PeterM

The blade is sanded to 1500 grit and the mild steel guard is shaped and dry fitted. I made this guard several weeks ago as a practice piece and just needed to adjust the profile a bit and file the tang slot to size. It looks a bit sloppy, but the fit is tight. This is it for the night. Tomorrow I'll form a copper or brass(haven't decided yet) spacer as well as pre-shape and dry fit the Oak handle.

Phil, Matt - I've only drawn out the spine on two previous knives and I had not encountered that issue. The surface rust from the process is one thing and easy to clean up, but leaving the warm blade in the warm water for that change-over time "cut" in a rather deep line. Every knife I make I learn something new and this has been no exception. I can assure you that I leaned my lesson and that subsequent blades will be done, as you suggest, just after tempering at 220 grit or so. Live and learn. Thanks for the advice. Peter

The blade is now hand sanded to 1500 grit. However, I ran into some "issues". I've also drawn back the spine to spring temper(blue). I don't do this very often and I hate the process - likely because there has to be a better way. I take the blade to 800 or 1000 grit, then submerge the edge in water, heat to blue with the propane torch, clean up surface rust, then finish the sanding. I began the heating at the choil and started moving forward. Then I ran out of propane!! After taking the time to refit a new bottle and finish the job, I was left with a substantial line in the blade at the waterline. So, back to 400 grit and begin the process all over again. I finished up at 1500 grit last night at 1:45am. If there's a better way, please advise. This is one blade to 1000 grit....the first time!! Set up for drawing the spine: This is when I ran out of propane: I'm working on the guard now. More later.

I thought I'd post some shots of my shop and equipment for a bit of context. These are my hand sanding implements: Grinding and drilling: My grinder set-up: Clean work station for design and leather work: Work bench: Hand sanding set-up: More this evening hopefully.

This will be the third of my knives to be subjected to the rigors of the ABS JS testing criteria. I did the first test on a 5"-bladed hunter 3 years ago and it failed the bend test.... achieving only a 25 degree bend until cracks appeared along the sharpened edge extending approx 1/3 into the blade. The second was also a hunter style blade, 5", that managed an almost 40 degree bend before similar cracks appeared near tip. I know I can do better. This time I'm building a 8 1/4"-bladed, harpoon-tip chopper that will be built to my usual standards of fit and finish. The blade is Aldo's 1084FG, forged to shape with a distal taper and forged bevels. I plan on an fitting the blade with a mild steel s-guard, copper spacers, and a Red Oak handle. So away we go: Yesterday I forged the blade: Initial heat: Almost there: The blade is shaped, but not the tang....... yet. I'm getting there. I seem to have lost several shots of the tang forging and final shaping process. However, the tang was forged to rough shape then the whole blade final-shaped and the bevels ground. I pick up the action with the following steps. Its also pretty clear that I consumed way to much tea last night resulting in these jittery, blurry shots. Post heat treat/temper. The blade was heated to 1500 degrees F and soaked for 5 minutes, then quenched in 130 degree canola oil. Tempering was done at 400 degrees for 2 hrs x 2. Sanded with 220 to remove all the crap: Sanded to 400 with copper maker's mark plate roughly shaped: Here's where I stand this morning. Today I'll get the blade sanded to 2000 grit and hopefully get the guard started:

