Aden Cassidy

It will probably be a camping knife used for chopping etc... I am in australia NSW so it can get fairly hot and rainy here. Lots of our woods are also hardwoods.

Made this on the weekend out of a little leaf spring. Centered about an Inch forward of the handle. Wondering what would make the best handle, fixed wood, homemade Micarta or paracord or similar wrapping. Whole length is about 270mm long, about 3-5mm thick. Blade is about 150-160mm long, handle 120mm long. Single piece construction, any help would be appreciated. (ps- would anyone be able to tell me how to resize the pics, took it on my phone and used that to post the pics.) More finished now though, earlier photo.

looks good, but is that a crack in the wood right before the guard.

I was going to put up pics of the reforged file before I try and finish it but can't find the bloody thing. Must've put it down somewhere yesterday.

Managed to get one done, but am having trouble with the other pin hole. Used an old broken file that I got out of the scrap bin at school before I finished last year. Have already hardened the blade and tempered it. Bought a propane torch, this fixed the problem of the other hole but this one will not heat up enough to anneal, is very close to the blade as it the whole thing is only 200mm long. My best heat treated yet. Have got about a third of the way through, what should I do as I don't want to have to heat treat it again. Have scales made out of jeans I really want to try on this.

Looks good, personally I think the handle is a bit square though.

Got calala off of here always telling me I need to make my blades more shiny and polished, like it sometimes but also go for the slightly unfinished look. Gets up me about putting a guard on ecery knife to.

Depends on the person, when I first had a go the blokes at the local club showed me how to make a leaf, suprised at how similar I made mine to his. When I first tried to copy a knife blade design but with different handle style, they were withing 20-25mm of each other in length. Maybe less, same basic blade shape, mini kukri style, one of my favourites. Took me less time and I also tamp the edges on each side as I find this curves as well as widens the blades. It also makes beveling easier as you will already have a pattern to follow on. Usually I need to do very little profiling unless it is a very thick blade.

lucky, started years ago but am only 19. Just getting my own setup and the have a club I have been a member of for 5-6 years, am the only one that makes blades so haven't had the coompetition to make myself improve, also don't really have the supliers of steel around my area so have to be picky about what I try.

Thats because the tanto was designed to pierce through the laquered leather, copper etc linked plates of samurai armor. Small, wedge shaped point that pierces through and then has a razor like edge. Would've flexed less and all that than a longer, thinner more curved edge as well. Structurally more solid.

great knife, just a question but how do you triple harden. Thought you could only do it once ? I double or triple temper my knives as well to.

same thing happens with me, haven't worked out how to fix it yet. Nice blade though, what's it made out of.

nice, I've been meaning to use up my old leaf springs my grandfather gave me, have about half a dozen to work with. Haven't gotten around to it yet though, just fiddling around with smaller blades first though.

Bloody great work, is that just one R R spike or have you added any other steel to it. Thinking of trying my hand at axes, halberds, swords etc in the near future. Love all the old weaponry, my mum jokes about me being born in the wrong age cause of it, if I had more room and money I'd have a giant collection of stuff like that.

Made one and attached it.Made a quick, dirty knife to try it on. Took most of a day for a first try, wondering what sort of tools you can use and easily make to do the whole instead of cutting in from the side. Really like how much more solid it appears to be.

Only broken a couple that way, am mostly self taught apart from the club I am a part of. Been there since I was about 13 yrs old. Broke one recently, it was one that I tried to make really thin. used spring steel. Had another file I used the other day that was broken, drew it out and thinned it down a bit. If I hadn't it would only have a 1 1/2in or so blade. Best I have hardened, First file I hardened.Kept on thinking it would break. Plenty left to break when I try other steels and blade styles later on. Bet we all do, even the experienced blokes. Can't seem to get the pictures right when you click on them though.

Have come across hydraulic presses doing damascus billets etc... Want to use it for general stuff around the house as well. Don't have to much to spend at the moment as I am still getting set up at home, have a forge that I have to get a blower for, Need a workbench, vises and a bigger anvil, tongs. So take a while. Only 19 so don't have a lot to spend and still learning about a lot of the tools and equipment. Have drills, saws and just got a bench grinder with linisher attachment. Here are the presses I am looking at http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Hydraulic-Press-Manual.

Thinking about getting a press for my knife making for folding steel etc... Thinking about gettting a 30 ton for cause I couldn't find a 25 ton. Is a hydraulic press ($429) much better than a pneumatic press($385) or would a pneumatic/hydraulic combo ($539)be better.All in australian dollars.

Alright then, thanks for that fellas. And will see you at the shop on the 25 & 26 then john. I have a big hide to use for a few more sheaths, about 10 square foot I think it was for $99 at aussie bush leather when I went in there. P.S. Will shortly learn how to get the pictures on here right. Originally from my phone.

Tried teaching myself how to forge blades for a few years now and kept on making more because wasn't happy enough with the others or didn't have the tools and materials I wanted or needded to be able to finish them. Harder here to get a lot of stuff in Aus, specially since I just turnedd 19 earlier this year. Made out of the pins? from train tracks, where it has bent in the middle and one end has a circular hole. Little kukri style blade, bent slightly back near the handle, Great balance, Good edge, Just made a sheath this afternoon and will sharpen it properly tomorrow. Also making one out of a file at the moment in a tactical tanto sort of style, tamped the edge, slightly curved blade 18 1/2 cm long. handle about 12 1/2 cm long. Yet to harden or temper as haven't used a file before for a knife blade and am being careful. Bought a grinder linisher and have been grinding away.

Like my bladesmithing and general forging, Member of the Peel River Artist Blackmiths with Calala Since I was about 13-14 years old, turning 19 this year and am slowly building up my tools and skills. Just finished high school and am doing a cert 2 in kitchen operations for hospitality at local education provider. Found this place and calala recommended me joining up, seems llike a good idea so far. Heres two of my knives, both made out of spring steel, I make them very sharp which ruefully I can personally attest to.

I am not suprised about the crossbow shattering, because it probaly was bent beyond its limit as well. Also by using a leaf spring technically it would not be a crossbow but an arbalest, these were the cranked variety, slow firing but made to take DOWN absoluty any target it hit. Even fully armored at a range greater then any normal crossbow. I like the springs for my knives, also like using it for the guards cause of its durability and strenght. Ask calala how I go at making em out of it, belong to the same club. Got some nice ones, some of my best went mysteriously missing though. just need to get leather for sheathes now.