Well, I've had some time to work on the knife, but it really came at "crunch time" this time.
Regardless, I'll get 'er done.
She's gonna make a sweet li'l hunter at the end.
During last year's St. Jude's knife, the same thing happened I was the middle man. Meaning I had to harden the blade, which meant I needed Doug's stamp so I could get his and my signatures on the knife before the blade gets hard.
Then the blade goes to Lin, which will be alright, as he will etch the name in and it doesn't matter about the blade being hard.
Anyway, get 'er stamped:
Then I clean up the stamp areas:
Locate guard shoulders:
Mill in shoulders and harden and temper:
Now a round bar of 416 stainless to forge into some guard material: