Author Topic: A handful o Bowie (finished) (Read 3023 times)

Lin Rhea · « **on:** July 27, 2015, 10:41:00 AM »

Its time for me to start another big knife. I have several projects going but I think this one will be good for a WIP. It has been so hot here that I am having to work sparingly at the forge. So, this will be slow to begin with. Here is the stage that I am with it.

The 10 inch blade is rough ground but not heat treated. I forgot what steel it is since I failed to write it on the forged blade (forged it months ago). So I will treat it as mystery steel even though I think I know what it is. I wont use steel that is not good for knives but I cant be 100% sure which of my steels it is without testing from the very start. No problem in this case. I'll know when I see how it acts.

Track · « **Reply #1 on:** July 27, 2015, 11:11:00 AM »

Looking forward to the finished knife.

ymountainman · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2015, 08:07:00 PM »

Hey Lin your big knives are Scary! Im looking forward to see it too!

kbaknife · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2015, 08:25:00 PM »

Is it a pattern welded blade?

Lin Rhea · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2015, 09:12:00 PM »

Thanks.
I don't think so Karl. Ain't that pitiful? Not even sure about that. :confused:
I'll see the pattern if there is one when I heat it. Makes knife making more exciting.

The handle is stacked Kiln dried Cherry. That I'm sure of.

Sarge11 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2015, 12:07:00 AM »

Love that style.

bjansen · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2015, 05:18:00 PM »

Looking forward to seeing that stacked cherry and would really like to learn more about that pommel connection method.

Lin Rhea · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2015, 08:10:00 AM »

Here's something to look at Brad. A simple coupling nut notched on the end to slip over the blade tang and drilled for a pin.

You can configure this arrangement any way you like as long as it works with your assemblage of the guard and other parts.

I'll be posting more pictures as I go along on this knife.

Ric O'Shay · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2015, 09:05:00 AM »

I love your Bowies Lin. Looking forward to seeing how this mystery knife turns out. Show us more, Mr. Holmes...... :D

just_a_hunter · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2015, 01:29:00 PM »

Always fun to see your awesome work.

Todd

bjansen · « **Reply #10 on:** August 01, 2015, 08:56:00 PM »

Thanks Lin for sharing that. Looks like that would be the ticket and I will be trying it soon

Lin Rhea · « **Reply #11 on:** August 01, 2015, 10:00:00 PM »

Thanks guys.

I hardened the blade today. I often clay the spine on a large Bowie in a broken pattern even on a deep hardening steel like 5160. Since I didn't know exactly what the steel was, I patterned the clay with care just in case it turned out to be 1095 or W2. It must be because the hamon turned out pretty nice. I have to complete the draw cycle tomorrow and should have some pictures soon.

Lin Rhea · « **Reply #12 on:** August 02, 2015, 09:25:00 PM »

When I heat treated the blade I figured out it is W2 steel.

This is how I know where to trim the tang to fit the drawing getting the pin hole right and the tang narrowed down in the right places.

just_a_hunter · « **Reply #13 on:** August 02, 2015, 11:22:00 PM »

The amount of talent you have sir, is very refreshing to those of us you share it with. It never gets old seeing you sculpt a knife.

Todd

Lin Rhea · « **Reply #14 on:** August 03, 2015, 08:52:00 AM »

Thanks Todd.

In the above pictures, The clip is just roughly ground in. I have a lot of filing and smoothing of the lines to do. Also, I have to roll a cutting edge on the blade and test it for proper hardness and geometry.

For the geometry I cut rope and paper, etc. to see how the blade flows through the medium. This is no test of the heat treat but of the edge geometry.

For the heat treat test, I hack into some hard substance like bodark, antler etc. to make sure it will hold up to long use.

Karl pointed out the principle in another thread. Geometry determines how well it will cut, heat treat determines how long it will cut. One is no good without the other.

just_a_hunter · « **Reply #15 on:** August 03, 2015, 10:32:00 AM »

Lin,

Do you actually hardness test on a rockwell scale after you do the real world tests?

Todd

Lin Rhea · « **Reply #16 on:** August 03, 2015, 02:02:00 PM »

Todd, No I usually do not. I test with files and with cutting.

Lin Rhea · « **Reply #17 on:** August 03, 2015, 08:35:00 PM »

I did some chopping on some rich pine.

and some antler. It took some abuse and stayed sharp. No damage.

Thadbow · « **Reply #18 on:** August 04, 2015, 07:38:00 PM »

Very nice Lin! I will say though, if I had a blade started in the corner and I forgot what steel it was.... it would take me a long time to work up the nerve to attempt to harden it..... especially if it was that nice!
I am curious though, How did you determine w2?
Great Job as always!

Lin Rhea · « **Reply #19 on:** August 04, 2015, 08:49:00 PM »

Good question Thad.

When I forged this blade, The only steel I had that would be large enough for this blade and at the same time show a hamon was W2. It was large and it showed a hamon.

I wont use very much mystery steel but we have talked about this subject. There is a way to arrive at a good knife using mystery steel, assuming that steel is suitable. I was not worried since I had the steel narrowed down to two. Either 5160 or W2. So I clayed the spine knowing it would tell the story.

It's no problem to harden it. Now that I knew what the steel was I could draw it back accordingly.

I often use a fast oil, even for 5160 at times like this.

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Author Topic: A handful o Bowie (finished) (Read 3023 times)

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