Steve Sells

My shop glasses are wrap around, poly with side shields and Rose-1 IR filters. My day-to-day pair are std. safety glass, with wire frames. I also add a full face shield when grinding.

My main job is as an Electrician in mainly Industrial loications, so all my glasses are safety, no reason not to, when my daily pair looks nice, and adds protection, why not.

Glad you are safe Ptree.

Among other things, I am an EMT so have access to the geiger counter, but the local Guard unit is a better idea, as they may look for things I never though about.

Alan, that information is great so far. Also I hope the client has more sense that to try to mail me Uranium. How safe is it to assume Foreign makers may use similar steels for similar purposes? Being Iraq, we have Russian suppliers too.

It looks like you are off to a great start! Keep us posted.

I found a great use for barbed wire. on my welding sign i welded 3 strands together on each each side. Heavy gold flake paint. In the wind they move enough to lool like sparks.
Ken.

At risk of sounding like I am begging, I would love to see a photo of that sign :)

This 1045 and 4140........but 5160 for what?

For what ? did you forget already , you started this thread. LOL

An Email from the wife of an EOD Technician serving in Iraq, would like me to make a blade (s?) for the unit using what she called "scraps" from the ordinance they had disarmed. I informed her as not knowing what the steel is I am not sure how well it will function as a blade itself, so I suggest I use those as layers for pattern welding.

That makes this another "What is this steel question", I sure hope its not air hardening

For a guy that always advocates using only new steels for the best blades, how do I find myself using so many odd metals so often? first the space rocks, and now Bomb fragments...

But nothing is too good for our servicemen, I will find a way! the next question will be Ka-bar or Fairbain Sykes....

Dead here as well. lucky I have more talent for generating income than just my Electrical card, so far we have not lost anything of real value, I still get requests for farm equipment repair, but blade sales are all but dead.

As for the Mayans, I hope that 2012 is just the end of the calendar we find an old basic command of "Goto line 1" and recycle the calendar. Hey its possible :)

Nope just the white screen. but these Ebay sites don't keep things too long after the sale.

I wish Moony would chime in, (actually from the photos I have seen I bet Rthibeau and Moony with 10# sledge hammers could work it fast too)

Moony is in the chat a bit, and he not only sells hammers in OZ, but owns hammers from fairly tiny up to a 10ctw, between his personal supply and his vast experience as a smith, I am sure he could give a very clear 'side by side' comparison between various models of hammers.

From what I see the #2 pic is fine to use as is, its in much better shape than my first anvil (I still have it).

The last pic may be fine, Use it a few hours and see, does it leave marks in the steel you are working? ifnot why mess with it ?

Having said that if you are wanting it just to look a little better, a 120 grit ot finer flap dish should shine it up fast with out risking too much damage to it. Over all I say $200 is a good deal.

Can I temper at say 400 once, and I think it's to hard, temper again at 450 to soften a little?

yes

Can I go back the opposite direction.

not really, while the for the most part, the highest temper decides the final hardness, all a lower temperature temper later will effect is the retained austenite, that has converted since the last cycle.

First you state

Ive seen a broad sword make from completely Tungsten

then follow with this excuse

well then its proberly Tungsten carbon i don't know if its PURE tungsten or if it Tungsten carbide i was just told that its made from tungsten.

now you guess its a soft stone? Is that like your statement of soft stop sign steel, or was it cardboard? I have never been to NZ so maybe they do have cardboard signs there, I will ask a hobbit next time I see one.

Dmike, you were doing better but it seems you have insisted on posted silliness again. If the materials were unknown to you, why try to come off as knowing what is was. Gzzzz. Guessing does not help anyone learn, without tested proofs of a theory its just opinion.

And some members complain when I try to clear up this sites confusing or screwy posts? I guess some like having to sift through nonsense, even when it causes people to miss the intent of a post and have trouble.

I like it, thanks for posting the pics.

Cool, and with the photo I can see its large enough to heat treat one end with out messing up the other nice job.

[brucegodlesky] Any ideas on etch tanks besides pvc?
[garey] how big a item you etching?
[markb] Fish pond rubber Ed??
[brucegodlesky] 2" wide
[JJ] are you heating your etch tank (that makes a big difference in tank material.
[brucegodlesky] I spent the day making cable flippers and forks and they wouldn't fit in my 2" pvc tanks
[brucegodlesky] when I heart it, I use an infrared light
[JJ] i have pvc tanks and i have stainless tanks.
[brucegodlesky] FeCl doesn't bother the SS? JJ
[JJ] not in the time we need to etch Bruce, then clean out the tank, neutralize it, and clear wash. that way i can heat the etchant to 160f for a darker etch.
[brucegodlesky] : I could go that route. Tonight I laid a garbage bag in a chicken feeder
[garey] i just use a PVC pipe stood vertical
[steve sells] main thing is to be sure that the etch tanks will not react to the etchant
[JJ] me too garey, vertical...i have 2" and 4"
[garey] and either put the acid back in the origonal bottle or make sure the vessel you use can be closed up air tight in the shop. fumes from the acid will rust things in the shop close to it. dont ask me how i found this out
[JJ] my stainless tank is about 3" x 6" and started out 4' tall...i cut the bottom off for etching hot.
[brucegodlesky] reckon I'll just have to put out the cash for larger pvc

