ocrickard

These knives look well made and unique; good job. I really like the one on the bottom, the handle looks especially nice. I've never used knives like these for carving -- I'll have to make one and give it a try. Maybe I would finally carve something better than my current masterpiece, I call it "pointed stick," and yes, it's a pointed stick. -Oliver

Hi everyone! So I decided to try and get a hamon line on this new blade that I was working on. I mixed up some local clay, ash, fine iron filings, and water, then put it along the back of the blade, and quenched in oil. Rarely in my life has anything gone so smoothly. There was no warping or cracking in the blade, and the edge really hardened. My only concern with this blade is that I ground the edge too thin to start with, so I don't think it'll last for very long. I guess I'll have to be gentle with it. This photo is of the blade after tempering in my toaster oven and some brief sanding, then I did a quick etch with hot vinegar to see how clear the hamon line really was. I'll probably polish this blade up and put a handle on it in a few days. So now to some questions: Should I quench in water, or is oil okay? Will the hamon line show up properly if I give it a real fine polish? What wood do you guys think I should use for the handle? -Oliver

I guess I'll just make some new tongs with it then - don't want to chance making a knife from it if it's mild steel. -Oliver

Hi everyone, A friend of mine recently lost the key to his U-Lock bicycle lock, and so we had to cut it with an angle grinder. I've got this long section of steel from it now that I straightened, and I was wondering if anyone knew what kind of steel is used in these things? It's made by Kryptonite, which are supposed to be almost impossible to break short of grinding them. Any ideas? This is the lock he had: Evolution series 4 Thanks, Oliver

I really appreciate the warnings. Good to know people are looking out for me. I hadn't known about operating a forge in a basement, and will definitely stay away from doing so in the future. Next semester I'm moving to a much smaller house where I doubt I will be able to blacksmith for just that reason. The basement I'm using is not exactly what I think you guys are picturing. It's actually at ground level - we just call it the basement/dungeon because it's unfurnished concrete and mostly unused (except for some storage). 12 foot roof with windows, concrete floor and walls, and the building is half a city block (150 residents) - lots of space down there. The basement area is designed with special fire precautions because our furnace is down there, so there is a carbon monoxide meter, fire extinguishers, etc. I keep the propane tank disconnected from the forge whenever it's not in use, and use a huge fan we got last year for drying some moldy areas of the foundation last year to circulate air. Also, the forge uses a single burner, and the chamber is 12"x5"x4", so I just have a barbecue propane tank fueling it. I'm trying to be safe, but I'm sure it could be better. I'm always open to criticism, and really appreciate whatever you guys can teach me (especially if I'm doing something stupid and dangerous). Do you think this setup sounds okay? Or still risky? I could do the actual blacksmithing outside on a concrete slab near the house, but I'm kind of concerned about noise complaints from the neighbors. Thanks, Oliver

Hi everyone! My name's Oliver Rickard, and I'm an undergrad in UC Berkeley's Civil Engineering program. I'm trying to teach myself some blacksmithing in what time I have outside of class. I was introduced to blacksmithing through my sister a little over two years ago when she introduced me to a blacksmith she knew. I was instantly hooked. I built a charcoal forge back home in Arcata, CA about a year and a half ago, then took classes at The Crucible, Oakland's Fire Arts Center. This year I managed to get enough money for a well-made gas forge from eBay, and operate it in the basement of my building in return for doing maintenance in and around the house. I have really enjoyed the process of experimentation and have been trying (somewhat successfully) to learn from my mistakes. I've been reading this forum for about half a year now, and really like what I've seen. Everyone seems very nice and helpful, and I look forward to continuing to learn from all of you. Sincerely, Oliver Rickard