Originally posted by gables:
Thanks for taking the time to do these videos. I have picked up many little things from them. I like all of the various tools, jigs, holders, etc that you have made- like the double rebar extension to the knife steel.
I am still learning forging and how to get the metal to go where I want. I only have hammers and muscle at this point.
I was having trouble visualizing where the steel was going on this one as you refined the drop and ricasso. When you used the ricasso smacker I visualized the bottom of the ricasso mushrooming. The you put it on the press and flattened it which I would think would push the bottom of the ricasso back down. Can you help me rethink this?
It will push the ricasso back out - SOME! - from time to time, so you just do it again! A little at a time. Sometimes I may do it three or four times before I get it where I want it.
Sometimes the spine mushrooms as well, so you just keep knocking things around until they go where you want them to be.
That re-bar extension is still welded to the Mother billet of Damascus that was welded to it to make the billet. Why take it off?
I hate tongs - with a passion!!!!
When you have your knife steel welded to a bar, you can knock that piece of steel anywhere you want and as HARD as you want.
Get the blade portion of the knife completely DONE!! and then cut it off and do the tang.
Just the way I do things.