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jmccustomknives

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Everything posted by jmccustomknives

  1. jmccustomknives
    I use a pair of vice grips made into a hardy tool. It requires a handle be welded on to the billet. Works great for Damascus and bearings.
  2. jmccustomknives
    Looks like your gas pressure is too low, what are you running?
  3. jmccustomknives
    A lot of the meeting take place on Sunday. At least I know the Vulcan Forge does (Tannehill Iron Works, Birmingham).
  4. jmccustomknives
    Look into edge quenching or the soft back draw methods. I feel the latter gives a little more strength but done properly either method will make a very tough knife with good edge holding. I use these methods on all my rough use/big knives.
  5. jmccustomknives
    I was told by a friend that Moore's coal had recently changed where they were getting their coal. It was much better stuff now. I just gave up trying to get coal and went gas.
  6. jmccustomknives
    Did you use a press, or hammer to thin your material?
  7. jmccustomknives
    Gabe, it doesn't really matter if they enforce the law or not. Do you want to be the one to be made an example of? The guys here may seem hard, don't take it wrong. They do have your best interest in mind. After all, they don't let you work a forge in the pen. (not that that's were this would land you, probably more of a hefty fine). Personally, I won't wast the time with RR spike. If you must use scrap (I started with it too) a modern truck leaf spring will give enough steel to make a lot of knives. Better to spend a little and get some known steel to work.
  8. jmccustomknives
    I admire the angled bolster. I bet it was tough to get that fitted up.
  9. jmccustomknives
    Generally modern ('80 and up) leaf springs are going to be some version of 5160. Just remember that due to the cycling that springs go through you run the risk of microfractures that can ruin a blade. A good spring can make many knives and by the time you finish with it you should have the heat treat down. I have a bunch of springs myself, although I don't really use them prefering new material over the unknown.
  10. jmccustomknives
    Really depends on the knife. I like 5160 for a big knife, for smaller blades get some 1084. Both are excellent steels and don't have a steep learning curve when it comes to heat treating. 5160 may be a little more forgiving in the forge, but that's debatable.
  11. jmccustomknives
    Japanese wet stones worked differently than an Arkansas stone. The Japanese stones worked more like a polishing paste, as the grit released in the water it formed a mud and this is where the polishing action takes place. You can use wet/dry sandpaper from an auto parts store. Depending on the size of the blade and how fine the starting polish is will determine the amount of paper you'll go through.
  12. jmccustomknives
    Fire needs oxygen. You have to feed the fire oxygen someway. So, if you have no power or crank blower then you will need bellows. If you are using charcoal in camp grounds make sure there is nothing flammable nearby. Charcoal throws off a lot of fireflies.
  13. jmccustomknives
    Not to argue, but edge holding is only overrated only for someone who's making knives that aren't intended to be used. There is nothing more embarrassing than selling a working man a "good" knife and he can't even skin out a deer with it, or make a single slice through a rope. For any new knife maker, make a knife for yourself. Use it, compare it to your "good" knives. Figure out what's right and wrong. Keep improving. If it's art knives you are making use whatever steel you want (or wrought for that matter). If you intend to sell a man a real knife, make them out of quality steel, and learn to heat treat them.
  14. jmccustomknives
    It welds at a lower temperature. take a test piece and note the temp it starts sparking, back off a little from that heat. Use a lighter hammer, don't try to move metal. Use plain old borax for your flux. Good luck.
  15. jmccustomknives
    Leather not only can contain moisture, but as Steve said there are chemical tanned leathers. I once got some leather that would start staining the blade in minutes. Start out with good leather, don't store for long periods in the sheaths.
  16. jmccustomknives
    It's pretty much that way. Between the HT and Temper cycle I like to carefully polish the blade to check for defects (cracks, warping) and to help read the temper colors. After temper is the final cleanup, polish and fitting the handle/guard. When grinding on a full hard blade be very careful and don't use hard wheels. Be careful not to over heat the blade during the final steps. As the edge thins down the belt sander can build up a lot of heat.
