homeshow

Nice work there James!

Try different samples of the same size and shape at different temperatures. Everything I quench goes straight into a preheated toaster oven to back some of the brittleness off. Try different people's personal heat treat methods. What works for my shop might not have the same results for you. Remember your PPE ( personal protective equipment ) and have fun. Nice knife!

Some heft in a Skinner is a good thing.

I agree with Rich. Passing around blades at different stages of completion holds the groups attention.

Uneven hammering can cause warping also. Try to forge each side of the blade with as equal a number of hammer blows as possible.

Wow I never knew that. Thanks

Nope...I make the white/grey in the beard all by myself.

Ric

My son helps me with my grays. I saw the special on Netflix, twice. I'm a smithing nerd.

Truth be known, it is probably more economically sensible to buy stabilized wood, but I just like doing the whole process myself and the control/satisfaction that comes with that. I think that's what this forum is all about.
John Emmerling
Gearhart Ironwerks

That's why I make my own micarta, fabricarta, and papercarta. We both may be a little too quality control OCD :-))

Send them over to my house I need a better look ;-). NICE work. Much too pretty for typical hatchet use.

I had some planer blades given to me several years ago.
NOTHING I did would soften that steel or make it workable.
Never again!
The amount of work I put into trying to somehow use that 'free' steel taught me to never use anything I could not identify and get specs on.
Dave

Dave that is great advice. Mystery metal ain't free.

A touch mark with a date on it. So probably a production shop. Are those crossed shovels? Definetly been re handled and sheathed. Great find!

Nice work I hope you get your asking price and sell it all.

What size, what was your heat treat method, have you used it yet? I like the design.

Here is a recipe for your vacuum canister method of wood stabilizing.

1/3 each by volume
Minwax Wood HARDENER
93% isopropyl alcohol
Linseed oil

This recipe comes with a warning of beware of the fumes and us in a well ventilated area. I have yet to try this formula but I did get it from a trusted friend.

It might be a better idea to put a piece of steel in the.middle with chainsaw pieces welded on each side. Think balogna sandwich. 5160 bologna and chainsaw chains bread. That could give you a sharpenable core metal and a cool chain pattern.

Using sharp objects is dangerous. Heating steel and hitting it with a hammer is dangerous. Grinding is dangerous. Taking an unknow piece of steel and breaking it in a vise tp see the grain pattern is dangerous. I have over 60 hours of industrial safety training. As well as signing on our blacksmith club's safety training. I'm as capable of deciding what is safe as anyone.

Those first 2 knives are why I decided to try a farrier's rasp knife. Thanks to all of you for the advice. IFI can really be a great resource. Rob the background selection as well as the look of those knives is top notch!

Is the glue in the handle flexible enough? An ax handle can take a lot of flexing. It sure is a great looking tool.

These were point tested after all heat treating was done. They are not sharp yet. I was taugh a very comprehensive borderline knife abuse testing system. These were thrown into this slab. Here is a picture of the slab. The gentleman that taught me this is an American Bladesmith Society journeyman.

I have some dull farrier's grasps. Rasp on one side and file on the other. I'd like to know how some of you heat treat you rasp 'hawks and knives.

Proper heat treat is crucial. A knife maker with a great heat treating system will make you a knife you can use for years. One of the tests that I was taught for after heat treat is to throw a blank point first down into a concrete slab. If the point does not break, crack, or deform(mush) then its on to the next test.

Probably? I could not risk a broken blade and a hurt customer on that word. If it looks like a fighting knife or a utility knife it needs to hold up to that type of use.

I agree I like the blade shape as well.

Plenty or good steels available on line. Cheap with some good quenching techniques on this site. Keep it up.

How much do they weigh?

Beautiful