bent or cracked at the drilled holes.  I like to try and destroy a few of my toys to make sure they will work when I need 'em.  Besides they are guarenteed for my life time    Doc

 

[Ray Hammond]

thanks, Jeff

I guess I have this mental block about glue I've got to get over.

Looks good. Hope to see you a week from friday at Blade???

[tippit]

I'll be there!

[skillet]

Tippit...Very nice work, you are turnng out some real nice pieces!
Rick