  17. jmccustomknives
    Look into building a gas forge, that will end your issues with the charcoal. You'll find many who use charcoal will make their own. If you have access to a sams or cosco I've seen jumbo bags of the stuff at a pretty decent price. If your getting is fro a grocery store it's gonna cost. The other thing, your using a coal forge for charcoal. They are different fuels. While the charcoal will work, it does require a different configuration to get the most out of it.
  18. jmccustomknives
    You wouldn't be the first to attempt that. I do however think you need to move the port to the center. I'm not sure that torch will give enough heat to do anything but small stuff, but give it a go and let us know how it worked out.
  19. jmccustomknives
    I use a 3lb personally. And don't hit hard, not trying to move metal. One thing, start at one end of the billet and work your way down to the other end like you are ironing your cloths. This will help keep from forming pockets in the billet. Those are annoying.
  20. jmccustomknives
    Looks good. Except for the cut. I don't like those.
  21. jmccustomknives
    That's the thing, you do need some tooling to do the job. I'm a lot unorthodox as I use a 4x36 sander. These are a lot cheaper than buying or making a 2X KMG. You might look into starting with files. If you do find a 4x36 (or whatever is common) very good knives can be made from files. You can even work them hard and temper them in your oven. That takes the guesswork out of the heat treat. I make quite a few blades from old files picked up a rummage sales. One mans garbage can be another mans treasure.
  22. jmccustomknives
    Well, if you don't have an anvil that hammer won't do any good. You might start with stock removal and move your way up. That's how most of us knifemakers (I use that term loosely for myself) get started. As your skill grows so to does your tools. My shop is full of tools I picked up a rummage sales, yard sales, and flea markets if you have those. Have you considered how you intend on heat treating the blade? That's where it's soul comes from. The most beautiful blade on earth isn't worth the metal its made from if it can't function as a knife due to a bad heat treat. I started quite by accident. My neighbor gave me some bed frame rails. I intended on building jigs for car parts. The metal was so hard I couldn't work with it. I said to myself, "I'll make a knife from it." Well that set the journey. Soon I purchased a cast iron ASO, then built a rail anvil, finally finding a real anvil. That's how it works for most of us. One step at a time.
  23. jmccustomknives
    What Thomas said. You have a lot of guys make RR spike knives. They are basically only for show. What he's saying about the difference between mild steels and knife grade steels is true. They don't move the same. I've got a book that features a gentleman in Israel that makes knives, with nothing but a hand drill and various files. I'm assuming he sends them to a heat treater. You want to forge? Do you have an anvil? If so you should be able to find old hammers at junk stores and antique shops. (I find many at those places). As far a RR spikes go, I believe here in the states up to around 1926 they were made from wrought iron. Not good for knives, but good to keep for decorative stuff. I've made many a guard and pommel from the stuff. My shop isn't full of expensive stuff either so don't think money will hold you back. Remember they made knives and swords thousands of years before power tools.
  24. jmccustomknives
    Oh, the guard is small cable. I think it adds to the piece and gives uniqueness. I don't guess there's many who would make a knife, guard and pommel completely from cable. I'm crazy that way. Back to the original "differential temper line" (does that work?). I think I can duplicate it with the hammon. I think the line is actually in transition from martisite to austintite. When I did the edge quench my goop catches fire, it get hot quick so I pulled the blade out and full quenched to keep from burning my eyebrows off. The back of the blade was still at hardening temp so it then hardened too leaving a thin zone of unhardened steel. I believe I might be able to recreate this with a full on hammon (it would be somewhat simulated if this is what is happening) by giving the blade a full quench then knocking the refractory off in the quench. If the whole knife is at tempurature when it's quenched it should give the same effect. I like the line better than the inverted patterning, it is more bold in my opinion.
  25. jmccustomknives
    Lol, I might have just shortened the term from Differential Temper line. I can't speak Japanese, I'll stick to redneck, oops, Appalachian American slaughtered English. My main concern wasn't the work per say, it was more to the different result that had me puzzled. In the past the edge quench/hammon attempt has never done that. It had me puzzled thinking I had gotten some voodoo cable. I was trying to see if anyone had ever run into it before. My latest blade from that cable was an attempt at a hammon, the result was as I would have predicted before the two edge quench attempts. The pattern inverts, there is no distinct line, although it is very visible. Anyway, here it is.
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