2nd Knife (Pretty Much Finished)

[gudspelr]

Here's my second attempt, this one mostly by myself and with my own forge.  Ended up bigger than I thought, but thanks to Clay's early instructions in the back of my mind, I managed to keep it from twisting all over the place as I forged it.  A ways from finished, but already learning a lot.


Started out as a chunk of farrier's rasp (free).

   


After a little heat and hammering.

   


   


About to where I couldn't make it any better with my hammer.

   

You guys that can forge really close to finished profile simply amaze me...


And here's how it's going when you don't have a belt grinder

   


A few thousand pushes of the file later and it becomes extremely evident why good hammering will be on the front of my mind next time....

   


Like I said, no belt grinders and minimal tools for me.  After I got it hammered out best I could, I used my cordless angle grinder to get more of the profile.  Not the fastest way I'm going, but sure fun regardless.  Any suggestions/advice always welcome-thanks for looking.


Jeremy

[Ragnarok Forge]

Slow down on the forging part and make sure to use refining and finishing strikes with the hammer.  Practice hitting flat on the bevel.  It is an art form and one I am still working on perfecting.  The closer you forge the less you grind.

The blade is looking great.  The forge looks like it is working great.  I am glad to see you made smaller openings in the ends.

Your going to burn that file up quick, hand filing off the scale.  It is super hard and will wear the file out. Get a gallon or two of white vinegar and put the blade blank in it for two or three days.  It dissolves the scale, you can scrub it off with a toothbrush after the soak.  This will save in both time and new files being purchased.  I know waiting a few days is a bummer but it beats spending a lot of cash on good files.

[Kevin Evans]

Good job young man!!The forging will get better with time.(try and relax )thats what helped me the most.You are truley trying hard,
listen to Clay advice.
The only advice I might give is try Sears(or at least get them there) files they are garenteed,so you can replace them (free),also you can use meritic acid for removing scale it is more exspencive but you won't have to wait quite as long.
Keep up the good work.  

[Steve Nuckels]

Jeremy, while I am an apprentice and not very experienced, I personally beleive that it is benifical to use hand tools to make several knives before using power tools.  I think you will learn more and learn faster.  As a matter of fact Mastersmith Burt Foster will be teaching a bladesmithing class using only hand tools!  So there has to be something to it!

The process of forging is my favorite and most interesting, and as I have heard, and truely beleive is very much a continuing evolving skill and can be improved upon no matter how long you have been doing it.  Some bladesmiths forge close to finish, others rely on the grinder to bring to profile.  I subscribe to closer to finish profile the better,  my thinking is if I want to have the "Brute De Forge" finish you will mimimize grinding, that and with my current grinder (low end) and my lack of grinding skill I try to get as close to finish as I can.  

It's all fun and very rewarding, I only wish I got started way earlier!

Oh, BTW that is going to be a very cool knife!

Steve
--------
Potomac Forge

[kansas stik man]

looks good i cant wait to get my forge done , i just need to find some places on line for some supplys and i can get it finished up

[Steve Nuckels]

Jeremy, after looking again I think it's interesting the way it appears you proceeded  in forging this knife.  Although there is a tried and tested way to procede in forging, starting with the point, tapering then forging the choil (pinch), edge bevel and tang.  the only exception I am aware of is the Keesler "Brute De Forge" which starts with the full tang, and basicly goes in reverse.  

Many times the means justify the end!      

Second knife, very cool!

Steve
--------
Potomac Forge

[gudspelr]

Thanks for the words of encouragement and the advice.  Will definitely look into soaking that scale off and maybe even Sears for some guaranteed files-imagine I'll be going through a few of those   .

I'll keep posting updates as I get further along in the process.  Sure is fun making knives....


Jeremy

[gables]

Looks great. You can also use your angle grinder with a grinding disk to remove the scale and work out some of the major dents and impressions. If you find you can't hit flat with your hammer, try adjusting the heighth of your anvil. My anvil was too low and I kept digging the edge of my hammer into the blade. Remember to use refining heats as described above and protect the tip from overheating. You can push the end of the blade out of your back door, quench the tip before it gets too hot, etc. Stay relaxed, breathe and don't walk away from the forge when a blade is in there.

[gudspelr]

Got a little more done today on the knife.  Here are some pictures after quite a bit more filing.

 


 


The other side of the blade-really wanted to continue filing so it matched the other side (no marks below the plunge line), but realized my edge was getting pretty thin.

 


 


 


As mentioned above, I ran into a little bit of a problem...  I really didn't think draw filing would take off so much material, but a fair portion of the blade edge is pretty thin now.  I was planning on putting a convex edge on this knife but I think the only way I might be able to make this knife work is come up into the body of the blade and give myself more material to work with?  It'll make it a narrower blade, but I think I'd rather end up with some kind of a knife than one with a big crack or something in it...  

Going to probably leave it in some vinegar like you mentioned Clay and see about getting all the rest of the scale off.  Will evaluate how to continue after that, I guess.  Will let you all know how it goes.


Jeremy

[gudspelr]

Well, here it is nearly finished.  I just need to put the edge on it and do some buffing on the blade.  Going to do that after I get the sheath built.  This is a long ways from perfect and I ran into a few "issues" along the way, but I guess it turned out okay.

Handle is Cocobolo with danish oil and a touch of wax.  Overall length is 12", just over half of that is to the front of the finger guard.  Guard and steel spacer are both from the same rasp the blade was forged from.  Put the brass spacer in to turn black, but after I did, it just didn't look right, so now it's brass colored again...  Any and all thoughts are welcome.

Jeremy

 


 


 


 


 


 

[BoonRoto]

Cool!

[kansas stik man]

nice work

[caleb0100]

Looks good! A lot of work goes into those, especially the first dozen or so. Thanks for sharing.

[OconeeDan]

That is very nice!

[Ragnarok Forge]

I love the knife.  That is an very nice blade, with a great handle and guard for a second knife.

I like that you decided to shrink the blade down to adjust for the thin edge.  You will know your getting better when several knives in a row end up the size you planned them to be.

Again very nice work.  Very rewarding to finish one up isn't it.

[tg2nd]

Really looks good to me.

[SveinD]

That looks great! Hope when I get the confidence to start metalworking, some of my firsts even comes close!

[Steve Nuckels]

I'm likeing that!  Looks like you have done a great job on that knife!  The fit and finish on the guard and handle look exceptional!

Steve
-------
Potomac FOrge

[JMR]

Very nice knife you should be very proud.

[Izzy]

Super fine looking knife.