Ecart

Drako, I laughed pretty hard at your post because like others said, I've done everything on your list except set my fuel dump on fire. I've come close to that though. Before I started typing I took a good look at the fading 2nd degree burn on my left forearm that is shaped like the end of my RR spike tongs. Ya, Mrs. Pain let me know about that one.

Keep at it and follow up on the post. Being fairly inexperienced at blacksmithing successes, I like to see another newbie's insights.

Hi Steve, the fact that YOU asked the question is exactly what drew me to this thread. You're the reason some of my saw steel will soon go to be tested - thanks for that.
Anyway, can't help with ID, but I sure hope you post as you make the blade.

Jerry, Jim and the rest of you - his family - will be in this vet's prayers.

If you go to your user cp and give a general idea of where you are, there could be an accomplished smith in your area to help you first hand.
You're using what we all call mystery steel. I've used it until I'm about to take it all to the scrap yard for lack of success. If you get the chance to get your hands on some good steel - 1095 or something you can identify - then any number of people on here that can tell you exactly how to work it.
Don't know if this helps, but I hope so.

Hehe. There's a lot of truth in that!

I use a gut hook knife. I have been hunting for the past 30+ years. I find a hook very handy for hogs and deer. Yea a good sharp knife and a bit of caution any blade will get the job done. However a gut hook does speed things up.

Thanks for the positive input for a gut hook. We were becoming a bit one-sided here.

What I can gather is this: It is best to make some knives with the gut hook, and some without. Then everyone is happy.

The problem that I have is that I have never been a hunter. So I've never been around those who were dressing a deer. If all goes well, that will change this fall though.

Dodge, that's a pretty helpful tutorial. I'll certainly refer to it as I get started. I'm giving serious consideration to doing some filework on my next knife.
Now it's off to try to resolve some issues between the computer and Picasa.

Thanks John. Actually I agree with you. I don't really care for the gut hook either . . . But if it'll sell to those few who won't buy a knife otherwise, I have a choice: Let them get their knives elsewhere or accomodate them. Sigh, so I'll start working on one soon.

I searched this site. Thank for your help.

Hi all. I searched for this, but couldn't find it anywhere. I have made a couple of skinners now - one is finished and in a consignment store, the other is ready for final sharpening and polishing. I'd post pics, but my computer isn't getting along with picasa at the moment.

Anyway, I asked several hunters what they would add to the knives to make them better. The majority of them suggested a gut hook. I know what a gut hook is, but I'm not too certain as to how to make one. I suppose I could practice on some mild steel until I get it right - probably the smart thing to do. But I thought I'd ask here and see what some of you do to make a gut hook.

Hey Oakwood, good looking spearhead there. I'm not ready to try one yet, but for future reference, what thickness is the material that you started with?

That would be a great idea. Just the pics given in this thread are pretty helpful to me. So yeah, if there were the pics in a sticky like you mentioned, it would be a big help.

I think it's wrought! I cut it with the angle grinder. The long streamers found their way down onto my sandalled foot. . . Okay that was dumb. I had ear plugs and goggles on, but was wearing shorts and sandals. That was soon remedied. Anyway, there were no sparklers indicating carbon. After cutting a little more than half through, I flipped it around in the vise and bent it. Looking at the bend, it tore past the cut and was very fiberous. If I can work out some issues with Picasa, I'll try to get pics and post them tomorrow.

Well, didn't spend enough time at home today to check out the bars. But we're not going anywhere this weekend and I plan to spend a good deal of time out at the forge. Though that time could mostly be spent laying out the floor plan of the smithy, barring any weather events, the forge WILL BE lit at some point. I suddenly have incentive for getting out a few knives and things. But that's a topic for another thread.

Thanks for the answers guys. Tomorrow I'll have to decide which of the bars to sacrifice. One is shorter than the other so I need to determine the size of the doors that will be on my new shop. But only cutting an inch or grinding a small piece of the stuff won't make me lose the whole bar. Maybe tomorrow I can tell you the results! I'm pretty excited about finding out what it is.

Hi all. Haven't been around for the past couple of weeks. Computer problems. :mad: Anyway, about 10 years ago I got permission to start tearing down an old store that was built in the late 1800's to early 1900's. I came out of the deal with a lot of heart pine that was mostly bug infested- though some of it was good to use. But I came away with two sets of doors that I am keeping as patterns for doors on the shop that I hope to build one day. With these doors came two bars. They are both pretty thick. I plan to use one of them on the new doors. But the other will be used most likely for knife fittings. I can tell by the way the pieces swell around the holes in the end that they were drifted by a smith somewhere, probably local to the area where I found the store.
Anyway, how can I tell if these are wrought iron or not? If anyone is interested, I'll take pics and get them posted pretty soon.

Thanks

That is really nice!!! I couldn't tell that you had upset the end so I was going to ask if you had until I read all the replies. I like the sheath a lot. It looks like a very good way to carry the hawk. I'll have to try a couple of my own hawks if I can light the forge next week.

Ya, I don't know why I thought I should reheat to nonmag after heat treat. I understand normalizing and I had planned to do that, but without me saying so specifically in the other post, you had no way of knowing that. I understand normalizing better than any of the rest of the process as I do it on a regular basis when welding bandsaw blades at work.

Okay, so after some final prep on the two blades in question, I think I'll try it next week.

I was going to patiently wait for a time period. Lord knows I forget my share of things lately.

Fine looking knife! Did you salvage enough from the old wedge to make the bolster?

Steve, being new to the process I just want to make sure I'm clear on this. I may try it next week on a couple of hand seax-ish blades that I have ready for HT. This is what I plan to try:
Heat treat: Heat to nonmagnetic and quench in veg oil as it is all I have.

Temper: Reheat to nonmagnetic then quench the edge only- for how long?

Am I on the right track here?

If you were to differential harden then how would you temper? Maybe in a toaster at say 400 degrees?

I may try one blade with a differential heat treat, and the other with a differential temper to see which works best for me.

I don't think it is a matter of something being unclear in the sticky. I think it is a matter that I am too new to the process to completely understand without asking more questions and trying it myself.

Thanks for those links Steve. I should have known it has been discussed and simply searched for it myself.
I'll have to try a differential temper soon.

Anything special about the mud? I'm maybe 30 minutes from Chris and I live in the middle of red clay heaven. Could I just coat the spine and part of the blade with some red clay, or does anything need to be added? Or is red clay totally unsuitable for this purpose?"

I'm sitting here trying to think of a proper complement. All I can say is simply gorgeous. Pics like this push me to further develope my own skills.

Glad to have you aboard. I have family in southeast GA, over toward Jesup in Wayne County.
You could also pick up a book called The Art of Blacksmithing, by Alex Bealer. Good book. It will give you some good fundamentals. Look for your local ABANA chapter. You may find a blacksmith closer than you think.

For knifemaking, there is always The Complete Bladesmith by Jim Hrisoulas as well as his other books. VERY good info there.