Knives for Little Rock

[kbaknife]

Originally posted by Bobby Urban:
 ......to deplete oxygen but it seems daunting.  
 

Everything about this is daunting!    

I use a combination of welding and stainless steel heat treating foil.
I know some guys that put their billet of San Mai in a short section of tail pipe. Squish the ends shut and weld them.
Then cut the ends off after the press weld.

[Soonerlongbow]

As Lin mentioned, testing to destruction is really the only way to go. I believe that's part of the problem with American made products (all really) these days. Nobody is willing to take it to the complete limit. Especially for a tool that's designed to save your life potentially.

[D.Ellis]

There're a few willing to test to the extreme.......so "nobody" might be stretching that too far.
Many, if not most of the ABS guys and a few of the "fringe element" take performance VERY serious.  

Looking forward to seeing your "big 5" Karl.    
Darcy  

[kbaknife]

The beauty of wrought iron - from 1903.

 

[gudspelr]

^^^^ Soooooo cool.... I have a "thing" with how etched wrought looks. And you do it really well, Karl   . Have you ever done wrought/high carbon San Mai? I've seen some really nice looking blades with that combo. But as with most things, that combo seems to also have some inherent difficulties, including the differing expansion/contraction rates. I saw a post once where there was a long shearing crack after the quench....


Interesting to hear your approach including heat treat foil, Karl. I've heard/read of guys doing it in a can as already described. I also watched a demo where the stainless sides were mig welded to a carbon core, all the way around. Then after about a 30 minute soak in the forge, it was put in the press. On that one, I don't believe there was any pin hole, wd-40, or combustible material inside.

Karl, do you find the stainless sides harden at all during the cycles? Do you do any particular annealing process after forging, other than the "typical" type that most do after forging carbon steel?

Thanks for sharing your knives and processes. I always enjoy seeing what you're up to.
   


Jeremy

[kbaknife]

Jeremy, the differences in hardening and expansion are basically the same for wrought as stainless - neither will harden.
I've had my stainless san mai rip my core lengthwise - same thing.
Just need to work out these issues up front.
Yes - I need to do a sub-critical anneal in the oven so as to be able to cut and even thread the tang.
The austenizing temps of the core will not harden the stainless, but the forging temps will!!

[kbaknife]

Here are a couple pictures of a few completed knives.
I'll be taking 7 but only have one for sale. The others are all being picked up by their new owners.

The yellow-ish Bowie has a handle of 100+ year old original production Bakelite.

The first one is the one with the wrought iron guard I showcased earlier.

 

 


 

[Doug Campbell]

       See ya in a couple days buddy.

[FerretWYO]

It seems that every time I read a post from you I learn something new and I gain even more respect for the amazing work you do.

[gudspelr]

Thanks for the reply, Karl. Hope you and the others have a safe trip.

Jeremy

[D.Ellis]

That's quite a trio of pointy camp knives Karl.   :D         The wrought iron is awesome.
Darcy