jmccustomknives

why can't I get lucky and find "junk" like that. :( I'm an "reformed" hot rodder. Building jigs and subframe connectors turned into bladesmithing which turned into blacksmithing. Good luck.

I have both a Miller Thunderbolt and a little Lincoln 115v mig. The mig is real handy for doing quick welds and tacking (flux cored gassless wire) while the stick is for heavier jobs. For the stick be sure to get the AC/DC machine as just AC limits your rod selections. Miller and Lincoln make great machines but Miller has moved a little ahead on the small migs, they are just easier for a newbie to use. If I had to choose just one, in my shop for what I do, the mig is worth its weight in gold (ok, 75lbs of gold I could buy a new shop but you get my drift.) Not only do I use these machines but I sell them too. Stay away from inverter machines. These are light weight, have great a smooth arc and are more efficient than the older transformer style machines. The draw back, they only have a life expectacy of 5 to 7 years. Good luck.

Looks like you did a good job of keeping the blade for curving. Did you intend that tang to be so high or was is a ***insert Homer Simpson "DOH"***moment. I've had quite a few of those. Post some finished pics.

I just use the coke from the last forging session. I have a friend that mixes charcoal and coke, he says it keeps the fire burning longer when not using the blower. I don't know how you guys like to start your fires, I've found the best thing is 4 or 5 pine cones. light them, hit the blower and cover them up. It's the fastes fire starter I have found.

Beautiful blade. Love the story. Those guys that pick up a blade, you warn them and they still manage to cut themselves. Idiots. Now days they would sue you over their incompetence. The blades name, I shot Dr. Pepper out my nose when I read that. Funny stuff as well as fitting. Not the Dr. Pepper, it burns.

Yeah, something like that happened once. I thought it was something I did.

From the title I thought you'd got some pics of my shop :angry: . It's a monster :wacko: . I fear it. :blink: Neat stuff!

Your right, calcium carbide is getting dang hard to get. Seems there are only two plants left in the US that make it, and one of them has been down (fire, who knew?). If you are wondering, that's why your acetylene is costing so much more. If Larry H saw the pics of the little Toyota making the rounds in the welding supply world he might think different about the stuff. Seems a goob left a tank in his Pathfinder over night, the next morning he gets in it and smells acetylene. Thinking is was a good idea to rool down the windows, (power of course) BOOM! There wasn't much left, but somehow he survived. Back to the generator, I haven't seen one that small in a long time. Not that I've seen that many any how. It belongs in a museum.

For most of my younger life, I built hot rods. I sold the car an bought a boat. Both hobbies ended up costing much more than they returned. The car got 12 mpg, factored in the fish cost 10 to 20 dollars a pound. After a little practic, 'smithing accually can pay for itself. It always feels good when people will pay for your work. Keep it up.

Some steels (air hardening) can gain hardness from cryo treating. The super cool temps transform the remaining austentite into matensite. At least that's what I've read. Most heat treaters use liquid nitrogen, I did recently run across a book where a maker used dry ice in this process. One maker of L-6 recomended this process, I haven't tried it yet. It would be a good experiment though.

I like the extreme challege. If I can't make 'em pretty I can make 'em tough. I like the design, one could take it to the woods and not be afraid of breaking (or scratching) it. :ph34r:

Funny, I just got around to forging a little blade out of one of those. It did seem to have more carbon than .60 though. I'll have to compair that blade to known steels, my guess is 1080 or close there of. I'll may get around to heat treating it this weekend.

First***VERY IMPORTANT*** make sure the cylinder is empty before doing anything with it. Open the valve (away from you) and let it vent if ther is any O2 in it. Take a air blower and put som pressure in it if it is empty and see if anything blows out when you take the blower off. I'm telling you to do this because the valve stems can breat, you think it's empt and the cylinder be full. I worked with a guy who almost killed himself devalving an empty cylinder. When you are certain, preceed with caution.

I'll take mine down to at least 90% before heat treating but it varies from maker to maker and personal preferance. If you are doing it with files you may want to take it closer to 100% that way you can finish it out with sand paper. If you are on a budget like myself I picked up a belt sander a Lowes (4x36) for less than $200. You'll be able to finish that blade out a lot faster and work with it easier when hardened.

Hello from the "Heart of Dixie". Unlike you I'm not a real blacksmith, although I do pretend to be one on weekends. B)

A coke, 26 1/4" washers and a bag of 346 seeds <_<

1095 easier than the rr spike, that's strange. The first rr spike I ever did I through away because it forged too easy and I wasn't into making "art" knives. As far as yours, the overall design is pretty good. You should be your own critique by using your knives. The more you use them the better your designs get. You can always tell a maker who doesn't use his stuff. I like the brown hemp rope, get some and put it on a cutting board and start cutting. Compair your knife to the best factory or ones made by a pro.

Nice work for newbies, (lets face it, better than what I could do). Why didn't you start them off with a 4lb hammer instead of the little one? lol.

I've never really attempted a forged dagger other than a couple of kriss's. Forged from two pieces of crane cable (1 reverse twisted). The guard is also cable damascus. I haven't finished the handle out yet, stag and mahagony. How would you guys finish a handle like this?

nice!

The knife is 10" with the blade being 5 1/2 from the handle. The stag is 4 1/2". I haven't figured out how to take good pics. I think I'm too close, it distorts the dimensions.

Just dropped the blade into the etchant (ferric chloride, pretty duluted) when my daugter came and got me for some "emergency" and well, it got left over night. The good news, it was a test blade that had some cold shuts. Made an interesting effect though.

Just don't be suprised is the Feds don't come knocking at your door. :lol:

A small wet dry vac will supply more air. If the forge is small a hair drier may be enough. Get ready for fire flies, charcoal tends to throw them off really bad. Don't put your forge near anything flamable and wear long sleeves, hat and gloves.

A quick walk through my shop and you can see just how cheap smithing can be done. Not saying that my equipment allows me to make everything or I have the best. I would think I have less than $1500 in equipment. Most of which was bought in my hot rodding days.
Anvils - 2 rr iron (1 upright the other flipped over and boxed), 1 cheap ($80) cast anvil from Northern Tool currently being hardfaced.
Forge- made from junk
Treadle hammer- made from junk
Coal supply- dug out of the basement of an old mercantile
steel- it follows me home
Hammers-some found some bought
Toaster oven for heat treating-yard sale $3
Other supplies - this isn't fair, I work for a welding supply.

Family Motto: Cheap or Free B)

Is there any more a man can ask for than a hobby that pay's for itself. If one wanted to do it for a living, yes be prepaired to drop some cash.