RainsFire

I would remove this thread if I was you.. just fyi.. one of the resident newbie sword basher's will uh.. bash you. :D

fear fear fear

erm, become un-lonely.. Or ignore it hit some steel..works for me!!

I would love to find a good diy guide to a knife belt grinder.. I have mixxed emotions with grizzly they're hard to beat price wise, but sometimes quality is ka-poot!! yup, kapoot.. that bad.

sell it to me!!

cool. thanks.

I believe he was describing what our "finished" blades would resemble when we were done.. not the steel we would use.

:D.. the answer you seek is hidden within the deeper meaning of the poem in my signature. only when you can interpret that, may you strike the heated iron to the subtle shape of hardened violence.

door knockers!! hmn, this could be interesting.

^^ im at the rebar stage.. but when they tear down my house, they'll get a suprise!!

And you wrote the "serious" tutorial? I think it depends on your interests.. if you are more interested in crafting authentic looking replications of colonial iron work, modern steel fences/sculpture, or blades you study more towards these different branches of blacksmithing. they're all interconnected, so by learning and having a mastery of one you have a head start on the others.. It's to late at night to finish my thought.. but I think you see it.. I feel like such an xxx for talking like this to more experienced, older people.. sorry if I'm being a rude little twerp.. its just late, and im kinda frusturated..

hmn, did you overstate a little? Personally I seem to get by with the smithing part of making a blade, its the heat treating bit I eff up on.. I have a single blower propane forge, and a coal forge.. I hate to say it, because I really do respect everyone here on this forum to the Highest extent.. but I think some people enjoy overstating and making what they do seem far more difficult than it actually is.. I realize it is complicated.. (I've messed up quite a few times so far because of things I was unaware of) but really what did the first smiths make due with? A few stone or bronze hammers, a big flat rock or stump to hit hot steel on.. and a hot box of charcoal.. obviously the results weren't the same as modern blades but still.. there was no controlled heat treating kiln, or tempering oven.. I do fine without a power hammer although I would really love to have one.. Straightening out coil springs in a rivit forge is not the most pleasant thing to do.. The average beginner already has a far more stable learning and working enviorment than that.. And anyway, do you guy's know how hard it is to find a good knifesmith or even just blacksmith to apprentice under? I know at least up here they are sparse, I think I know 3 by name and one by this forum. ehh, dont take offense to this please.. just try and look at it yourself, this is a great place for Beginners to learn when there is not a place for them to apprentice. I swear if I had someone to learn from I would never ask another dumb question for you guy's to "ponder" on here again.. but sometimes the classic, you're to unskilled/ knowledged to hit hot metal, back to making nails with you!! response just XXXXX.. I just waisted a few feet of 1/2 rod practicing my welds to relative success... and enjoyed it. just like I enjoy everything else about this craft..Maybe its not up to your guy's standards yet but who cares? currently.. Im trying to learn, and I bet thats how most newer people on this forum feel.. but ya, way to do your part in stomping someones fire out..maybe you'll be successful and stop one person from chasing their interests.. way to go!! Not me Where are the photos of all the swords you have made, we tried to post a link to them

1.5mil of steel? what do you do man?

ugh.. I have the strangest feeling this was partly inspired by one of my threads you're definatly right though!!

cool, thanks.. I think I might buy alot of 1065, or like ya said 5160 spring drops. I just got a successful temper line on a small kitchen knife out of 1050 with ashi. It came out better than I thought, but I still need to polish it like mad.. I'm at 400grit..

ya, I think it was a combination of a bunch of things.. next time around I'll try and nock off more variables.. 1065 is a decent steel for a katana with hamon right? I might do one strictly for cutting out of 5160, but I really want a crisp hamon.. its water quench too right? or should I still spring for an oil quenchant?

are you guy's talking about blade steel or just steel steel? and can you get high carbon steel at a steel yard?

thankyou thomas Powers, I believe that is my problem.. I read somewhere that coil spring steel was generally 1060 or 5160.. so I guess it was 5160 then.. as to the bending a brittle as glass blade, I KNEW it was super hard, and brittle.. but isn't there a period of time where you can straighten a blade directly after an interrupted quench? thats what I was doing.. not being a dumb #%$ and bending cold steel.. so I think it was fractured.. no, no coarse scratches.. and I left it 1/8th inch thick on the thinnest point. I've tinked around with making knives and tools for a few years, and I know its involved, but I have so totally done my homework its unbelievable.. I guess its just that I am cheap, and don't want to spring for a bar of 1060.. certainly not for these practice blades.. but If I make a good one, I will obviously do it right.. First attempt at making a billet, but not at forgewelding with coal, I've pretty much got it down.. should be a cool experiement anyway.. Im a kid, and have a bit of time to blow.. so I'm really in the experimental stage, plus im trying to enjoy it .. whats the point of doing something for my own enjoyment if I don't enjoy it? Honestly, this is strange and all.. but I didn't really mind a whole lot breaking something as strong as steel into 2inch peices with my bare hands.. any way, wheres a good source for 1060 steel stock? online would be dandy..

right, thanks you guys.. Apprentice man, I was being a little sarcastic.. I am making damascus out of the shattered blade, but It'll just be an experiment.. and I know what wootz is.. I just couldn't think of anything more witty and clever to say.. anyway, I thought if you quenched in oil you could get an opposite curve..thats one of the main reasons I've been sticking with water.. Also, is it possible to over heat the blade making the entire blade turn to the same kind of steel structure? Is it neccessary that I use an interrupted quench to make a hamon? also, where is a good supplier of 1060/1050 steel? online would be dandy.. thanks guys.

I think you guy's hit it on the head, I need to temper, I need to normalize more, and I need to quench in oil. my 3rd attempt will work I feel lol.. It may be a wakizashi, but it'll be folded steel, and won't snap in half.. How high a carbon content do you want for the jacket steel? would my 1060 shattered blade damascus work? lol.. maybe I end up with a wootz steel look..

erm, heres a real origional one.. "Strike while the irons hot!!" "A blacksmiths hell is not made of fire and brimstone, It is a world of clinker" thats not the exact wording but ya..read it somewhere..

grr.. what exactly is a virgin willow? and do they sell virgin willow scrapings as tinder in walmart? ..those stories.. clever and witty but pretty much ehh..

water baby? lol.. Mines my last name "Rain" and my favorite medium.. fire. It kinda doesn't ring right.. usually my username is some random word that doesn't mean anything.. I go by zimflo sometimes lol..

speak for yourself!! I always use a gaurd.. sometimes it works well as a fence when im roughing out things I want uniform.

coal, charcoal or gass forge? Definatly use flux.. it makes life alot easier.. If you're using coal, you might have clinker messing up your welds.. also, try and burn out the impurities in the coal before you weld.. (minimal smoke should be good) Gas forge, mabey theres to much oxygen in your furnace.. try tossing in a few chunks of charcoal or coal to burn up some of it. Charcoal, I have no idea.. but im sure someone else does.. Try using a flux.. theres a reason people do it..