[JJ] any chance we can continue to discuss sharpening honing part of tonight? what angle on the sharpening cut do you guys use? and do you vary it by use/thickness, etc?
[Finnr] depends on the knife and thickness, intended use etc JJ
[rock-n-time] would you like to see my frist step?
[JJ] : sure rock
[garey] i just eye ball the angle JJ. somewhere around 28 degrees for a small blade + -
[rock-n-time] Step one - Blacksmith Photo Gallery
[Finnr] First forged blade Rock?
[rock-n-time] YES!!!!
[markb] Steel type?
[Finnr] Looking pretty good Rock
[rock-n-time] disk from plow
[markb] looks good
[markb] what plans for handle
[rock-n-time] Black Walnut
[JJ] reason i asks about angles...the knives i see where guys are hand sharpening seem to have a lower angle than those sharpening on a grinder...and when i put an angle measure on the ones i can locate, it confirms that.
[steve sells] so many people just grab a stone and start rocking the blade edge, never thinking about the angle OR grit that was already used
[JJ] Steve, these hand sharpened knives i'm talking about are among the sharpest i've ever seen. i can literally shave my beard with little drag.
[garey] i sometimes sharpen on the slack belt part of the grinder and finish up with a good stone or diamond hone
[Finnr] Most often I finish off with a black Arkansas stone the a strop
[JJ] i was taught belt sharpening...opnly recently began to try and learn and take lessons on hand sharpening. it's way faster than i thought it would be.
[brucegodlesky] once you get the hang of keeping a consistent angle it's pretty easy
[Finnr] then. the strop
[JJ] after a brown arkansas stone i have (about 800 grit), i got to a walnut block with green rouge, then one with white rouge (when the green begins to rool a burr). that finishes it off (white i mean).
[brucegodlesky] yep, then the strop
[Finnr] Never had belts to sharpen on whenI was a kid so I learned stones
[JJ] this may not be correct, but i was taught to push the blade (ahdn sharpening) and Pull the blade (stropping).
[Finnr] If you can lay hands on one a white Arkansas stone is super
[JJ] what grit Art?
[brucegodlesky] I have a Norton tri-stone that makes it real easy
[Finnr] Not sure off hand it cuts fast and super smooth
[Finnr] I only know of one supplier. A hand tool specialist catalog. That handles new ones
[JJ] i was under the impression the lighter color of stone (arkansas) the greater the grit size?
[Finnr] I managed to get a very old one from a shoe factory that closed White is real fine, My black is a combo stone, white and black
[JJ] once you guys roll a burr on the edge, and are ready for the next lighter grit, how do you get rid or or prepare the roll for the lighter grit?
[Finnr] I use the white for all my planes and they are SHARP
[garey] i have a piece of leather belting 2" x 18" with red rouge in it. i put neatsfoot oil on it when it gets dry and stiff and then rub the rouge in to it. it strops an edge to a fine shaving cyt
[JJ] one end fixed, one end hand held like the barber shop garey or something else?
[Finnr] I glue my leather to a piece of 2 inch wide wood and turn a handle on the end
[garey] : yes. i have a piece of parachord looped in one end i hook to the wall and hold the other end JJ.
[Finnr] Just because I can!
[markb] like a slake belt garey
[JJ] art, i use leather like you do...mostly because i tend to roll the edge when i try it free in air.
[[Finnr] Yep. I learned to do it that way from Dad and just always have
[garey] when i slack belt grind the edge till it gets a burr i then go to a medium stone or a 200# diamond hone to take the edge bur off.
[Finnr] Comes off with the next grit usually
[steve sells] I just change belts I grind edge up, then leather strap at end, then the diamond rouge on glass plate
[Finnr] Ask a dozen fellas and you will get thirteen methods that all work
[garey] i keep going to finer grit stones or the diamond hones depending on the steel in the blade
[JJ] here's what i was taught...and strange as it seems, it works....take the blade and cut/pull along the 90 degree edge of a wood block. then go to the next lighter grip. in hand work, and with a 10 power loop to observe, making that cut pass will cut the number of passes in half to get rid of the burr.
[garey] last step i strop on the red rouge on the leather strop
[rock-n-time] What about useing a copper disk and dia.
[steve sells] : wood will take off the burr, What is Red Garey ? I have brown ( emery) gray and white (diamond powder)
[Finnr] I know a couple old farmers who have hands socallused they strop blades on the palm of their hand
[Finnr] Red, I use that Jewelers rouge
[garey] between brown and white i think.
[rock-n-time] red ruby eh?
[Finnr] : Anyone who has had to keep up military brass probably does
[JJ] Red is commonly called jewelers rouge.
[garey]military brass = Brasso from the PX.
[JJ] i found a kit for $12 that has about 6 different colors of bar rouge in it...like...black, brown, blue, green, red, pink, white.
[jeremy k] I use the black, white and blue for polishing my stainless to a mirror finish
[garey] have some green that is course. a cutting rouge on a sissel wheel buff
[rock-n-time] red rouge is made of fat/iron oxide
[Finnr] : I finish buffing with a white abrasive , made for stainless but sure puts a shine on carbon steel
[rthibeau] I use the belt sander for most everything.....a used 120 grit belt
[JJ] Art, Rich taught me to use white to finish up on stainless.
[rock-n-time] Art like white diamond
[garey] high speed buffing dulls the edge. hand stropping will true up the edge and make it wicked sharp.
[Finnr] I got it years back. Huge bar of 'L Homedeu rouge. Just said it was stainless polish
[JJ] that's why i use those wood blocks with rouge garey
[markb] What does a butchers steel do?
[garey] trues up ( straitens ) the edge
[steve sells] knocks of burrs
[Finnr] Yep, I steel every few cuts when I am cooking
[garey] makes the edge straight
[JJ] ruins an edge if you let me hold the steel hone and the knife
[markb] Like a burnish
[garey] JJ i draw the edge to me on a stone like i was trying to slice a layer off the stone
[JJ] to sharpen or hone garey?
[Finnr] JJ I can steel a blade so fast the thing is a blurr. Many years as a pro cook
[garey] to sharpen i go the other way when stropping
[JJ] that's what my instructor told me as the correct way he sharpens...then he had me pull away from the edge to hone.
[Finnr] Exactly JJ make like you are taking a VERY thin slice off the stone
[JJ] Art, i seem to roll by wrist during the move, instead of holding steady.
[Finnr] Straight up and down snap JJ Alter your angle a bit when you draw file to skim over the dips until you work them out
[garey] guy at the power plant had a Lansky sharpening kit. kind that clamps the guied to the blade. he never did get that knife sharp. i finally got it away from him and sharpened it with my stones.
[markb] Yeah put a big gouge in on the draw file then correct pretty soon there won't be anything left
[steve sells] my first draw file, I had a gouge so I gave it a 3/8 inch arch there for cleaning up tong reins
[JJ] i'd like to thank you gents for sharing different points on sharpening tongith....i 've made and sold over a thousand blades, but i never stop learning and trying new things.
[Finnr] A person can't possibly learn all there is to know in only one life time!
[steve sells] too bad we have a few that think they already have, it makes it hard to grow in their craft.