The Cape Breton Blacksmith Assoc. is pleased to offer The 1st Annual "Hammered at The Fortress" hammer-in, Sat/Sun October 22nd & 23rd. There is no fee to attend this event, however membership in the CBBA is required - $35.00 Cdn. - payable at the event. The CBBA is a registered affiliate of the Artist Blacksmith's Association of North America. http://www.cbblacksmiths.com/ This promises to be a very popular event with blacksmiths and knifemakers from throughout the Maritimes offering workshops and demonstrations. There will, of course, plenty of forge(gas and coal) and anvil space available for your own pounding needs. You don't need to bring anything, but if you have tools and steel... that'd be good. The Fortress is located on the rugged Atlantic shoreline in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. The fee to stay in the barracks is $25 per person per night. There are a number of showers that can be made available to participants. Lunch is $15, breakfast is $10 including taxes and gratuities. Both will be offered on Saturday and Sunday by the Fortress. ** I live a stone's throw away from the Fortress and we have plenty of tent space available for attendees. We(my wife and I) also have one guest bedroom available if needed. We will also be hosting a party for attendees on the evening of Sat, 22nd, at our house.** Here's your chance to visit beautiful Cape Breton Island, voted N. America's #1 island destination by Travel & Leisure Magazine. Create a true vacation around the hammer-in by coming a week early to catch some of the Celtic Colors concerts, and touring the world famous Cabot Trail. http://www.celtic-colours.com/ http://www.cabottrail.com/ Fortress Info: The Fortress of Louisbourg is the largest reconstruction project in North America. The original settlement was founded in 1713 by the French and developed over several decades into a thriving center for fishing and trade. Fortified against the threat of British invasion during the turbulent time of empire-building, Louisbourg was besieged twice before finally being destroyed in the 1760s. The site lay untouched until well into modern times, when archaeologists began to reconstruct the fortress as it was in the 18th century. http://www.pc.gc.ca/...ourg/index.aspx Where are we? Here: http://maps.google.c...ved=0CEUQ8gEwAw Please contact me with any questions or concerns. We look forward to seeing you there!!

Thank you all for the kind words. Akad - I usually start with 400 grit after heat treat and from there its - 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500. Depending on the size and design of the blade that may take two-four hours. If you've taken a blade up to 800, you're "over the hump" and the remaining grits will get successively easier. Good luck. I finished the sheath last night. Stay tuned....

Here's a piece I've been working on for a couple of weeks. The blade is an old file scavenged from our farm outside of Pictou, NS. The handle wood was taken from a tract of old, now forested farm land in Antigonish, NS. The copper was forged down from a large bus bar and peened with copper wire.... both also taken from the farm. The particulars: Blade: Forged, 5 1/2", 70+ yr old Nicholson bastard file. Hand rubbed 2000 grit finish on bevels, 1000 grit on flats. Peened copper maker's mark plate. Handle: 4 1/4", Nova Scotia Red Maple burl with stainless steel pins. Tung oil and buffed paste wax finish. Hand-cut leather lanyard with burl and peened copper medallion. Sheath: Hand stitched, Wickett & Craig 7 oz veg tanned leather with natural edges and buffed Mink Oil finish. Thanks for lookin'. Please share your thoughts......... about the knife.

Thanks Sam!!

Just finished: I came to call this piece "Thorn", not so much for the file work copper motif, but for the fact that this entire project became a real thorn in my side!! Getting the w.i. took forever, that's the second handle after the first revealed a large natural crack when almost completed, that XXXX habaki thingy was a PITA to get right, and the guard proved to be a bit finicky as well. Anyway, I'm happy with the way it turned out, and the leather sheath will be finished this wknd. Here's some details: Blade: 9 1/4" forged 1084, flat ground with a 2500 grit hand rubbed finish and etched to reveal a nice temper line. Copper blade collar (a la "habaki") featuring vine and thorn file work and pierced w/ a Lilly of the Valley flower(both sides). Handle: 5 1/8", lightly figured, air-dried Pennsylvania Walnut with Tung oil and buffed paste wax finish. Etched wrought iron (wagon wheel) S-guard with copper fore and aft spacers and O1 steel pin. Sheath: In Progress Thanks for looking. I welcome your comments and critiques. The copper just needs a bit of cleaning and a good polish. I just like this shot!!

