Been a Long Road

[tippit]

I finally have a blade that fits most of my requirements. The last component was learning how to get a convex edge.  It's a subtle difference from just grinding/sharpening a flat edge after forming the blade...but it sure makes a difference in the way it cuts and re-sharpens.  

Once again I bow to the west to thank my mentor Doug Campbell. Doug showed me his procedure to convex the edge on my St Judes Elk Hunt with him & Claudia.  We may not have harvested any elk...but my bladesmithing sure took a jump        

Little seven inch 5160 skinner that preformed real well at Bear Camp with a flat edge...but now it's flat out scary with the convex edge!  Looks like I have a bunch of blades to fix up.  Guess that's OK since I still need to get a forge built...Doc


   

[Lamey]

i like that alot,  always love the forged finger choils.  nice!

[DoubleLung]

I really like this one Tippit! Curious, do you put a hollow grind on the blade and then convex the edge after heat treating?

[Jack Denbow]

Very nice Jeff.    
Jack

[hunt it]

Mighty nice looking Jeff!  

[DANA HOLMAN]

Sweet, that looks very nice
dana

[Steve Nuckels]

Very nice Doc!  I like the way you get a wide flair at the finger guard, I can't seem to make mine that wide.

Let us know which style forge you go with!  I chose a two burner atmospheric,(Chile forge)and I love it!

Steve
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ABS Apprentice
Potomac Forge
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IN GOD WE TRUST

[OconeeDan]

Nice!  Can you explain the basic procedure for the convex edge?
I was recently shown sharpening a blade using a slack belt (but adjusted pretty tight), with edge trailing.  Very simple, but puts a nice edge on the blade, after buffing off the wire edge.
Dan

[tippit]

Dan,  I guess there a lot of ways to do it...maybe Doug should come on to explain his set up.  If not, I'll get some pictures of how I copied his         Doc

[tippit]

Steve,

There are a couple of secrets to that Keeslar Brut de Forge flare.  The afternoon I spent with Joe forging one out showed me all the things I was doing wrong.  The main ingredient is his little French hammer...which I was able to twist his arm into letting me take one home     Actually his arms are too strong to twist as he hammers his blades with a 10# hammer  :eek:  Doc

 

 

[tippit]

By the way, that knife Joe is holding is in the process of getting a silver/curly maple inlay handle by Joe.  You can bet it will be on display and NOT touched except with silk gloves      Doc

[kbaknife]

It truly IS a long road Doc, and the road never ends!
That's what makes this all so much fun.
Joe had a few hammer heads in his truck in Ohio a few months back and I got one off of him as well.
He's a heck of a good teacher.
Doug is a great maker and I consider him a friend as well.
There's just soooooooooo much to learn, it helps when there are others to help show the way.
Have fun on your trip down that road, Doc.

[Lamey]

another quick way to do that finger choil if you have a power hammer is this-

Take a piece of 3/4" round bar,  better to draw it down a bit on the handle end,  put a wood handle on it to absorb some of the possible shock if your holding it wrong.

Obviosly get the area you want the finger choil hot enough to move easy, leave the spine area a bit "dull" red.

Holding the blade with your tongs, spine down, slide your blade under the hammer (with your upper die in the "up" position if possible).   Hit 2 or 3 good licks and you have a finger choil.

All this (besides heating the proper section) takes about 30 seconds,  maybe quicker.

IFyou want it flared out even more, then switch to the hand hammer, ball peen works good too.   A key is not getting the are a behind the choil too hot.  if you can keep that area dull so that it wont move easy,  the actual working area you want to flare will do so quickly.  

man... i hope some of that makes sense!

[LAR43]

Hey Doc,
What's the approx. weight of those hammers. I have a couple repousse (sp?) hammers almost the same shape but they're way light,less than #1 ea.
Thanks,

Larry

[Lin Rhea]

On Thursday evening I was able to visit with Joe and watch him forge one of his tradmark "brute de forge" blades. One thing that he said concerning the upset finger guard is to use a hammer that has the right shape to move the steel out to the sides more than down the blade. Yes, the guard will move down the blade too in effect, lengthening the handle, but notice the shape of the face on the top hammer in the above photo. The radiused face also has a curve the other direction. This (the curve)is what moves the steel outward.
         
         I also noticed that he choke it up in the vise quite close to the guard when striking the guard, thus not allowing the upset to travel down much.
 
       Just thought I'd put 2 cents in while it was fresh on my mind. It was nice to visit with him. I've got to make some tongs like those too. I was studying them while he wasn't lookin. Lin

[tippit]

Lin,  You are correct in that the hammer head is not only rounded but angles backwards too.  Keeping it close in the vise helps plus knowing that your handle is going to be elongated as you push metal forward.  I've also found that you have to watch the ricasso area as it will bend/distort away from center if your blows are not equal from side to side.  If you have it too close in the vise, the finger guard has a tendency to slip down leaving a mark from the vise.  Sometimes using copper shields in your vise will hold the hot steel better.


 

You will also notice on some of Joe's finger guards they are flared on the sides too.  I really like that as it makes the knife feel comfortable in either right or left hand.  Plus I think it looks a little sexier    

As to the long road, I'm not complaining...just happy to be traveling and not sitting on the road side.  Thanks to ya'll...Doc

[tippit]

Larry, The hammers aren't that heavy.  I'll take a picture of mine for you.

[Lin Rhea]

A pleasant road to travel, indeed.


I dont make many in this style, but really watch it just in case I decide to. That could be anytime. It has an appeal to it. I guess what I am most interested in is the methods it takes to pull it off. I wonder if rounding the top of the jaws would help keep from scarring the front of the guard area? Lin

[Lamey]

thanks for the pic tippit!   posts like this one make me want to go make another.  I may try it completely with hand hammers next time.   I think working it completely with hand hammers gives a bit wider finger guard.  

When I use the power hammer method, hard to get them that wide.

[tippit]

Lin,

Not sure how this got from convex edge to Keeslar finger flare...But there seems to be some interest in this Road too  

That picture of the flare being hammered on the vise was the one Joe did for me in his demonstration.  Once the straight flare is hammered in, then you need to raise it above the vise to hammer in the side flares.  That is the time you need to pay attention to distorting the ricasso area because the vise isn't supporting it anymore.  I'm not sure how Joe does that part but it has to be elevated to angle the flare forward.  Here is a picture of one of my side flares.  Hope this makes sense...Jeff