Chris john

DSW is right buye sole leather already compresed hard as XXXX wont move on you not like some other leathers they keep compressing Chris

Hi Kal You pix seem to be ok , Some wrough seems to have better pattern hidden in it some not so good . some wrought if you work to much you will loose pattern in it keep up the good work , Chris.

Hi Vaugh T Thank you very much for the complements its great if i have motivated somebody ,couldnt ask for a better complement than that appreciate your time to coment keep forging mate. Chris

Hi Darren thank mate very happy you like. Chris

Hi home show , Thank you , much appreciate and for your time as well Chris.

Hi Dave glad you like thank you very much and for your time. Chris

Hi kayakersteve thank you for your time to coment appreciate . Chris

Hi Steve On bottom of last pic mate Chris

Hi Joko never count the time mate when it done its done sorry for that . Chris

Hi MLMARTIN , Hydrocloric ,water , nitric , only a bit of each in a pint of water make sure you kill the nitric after or it may keep etching . Chris

Hi DSW. Never measured the piece but you only need enough to forge out a piece about a foot long , quarter thick and about inch and a half wide . The one top left i forged a couple of pieces together rectangualer and welded on top of each other then forged to size . heres a pic before etching . oh ive used o1 for cutting edge on these i think it will be good enough

Found some wrought so decided to maka a few wrap and weld style hawks hope you like . Seems to have some nice character in the old stuff . Chris

Hi Momatt They are fun to play with this on i put a small T spine on clayed up and water hardened light harmon file scated off edge so they may have used what ever steel they had anyway brass wire wrap handle, bit of scratching and a couple of gems inlayed . keep hammering Chris.

Hi thingmaker3 ,never rubbed off mate it was a bit of a rub . Chris

Hi Thomas bet it rubs of with your finger , oh yes it did rub off to reveal the pattern , yours may be like putting a blue solution out of a bottle never anygood only good if you never touch of course , it was a rub Thomas .As i said rust blueing is not hot blueing , hot blueing is a caustic solution and the item is held in the solution thats around 270 or more . untill colour is attained there is no rust to convert on the item put in the hot caustic solution shiny no rust . The old black powder firearms were not boiled they were left that colour including there damascus barrels , the boiling of rust was used to quicken the blackening . How good it was was how much it was rusted or etched and what was used as a etch . Chris

Good for you mate mine come from Lief Erickson hence my last name. Chris

Nah your wrong again Thomas hot blueing of firearms is a coustic solution around 270 from memory , not rust blueing at all rust blueing is cold only boiled to convert to black oxide which is used on the most expencive of firearms , as i said japanese tsuba have also use this process for hundreds of years same process converting rust to black oxide but they mainly use the tannings in tea. i guess they are wrong too and your right , try boiling that fury black mess you stated you did .or mix caustic with a few drops of nitric acid for a modern look you get you get a real shiny black if you polish before causticing . rust blueing will always be a mattish finish . try . Chris

Japanese sword gaurds or tsuba have used this process for centuries for patina .Hi Thomas you have to boil in the tannins. it converts it to black oxide , The firearms trade also use the rust blueing process where they rust card the barrels or actions and boil to convert to black oxide .most shot guns use this as well , if you put a shot gun in the caustic blueing process you end up with 2 barrels the caustic blueing eats the solder away . Chris

bamboo shafts Chris

Hi Halps , Lot of great stuff on this forum by many talented people welcome and enjoy . Hi Halps glad you like my work you can do it you just have to be keen enough to keep at it . Heres a couple more hope you like . Chris

Thank you stemfab its good fun recycling . Chris

Hi Jon glad you like my work much appreciated thank you . Chris

Hi Paul i never worry about how long somthing takes mate , i just keep at it till i think its acceptable sorry about that , I use a hammer and chisel . Thank you very much. Chris

Hi Eveything Mac you make them nearly the same as a bodkin leave enough in front of your ferrul to make the cage ,all you do is slit the four sides of your stock to the centre heat back up and open no wire no welding easy sorry havent got a pic made some years ago . Chris,

Gday ozboy glad you like my hawks thank you very much hava good one mate Chris.