Here's a final installment of build shots. Soldering the front ferrule: Cleaned up and ready for handle fitting Starting the rear ferrule: Carving the wood: Rear ferrule/butt cap finished: This shows the copper sheath collar along with the last of the damascus bar I made(bottom of the two). This will be forged into the face cap for this ferrule to complete the sheath collar: Mouth of the sheath/saya just prior to mounting the cap: I went nut-o on the fit for this assembly! So many parts and contact surfaces that had to be flat a level...... I spent a lot of time on this aspect of the build. A final check for a good clean fit. Looooooong way from this:

Thanks all!! I thought I'd add a few in-progress shots of this piece. I'm pretty sure someone here knows better ways to this and I'd love the input. Here's a few in-progress shots of this build. This is one of the forged copper "spacers" being flattened: A bit of hand sanding: Getting there: Dry fitting: Front ferrule rough-fitted: Here's all the front-end pieces ready to assemble: More to come......

Thanks folks. I appreciate your comments. I had initially done the ito wrapping with some dark brown garment leather and thought it look nice, but the customer wanted the camo color scheme to match his hunting clothing and rifle case. The dark blade finish, while not my first choice, is growing on me. As for the the forge scale "leftovers", that's my doing and I've taken all your comments to heart for the next one. Thanks again all. Peter P.S. Steve Sells - I was the exec. chef of the Summit Club for a number of years. Fort Wayne is a great little city and I still have friends there.

Yup, I do. I can't stand what I was asked to do to the blade and sheath. The package is ruined in my eyes, but this is what the customer wanted and he loves it. So, I guess all's right that ends rights, eh? What turns me off is the finish the customer requested. He wanted the etching oxides left on the entire blade, and the camo skate lace wrapping is not my first choice of color or material. There are a lot of "firsts" for me in this knife.... first Japanese-style blade and sheath, first habaki, first time forging copper, first try at forging damascus(5160 and mild steels), first "chisel point", first try at making ferrules, and first ito-style wrapping. Anyway....the goal was to create "a Japanese style knife with one of those fancy tips"(customer's words). For me, this was an opportunity to explore new ground and be a bit creative. Mind you - this was never intended to be even close to traditional in design or material, just "in the style of". While the finish is not to my liking, the fit came out very nice. The saya holds the blade snugly and securely, and all the ferrules fit nice and tight, and the blade is scary sharp. Blade: 7 3/4" forged Aldo's 1084fg left semi-forge finished, w/ prominent shinogi and kissaki. The temper line is quite visible. Forged copper habaki and fushi, w/ damascus tsuba. Handle: 5 1/4" of spalted, quilted Red Maple w/ domed s.s. pin, forged damascus and copper ferrule/kishira, and copper seppa. Sheath/Saya: Spalted , quilted Red Maple w/ forged copper and damascus koiguchi, camoflage skate lace wrapping/ito. Suede lined habaki seat. PLEASE.... offer up comments and critiques. It'll help me make the next one much better. Here's the rather fuzzy pics:

Steve, ML - I recieved an explanation and an interesting link from Stacy Apelt: "I started a long treatise, but decided to just say that the curvature is caused by the differences in volume of martensite compared to austenite and pearlite. The speed of the quench will determine which structures form when.All yaki-ire blades bend down first. The water quench is fast enough to allow the martensite expansion to reverse the curve. Oil is too slow, and the downward curve remains or is slightly restored to straight. To get a desired curvature in an oil quench ,you forge/grind in the curve, allowing for some slight downward drop. It is still hit and miss, sometimes. Here are some great animated graphics of the process. Each chart deals with a specific structure." http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.php?92559-Yaki-ire-quenching-animated-graphics

Steve - Thanks for the explanation. Now...... why? Why does water effect steel differently than oil?

