LDW

Dodge I finally found the knife I was telling you about. You were right the smaller one is not a ka-bar here are some pics of it. It is 9.5 inches long with a 5 inch blade.

I don't know if this is what you are talking about or not. But this is a link to one I did a while back. Picasa Web Albums - Lyle - Birth of a ca... I think I posted this under a picture of the knife in the gallery.

I have two k-bars myself. One was my fathers and the other one was given to me by my father in law. They were issued to each while in the service. Both say USMC but my father was in the Navy and his is larger than the other one that was issued to my father inlaw, he was in the Marine Corp. I have made a couple knives and used leather discs in the handle, I found it is easier to clean up and shape the disc with a wire brush on a bench grinder. Thanks for your history on them.

jw223 you just through something new at me. I found this info. http://www.thesheetmetalshop.com/pdf_manual/Pexto/Pexto1922_sectN.pdf I have been needing to do this myself but was not sure how to accomplish it. I needed to form an edge like one of these to keep a copper cylinder from pulling out.

Welcome aboard jw223, I work in a sheet metal shop (copper) as well during the day, and hammer steel for fun. The two go together nicely.

I watched a fellow make a snake, and he textured the body with one of those sheet rock hammers that has the dimples on the face. If you used one of those then smoothed it a little with your forging hammer it may have some effect. just a thought.

I was told one time that because of an ANSI standard, lawn mower blades are not to be hardened when they are made to keep them from breaking and go flying if you were to hit something while cutting. I don't guess this means they are not higher carbon steel, but they are not supposed to be hardened while in use. As a lawn mower blade.

All I ever use anymore is muriatic acid on cable. I use it full strength, just remember to stay outside and up-wind. A deep etch brings out the de-carb lines beautifully. You get a totally different look if its done with the acid heated to about 140 degrees F. Its some bad stuff though. Wouldn't recommend it if your not going to respect it.

Here is an article I found, by looking up one of the members of our group that has made some flintlocks. THE GUN MAKERS FAIR Kempton, Pennsylvania by Bob Heath [01/02;S;201f5]

Thanks for showing that hotcut, it has always been a major ordeal for me to make one. I don't know how you got those shoulders so square, and paralell. Here is mine, it was cut from a large leaf spring. Glad to see you hear, Brian.

I have heard you can boil one and straighten it, but I have never done it.

That is cool, thanks Glenn

Check out the MS Farm Bulletin, and one member of our club put a posting on Craigslist that he was looking for blacksmithing tools and got a great deal from someone that called.