i used hydrolic oil for the blade and water for the hammer face

How did you do that??? float 6 inches of oil on top of the water? and you didn't tell us about tempering

best for what? Best is a risky term.

I invite all members to take a moment to remember those who have gone before us.

No matter what country they served, or even which side of what conflict, Serving their country and giving up of their lives for its safety is an honor and sacrifice that should not go unnoticed nor unremembered by those of us left behind.


To all of those, I thank you, and may you rest in peace knowing your gift is precious to us.

check BP0124 Touchmarks | Blueprints 100-200

at the bottom it has what you are looking for

Speaking as a staff member, we do not ban members as long as we have other options. Even when they insult staff or keep repeating the same question in the same thread, even after it was answered. Repeatedly.

I personally offered to be one of those that help correct typos, and sorts posts, as I make so many mistakes myself I understand the embarrassment of seeing it later, and not being able to correct it due to the edit time expired.

We do try to inform a member of any problems privately. But a very small portion lately have refused to read or respond to the PM's from staff, So we tried Email, one offender even had their preferences set to no mail from admin! (I think that option has been removed now) so when we make a public post in hope of correcting a problem, it does stir the waters a bit, but our only other option is removing the offender until they do reply to our Email.

Maybe we could forgo the public "last chance" warning, so others don't have to read a possible embarrassment of another person. But I prefer to be a target of complaints, than risk losing a member that may one day be a valued poster. I had thought that less embarrassing than having the log-in banned until they reply to an Email?

We all were new at one time, and I sure asked my share of strange questions as well when I started, including asking how I could make a sword my first day but 5 years later I did, and still am.

I still don't have all the answers, this thread I thought, was a good way to explore options of dealing with problems, we cant just pretend they dont exist.

IMHO, one of the best things about this, is the children have been able to personalize their pieces. great job.

I didn't know that, cool, and thanks.

Of course I take this serious. Sarcasm doesn't always carry over in text. Most people also know it does not translate well into the many other languages here.

I refuse to comment on your "Well,maybe that's why you do it??" slur

Very nice, Giving me ideas for my brother and his wife now :)