Steve Sells

Is there a reason you sent him there rather than give him a real answer, or is it you think none of us here know? :(

I agree, its great you got your father interested in smithing, I hope you 2 can have a lot of time in the forge together.

Castable Refractory Ellis Knife works

Dont temper that high, Use 350 to 380F max

Here is the link to my ren-fair setup. Fenris Forge Events

lawn mower blade, most likely 10XX series, my bet 1080. band saw blade, most likely 15N20, It appears you have very few layers, but the ability for contrast is already there. The problem is the acid you used, or the time. I don't know as you stated neither. try a different acid, or same for longer soak.

can't beat 5160

in Honor of the Olympics, I give it a 9.9 ( I will make it a solid 10.0 IF ya give it to me )

so many kids, so few manners these days.

may as well add my 2 cents worth, As a practitioner and instructor of Jujitsu, we start with basic weapons at white belt, a 6 inch stick, aka taebo or Kobuton just basics to be aware of them, as we cover 13 weapons before the first black belt exam, Mainly for an understadning of how they can be used against you. The real weapons training for kata and combat doesn't start until brown belt level, and no blades until Nidan (2nd degree blackbelt) We teach that most weapons are an extension of the body, so first learn to use your body. Also please don't waste time trying to reinvent the wheel. Rather than ask invisable/unknown persons on the internet, ask your sensei. Steve Sells, Shihan-dai No Tora Ryu Jujitsu

one trick when I screw up a blade (pun was intended) is straighten while its hot, IE an interrupted quench. You allow it to quench as normal BUT remove and straighten before it cools below 400 to 500F, then temper.

Oh demented great one, Where did this idea come from??? cool but ummm very ummm unique ? Cant imagine how that idea grew. Keep it up tho, because I cant wait to see what you come up with next

hehe Hay polishing cool idea. try it/. but not with one of my blades.. :p

either a fuller tool to allow the raising, OR Iforge them thick them with a contact wheel I grind them out.

I love my Bader B3, but forget the one posted by "Mark" in the tailgate... I tried to buy it,, sent Emails, Phone calls, etc, etc... but the person that posted it wont return calls, emails, or anything, I think its just a GIT, not intending to sell aything only collect our info, Buyer beware. He has posted those add's on other places, and I heard its the same problem there. the cotee can NOT change contact wheels, they are one wheel only. so get the diameter you want. I bet it would be great to have a row of grinders set up with various grits and diameters all ready to go.... :D

the hamon is very faint, but basicaly waves, with sharp peaks.

whats really sad is all the time I suffered as an apprentice under Laddie Buck, aka Bill Wyant, when I could have taken this great short cut by spending $200 and avoided all that hard work.....

me too I am hoping for a finished pic, as the new owner is doing all the mounting, as for the rim on the Tsuba I thought about doing it, but it was not in the spec's of the order. When I do a commission tho I have some artistic freedoms, its the clients blade not mine, so I stay close to the requested order. Thank you all for the kind words.

That is not always true, It is only true IF they are wired that way with the side chain, other wise they are just normal recept's. It all depends on how they were wired. Many people assume and think that idea was true, and they wire their replacement wrong, and can later be surprised! :o