cutting, trimming etc...

[longbowman]

A question for you primitive type knife guys.  When you have something like a mower blade, saw blade etc...how do you cut it off, cut your forms if you don't have power equipment with abrasive wheels and such?

[Lin Rhea]

If you are going to use a hack saw and files, you probably will have to anneal the piece in order to soften it enough to cut. If you can cut it without annealing, it might not be high carbon steel.

You can do a make shift anneal by building a fire and heating the piece and then covering it with the coals to cool slow. Then you can cut and file it to blade shape. After that, you have to re harden it and draw/temper it to the right hardness. Then it's ready to test and handle.

[longbowman]

As always, thank you Lin for taking the time to help me out.  I'm always amazed at the willingness somebody who is a master at this stuff to share knowledge with a beginner.  I'm waiting to watch you on the new TV show Forged in Fire too.