Momatt

One thing I really enjoy about blacksmithing is the ability to make tools. I trapped a huge boar coon yesterday, he weighed 28 pounds. I skinned him and it was so fat and nasty I thought, go make a fleshing knife and beam and you still be done faster than if you flesh with a knife. Mine works just as good as the necker and cost me nothing. just got him on the strecher, nearly 48 inches long nose to tail. If it dries good we will send to the tannery and make my boy a great hat. Chicken eater no more.

Baptized this one today. Edge still shaved after dressing and skinning, i rip up through breast bone, though its softer than I'd like usually in a bade.

Hmmm, since you already drew the neck down, it seems an eye is out. If you forge out the bottom and put scales on it might be an interesting piece.

Good wrk theo, nice to honor a friend

I just read a Woodlore book by George Washington sears. In his book there was a drawing of his sheath knife. I decided to make a copy. It's rather large. I blew the drawing up until the Handle was 4.5 inches or so then traced a pattern which locked the proportions blade is over 5inches. Started with a bar of 1080 1/8 inch thick. He said he liked a thin knife. Thin steel moved fast under the hammer. Hot fit a copper guard

Steven is an experienced young smith. I subscribe to his YouTube channel. Steven you have made a lot of knives and tools, I think your axe edge would temper similarly.

Thanks for looking

Matt

Would this be helpful in making damascus knife blanks.? I could copy picture would need to check a link. Hope it's ok to post a link. I have no power hammer or press but could afford this.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/for/3966314818.html

I take a piece of bar and grind it to just undersize of the top of the tang dimensions. after punching the slug out I wrap the cold blade in leather and stick it in the vise. with the guard hot slide it down the tang and all it takes is a few taps with a piece of pipe or a deep socket to drive it home for a perfect fit. If you are making a round guard like the one I used on this knife you can grind it to shape on the blade. Only caution is watch the temper, keep a quench water tub handy. Copper is real easy to punch if you don't mind the color. I haven't tried nickel silver, did one bowie cross guard from a rr spike that worked pretty good.

Fitted a copper guard and cut up a whitetail rack into something useful. I sure like punching guards and fitting them hot better than drilling and filing.

Today's little project. I hesitate to show my crude efforts, but you guys inspire me to try. I cut up a dull bandsaw blade, ground the teeth off, surface ground them degreased and tried. used iron mountain flux which must have gold in it at $16 a can. I do think it works better than 20 mule team. I think I have a little blade that is pretty well stuck together. It's just 80 layers started with 10. All saw blade I had no 15n20.

It's just lightly ground with a 60 grit. Last is after a few minutes in hot vinegar. You can see a few layers they may pop after a polish.

While that's a good looking Trenton you have there I really like the helper. Look's a sweety to me.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty-  Aside from demonstrating you are an experienced smith ready to help the new guys like me, I have noticed over the last six months or so that you live out the old adage if you don't have anything nice to say don't say it at all.  Your friendliness and encouragement makes IFI a better place.

MIne is a Trenton, about 155 pounds.  RIngs and rebounds pretty well, corners are ok.  Sitting on a big old sycamore round. 

I made this for my friend for deer hunting. Forged down from a thick piece of 1080, moved a lot of metal. Quenched in warm 30 weight oil, tempered in oven. Testing proves a tough blade that holds edge very well. Ugly lines but maybe best performing blade I've made. A heavy duty sheath should last many years.

I would really like to be able to make barn or scotch eye augers.  The eye and the auger part seems rudimentary, but how does one forge the tapered screw and cutters.  Any resources or tips are appreciated.

Thanks.

handmade tools made by a smith with a striker are so pretty. Aaron made these tools for me and I couldn't be more pleased.

Wow, just got in some historical wrought bars from eBay. Priced about like good tool steel. I know work it hot, how about yellow white stopping hits before red. Tried to point a bar and it makes brush i could dab BBQ sauce almost with them. About a ll that an be one is square a round and draw out. Boo.

Looks great, will you weld it together or rivet it?

I really enjoy rehandling tools.  Looking forward to not burning my hand over hot iron, my first handled punch.  I think I should have forged the point downwards so it was centered over the other end.  May have to reheat it.   

Ian, in SA I wonder what species you guys use for handles?  In the US hickory is good, you can really have a skinny handle.  These handes are actually beefy, that is a 12 pound head.  I have found fast grown oak with wide rings makes a pretty good handle, you have to rive them though, a sawn handle often breaks. 

Thanks. Thomas good idea I will do that.

Really neat, like the cherry with forged hardware

Finding good metal for near free is fun. I got these tools for cents each. Needed a heavy sledge, new handle was in business. Old adze will see service again soon. Punches are expensive, forged this brick hammer into a 1/4 punch for 25 cents. split handles out of this of oak plank.

Neat. I just started an ant farm with the kids, great link

I forged and riveted this together today. My skillets and much loved griswold no 9 "pinnacle of pancakes"griddle have a new home.

I wish I had the time to take a class.  I work a lot of hours, have limited time off and have 5 kids from 11 to 2 that make be heading off to MS for a few days unlikely.