Bjorn

the piece was an extra long jackhammer bit, I used the chisel end for a hardy. no welding involved in this one.

hello people, I'm working on a katana at the moment, and Its almost ready for heat treating. my question is multi-fold, first of all, I used a bit of jackhammer bit for the blade, and I am wondering if it will take a hamon line, or not. unfortunately I can not be any more specific about the metal, it was what I had lying around. the second part of my question is how much can I expect the blade to curve upon quenching? oh and what is the best way to temper the blade? and a last question is what is the best claying substance to use? right, thanks. -Bjorn

Hmmm... Do you have to paint it on? or can I possibly put it in an automotive spray gun? -Bjorn

Hello all. Recently I was asked to make railing panels for a deck. I usually do indoor small things, and give them a wire brushed lacquered or hot oil dip finish. Since the railings are to go outside in all weather and variety of storms we get in Kansas, I figure I need to paint the metal, but the customer doesn't want the plane color of black paint, and neither do I. So I was wondering if there are any clear paints for metal that will stand up to outdoor conditions. Thanks to all the happy smiths of the world! -Bjorn

I really don't see the advantage of only buying US made things, I feel that the jobs of people in other nations are just as valuable as those of Americans, and If I support the trade between nations and the global economy, their relationships will become stronger and united under a common cause of capitalism, thus making the world a more peaceful place. befitting all. But when It gets down to selection I usually tend to stick with what I can afford and won't fall apart to quickly, these tend to be of foreign make so I buy them. Yep thats all -Bjorn

Whoa, wicked. I'm really liking that fat skinner. The gradient on the blade is striking. -Bjorn

Hello all. A few days ago I got a pile of random pieces of scrap metal all welded together that a guy from my church picked up at a construction site and gave to me. how kind... most of it was just 5/8 inch round mild steel. But some of the pieces were bars 1 and 3/4 by 1/4 and about three feet long. on the sides there was in imprint coming out that said "PSI" and holes on each end. I quench tested a bit I twisted I cut off the end, very hard to cut with a hack saw, and it hardened, so its high carbon. I was thinking it might be leaf spring, but I've never come across it before so I'm not sure what exactly I'm looking at. So If anyone knows the identity of the mystery metal, I would be very pleased. thanks. -Bjorn

Is their a reason you haven't drawn the bevel down the whole length, or aren't you finished forging yet? And on the style of pommel and grip, you might try a traditional style tsuka "katana grip" with habaki and tsuba. The subtleties of the traditional art can create a big difference in the finished piece making it a very rewarding path to follow (traditional fittings that is). I find that the craftsmanship of the fittings can either make or break "sometimes literally" a blade. So be careful with whatever you do, for the blade at the moment has a lot of potential. -Bjorn

I usually use spray lacquer over a wire brushed surface. the finish is quite shiny, depending on how well it has been descaled first. I'm not sure how food save it is, so I tend to stick to oil or wax on utensils and such. -Bjorn

Wow. How heavy is it?

For me, just fooling around at the forge really hepls me get out ideas. Ocationaly I'll sit down and do a formal drawing, when this happens its usualy based off of something. Either an element from what will be the finished piece, for example the shape of a certain twist, or the form of a scroll. Or I'll base it off of an organic object, a leaf, the shape of a tree trunk. These designs from nature are a lot of fun, because of the free form nature of them. But for any design it usualy takes me turning it around in my head.

Well, the piece is magnetic, so it might be steel, but the not rusting thing, could it posibly have a stainless quality? and if etched would a pattern show? just an idea.

Thanks for all the advice about my tanto. I just finished the habaki. I made it out of a half inch round bar of what I thought was copper. In the forge, I heated up real fast and conducted down the legnth really quickly. It wasn't as soft as I expected, but moved under the hammer a bit differently. When I got around to sanding the piece down, patches of silver began to apear on the surface. by the time I was done It was almost entirely silver in shean. It hasn't rusted at all despite being in contact with water so I'm pretty shure it Isint iron. I took the origional bar and filled down in the bar, after about an eigth inch the same silver colour apeared. So I think the bar is coated in copper but I have no clue what the inside is made of. I think the bar was used as a lightning rod ground bar. If you have any I idea what the unknown metal is I would like to know. Thanks -Bjorn

Hi all, I'm working currently on a Tanto with a foot long blade. So far, I've forge and ground the blade down to the point where It's ready to be hardened. I want to clay harden it, or whatever the real process of called. The blade is 5160, and I really don't know what to use as a quenchant, or how to temper it after Its been hardened. I figured I would temper in the oven for an hour or so, but i'm saddly unfamilure with claying. I've also started working on the habaki. Its made of copper, I need to close off the joint at the top if it, I bevled the edges of the joint. Should I sodder, braze, and how? -I'll try to post pictures soon so you can see what I mean exactly. Thanks -Bjorn

You really should drive the drift through the hole over a bolster plate, esentualy a plate if metal with a hole in it a bit bigger than the drift. I've always just used my hardie hole for large drifting. Its usualy about the right sise. link removed at the request of anvilfire heres an example of drifting out a hole so you can visualise it.