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I Forge Iron

Recycled old files knives and grain


TheoRockNazz

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Last month my girlfriend took me to a great antique store that was also a diner. I had a conversation with owner about how he's sold out of knives, and he brought me to his personal shop where he had many of his grandfather's files. post-25471-0-59412200-1403096138_thumb.j He had a wonderful shop where you could feel the generations that have used it. The files themselves were well used and abused - one had been designated a paint stirrer some time ago and probably was caked in lead. Only three had stamps or markings, all too pitted/rusted to make out. I tried not to bore the gf too much, she's very understanding of my bladesmithing affliction, nonetheless she's probably a bit tired of knives/steel/files by the time of this pic post-25471-0-21541200-1403096117_thumb.j. You can see my double-handful of files sitting there on the table.

Took JM's advice and hardened then snapped the tangs to test em - passed with good grain.post-25471-0-88459300-1403096097_thumb.j

There was a mighty thick (3/8"!) one that was calling to me, so I forged out a lot of handle material, distal tapered tang, and did a mediocre job of feeding the spike through the pommel. post-25471-0-46991500-1403096077_thumb.j Still working on it, handle is drying.

APG 36 and parks 50 quench.post-25471-0-77113400-1403096058_thumb.j

I need to take a picture of the other triangular file I used for the RR knife... it was an unwieldy shape, and had to be forged down quite a bit. I spliced it into a RR spike, and finished the handle with carnauba wax because I love it's smell. post-25471-0-39967200-1403096044_thumb.jpost-25471-0-76761700-1403096031_thumb.jpost-25471-0-24202300-1403096016_thumb.jpost-25471-0-29143600-1403096003_thumb.jI may want to try a ring knot like Stormcrow at both ends because the handle is 1 1/4" too long in my opinion.

Here's where things get interesting; when I took both pieces out of the acid I at first I thought I had screwed up the polish, because there were black "scratches" appearing. post-25471-0-08892900-1403095990_thumb.j Upon inspection I noticed they flowed with the hammer blows and indentations from the file's teeth even though the teeth were gone, even more apparent on the larger blade. 

My conclusion was that the steel is older than I thought... but I can't identify when. Hopefully someone can help with that :)

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