TheoRockNazz

It's funny, I typed the original post in a hurry, and was leaving when I realized I didn't mention the most important part haha.

I have four squirrel-cage fans; a 4" one for the forge and three 8" I'll be using for a forced-air ventilation system. There's a vent on the other side of the basement, so I'll use two fans to create a constant flow through the room, and have one above the forge and quench pit for extra nasty smells. Maybe I should put the last one on a hose so I can move it around?

I just realized if I drew this out I could get awesome comments/critique on placement of forge, fans, etc.... I'll get those measurements soon.

Finally I am moving to a new place! The building owner is a contractor and woodworker with a basement he'll be letting me set up shop. Living and working in the same apartment (my bedroom is directly over the basement area I'll be working in) will be a new experience... I'm hoping I can produce twice as much work now that I don't have to commute out of state just to forge. 

Here's where it was before the owner cleaned it out. Keep in mind I only make knives, so the space I need is just for the forge, heat treating, and handling tools.

I will update this page as I transform the space.

Still in the packing phase - I just wanted to share how I am transporting my older works. I still care about them, just not enough to wrap each individually haha

That's a fantastic first, be proud! Can't wait to see the next one

Welcome fellow gamer and knife maker! Mind telling us how you heat treat?

Beautiful! How thick?

Very nice! What's the handle going to be?

Darren, I just messaged you to help clear up your process for me, please check when you can :)

He is ground to shape and today heat treated (hardened for now, tempering at home tonight).

It's always really interesting how much/little carries over from steel fabrication to our field. For instance, none of the guys know the chemical difference between iron and steel - I tried to explain mild vs high carbon and heat treating, but avoided stuff like body vs face bicubic. I think Greg got it, at least he looked like he did haha

Super limited in tools, hardening was done with oxy acetylene and hydraulic fluid... here's where you guys are going to hate me: no magnet or thermometer available. I had to do by eye, which I detest. Did my best considering the lighting, which could not be dimmed/turned off since there are guys working. 

Giving him copper or brass for the guard tomorrow. He'll probably spend the whole day with sandpaper polishing the blade first... or at least I want him to. Technically he is the boss haha

Yeppers. So why didn't this one get forged bevels? Or maybe I am confused haha

Thank you. Propane two burner venturi that I use at Marsha Trattner's forge in Brooklyn. I have my own single burner that may cut it... but she has a powerhammer *drool*

Apologies for the language earlier :)

Do you forge the profile and grind bevels for most of your work?

Hot XXXX that's one smooth knife. That is one crisp stamping. It's all forged, right?

I'm upset and happy at the same time when someone does such a great job on their first knife - mine wasn't nearly as good haha.

Do you have a top / spine-down view? What are the dimensions? 

Scrapmascus is the technical term :D

Looks very handy, can we get more pictures?

I was confused by the grey appearance of the blades when I took them from the pipe. A quick wash revealed a bunch of small divots in the edge and bevel and little bit of flux-looking material - probably impurities from the calcium phosphate in the bone in the ash.

When I ground them out the shape changed a little depending on the flaw size. 

I had left the edges 1mm thick, perhaps too thin and responsible for the numerous burns.

Blades still need a lot of shaping, which I may save for after HT to avoid thinning any more and causing warping. I did a test etch on one revealing a darker edge material, which I take for higher carbon content.

Pictures! :D

Carbon steel is going to form an oxide layer after regular use - the acids in food are going to accelerate the process. You can clean and oil after every use and still see it form. 

That mirror finish is impressive... but oxide on the surface is going to show and soon, especially if used in the kitchen. There are surface treatments, like bluing or DuraCoat, that will drastically reduce rusting... but then will ruin the look. When you give it to your friend inform him/her on proper care, and although it won't be shiny long, it'll give him/her decades of use (generations of use if given TLC).

You giving that puppy a handle?

The handle on this one is great. Did the customer specify the blade shape, or is it a specific style? Also, is that an edge quench I see?

Heya Scott. Careful with that word "master": there's actually a rank called mastersmith (the highest achievable mark), which I am not even close to, so be wary not to confuse people :)

You did start with mild steel, but that knife you took home to work on is actually high carbon steel, the real deal. After you file it to shape we'll properly heat treat it and all that jazz.

Here's the link again to the lessons/classes I mentioned before http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/143-knife-making-classes/ go ahead and start reading through the 101 section. When we continue our work later this week you'll know much more about the process you've begun. Also wouldn't hurt to look at other work posted in the knifemaking section, loads of inspiration there.

Just so the other guys know: he started the profile with the angle grinder, but he is beveling entirely by hand. The steel is an old file I had already ground the teeth off of.

Finally got a chance to begin work on blister steel for the first series. People familiar with my work know I typically don't use the same design twice... well this has been an interesting challenge.

I started with 3/32" x 1 1/2" mild steel strip, cut to shape and beveled. Keeping the profiles and bevels of the knives consistent was odd, since instinct told me to make each one unique. 

The charcoal is from my own fireplace. My grandparents ashes had to be sifted first - I saved the bone fragments for some later project - and their fine powder was mixed in. I also added a table spoon of iron carbide powder I had leftover from patternwelding experimentation to potentially imbibe some more carbon.

Here's where I'm missing some pictures... I packed the steel and charcoal mixture into a 2" inside diameter black pipe and welded one end almost completely closed (plenty of warnings out there about making your own pipe bombs by accident). This tube was then placed in my forge and cooked for 5ish hours at 1500-1800; the temperature variation is where in the forge it sat as I worked around it.

I have yet to pop open the black pipe, so I'll make sure to take plenty of pictures :)

Great steel! When you draw then cut up for each blade, will you bend or bevel the cutting edge to produce that extreme-ish curve?

Thanks guys!

Darren, I was inspired by your low layer twists, especially when you staggered the layer thicknesses. 

Customer is getting some matching sheaths by John at Alamo Custom Leather, my go to sheathmaker/leatherworker.

A commission from a husband and wife - his and her self defense weapons. Designs were specified by the customer, though I had a degree of artistic liberty.

CruForge core/cutting edge, 15n20 shims, wrought iron and 15n20 shell. The outside shell is roughly 76 layers; only the fighting knife was twisted... although after being wrapped around a core the pattern was not too distinguishable. 

Terrible pictures... yet again. This time I am really intent on shooting them well.

What are the best/most distinguishable patterns for the outside shell of san mai like this? I may try eye n pool or ladder next time.

Greg (my boss at Custom Welding and Design) has started making knives! Finally the last year of letting him handle mine has paid off. 

A few months ago I made him a small blacksmith's knife from 440C - last week he decided he didn't like the all-metal grip, cut half the tang off, drilled then epoxied it in a piece of antler. He finished it off with clear coat because that's what he had.

Him and his next project: 1080 and antler. This time he's doing all the work, and I'll help along the way. 

You can see that bladesmith twinkle in his eye.

He was/is a fast-paced fabricator/foreman, so slowing down to work on them properly has been his biggest struggle. With the right encouragement I think he'll be making great stuff in no time... hint hint guys :)

If we really push we may be able to convince him to create an IFI account, haha

Super clean, love the pins. I've never welded used band saw blade, it welds nicely with the teeth on?