I've been working on a knife for a customer that's creating a rather steep learning curve. He wants a "Japanese style knife with one of those fancy tips". So I came up with a design and forged 8 inch blade from some 1/4" 1084FG. I forged in the bevels and gave the blade a slight forward taper from guard to tip. The blade turned out quite well I think. I was surprised though! When I quenched the blade it acquired a slight downward curve..... rather than the expected upward curve. The discerning eye will see the difference between photo #1 (annealed) and #2 (hardened). Anyway, I worked that all out and now I'm in the middle of making the habaki(albeit very non-traditional). I found a series of videos on youtube that provided some basic info and a visual on how to forge and shape this thing. I started with a 5/8" pure copper plate and after three attempts and five hours of hammering and filing.... its getting there. It still needs to be thinned out and the fit need to be fine-tuned. I also need to solder in the bottom piece for under the ricasso. I still have a damascus guard and copper spacers to forge and shape, but I can see this thing starting to take shape. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Peter

Coal - As Basher mentioned, you'll be wanting a "Type K" thermocouple, but you might look for one rated to F 2100 degrees. 1000 degrees is not for a forge after all! Also, get the ceramic sheaths to protect the probes in that harsh environment. I run a two burner propane forge and use these, wired into a digital thermometer/PID: http://cgi.ebay.com/Kiln-Thermocouple-Type-K-w-ceramic-block-/290572021904?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a7713090 Mod: notice the poster said they wished a high range of 1000C, which is fine as not everyone is thinking degrees F

Rick - PM sent.

And the answer is.................... Self Ringing Mop http://www.examiner.com/history-in-denver/unusual-artifacts-usual-life-kitchen-tools

Mat, Kerry - Well, that would explain it! When removing the rust from these two, the "maul" was considerably more difficult to grind - harder, different spark configuration, different sound, etc. Thanks for the tip. I'll reserve this tool for pounding on fence posts. Peter

We have a farm outside of Pictou, Nova Scotia that was my father-in-law's ancestral home. Over the past few years I've been scrounging through the barn and sheds(all built about 165 yrs ago) and have slowly separated out some of the stuff that interests me. Next summer the barn will be dismantled for the hand-hewn timbers saved. The following year the house comes down and will be redesigned and built using the saved barn timbers. Here's a simple shot of our farm(+/- 83 acres0 on the shores of the Northumberland Straight. Many of the tools shown below were used to construct the house, barn and other buildings on the property. This is the old work shop where the following items were found: Here's a few items that i have put aside: A hand forged froe(sp?): A big ole' vise and a massive sledge A selection of hand forged augers: You can see the "weld" in the auger shaft A selection of scythe blades, a pair of hewing broad axes (left and right handed), and a double bit axe: This ammo can is about three feet long and will make a fine edge-quenching tank: I just finished cleaning up these two hammer heads and fitting them with crude handles. The sledge is a 4 lb, and the straight peen is a 3 lb. A bit of steel for banging on...... two harrow rakes, two files, and three thick planer blades( I think). And..... this was our neighbor's firewood pile: Fiddleback Red Maple Curly Bird's Eye Red Maple Finally..... WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?

Keith - I'm working on a rather large knife at the moment and its giving me fits. The pointy end doesn't want to stay down, the raised clip won't stay raised, and the recurve won't stay re-curved. So, along the way the blade has just gotten thinner, and thinner, and thinner. At this point the blade is +/- 1/8" which is a bit thin for an 11" blade. Frustrating!! I may end up scrapping this nice piece of 1084, but in the process I've created "something", had a work out, and learned a few things. That's the fun part for me. The lesson learned here though, is..... I'll practice on some cheap mild steel for a bit! Good luck and enjoy your knife making efforts. Peter

Gene, Keith - Thanks for the kind words! Keith - As I'm just a novice smith, I find forging a difficult process.... hammer control, fine shaping, even holding the steel is cumbersome..... so its a bit more work than simply shaping and cutting bevels with my grinder. I imagine (read: "hope") the control will come in time as muscles strengthen and I become more familiar with the process. However, while I find forging difficult, I also enjoy the challenge and it just plain ole' fun.

Thanks folks! Bigfoot - This is my first forged knife... well, second actually, but it is my 54 knife overall. Everything else I've made to this point has been stock removal. I just got tired of grinding blades so I bought a forge and an anvil in order to broaden my range a bit.