sharxbyte

This is the doctoral blade for my sibling who graduated with their PhD in clinical psychology. They've wanted a Kriegsmesser for a long time, and I heard that there's a tradition (finland I think) where Doctoral graduates are presented with swords. I thought that was cool, but the swords they get are tiny and not sharp. Here's my answer Blade is 1075, hilt is mild steel (the nagel (nail) is a psi, made of a railroad spike (nail heh), grip is ebony and figured maple. I comissioned a scroll to present with it (SCA award style) and presented both upon the conference of their degree it's fast and light for its size, and I can't wait for them to cut with it! The name is Zitat Erforderlich (citation required) the whole thing is hand forged, and the engraving is elder Futhark on one side and English on the other. The overall length of the sword is 52" and the blade is 38" Scabbard is poplar and leather, bag is satin and silk, scroll is parchment with hand illumination and gilding. I traded the ballocks dagger for it (ballocks dagger is 1095, spalted tamarind and ambrosia maple) the scroll text is: On this day, June 15th, of the year 2024, Anno Domini, Presented to Andie Micah Leslie, Ph.D, Doctor of Clinical Psychology, In the grand tradition of seekers and scholars, and in the spirit of ancient craftsmanship, a blade is meticulously forged. On the anvil of wisdom, it is shaped, quenched in the oil of resilience, and polished to mirror enlightenment. Honed to the keen edge of intellect, so have you been shaped by academia's trials and triumphs. You stand as a beacon of scholarly fortitude. In recognition of your unwavering commitment to the noble pursuit of knowledge, I bestow upon you this accolade, the sword Zitat Erforderlich (Citation Required). Crafted by the bladesmith Alexander Leslie, your faithful brother and friend, may you valiantly uphold the sanctity of science and research, ever challenging the darkness of ignorance and standing resolute in your commitment to champion the cause of the underrepresented. Just as the finest blade, tempered and tested, flexes under pressure yet always returns true to its form, so may you, in your scholarly endeavors, demonstrate such resilience and steadfastness. This sword, in your hands, not only embodies the power of knowledge but also the unyielding spirit of a scholar who, even when challenged, remains unwavering. May this blade be a steadfast companion in your journey, cleaving through the veils of ignorance. In your hands, it symbolizes the power of knowledge and the unwavering spirit of a true scholar. Let this sword be a symbol of your valor and dedication, a testament to your relentless quest in the service of humanity and enlightenment. Pretentious, as is appropriate for a doctoral blade I think. I still learn with every single project, which means I'm pushing myself, Thanks for looking!

Ahh thanks for the notice

Every group has its xxxxxxxx. Fortunately I've managed to steer clear of too much drama and found a lot of really cool people.

Unfortunately, I made it to one official event outside of fight practice and A&S nights before Covid hit, so no forging yet. sounds like a blast though

Over the last year and a half I've managed to hone my skills both forging and finishing, and I think (hope) it shows. I'll post some of my projects here, and a couple links to videos and larger project galleries. I finished my first sword and made a home for it I've made two stacked leather handles so far. I made my first axe I did a successful differential quench and got a hamon line (the Sgian Dubh). This one was actually a couple years ago, but I included pictures of what it looked like before and now. (the Padauk has darkened up quite a bit) I made a long skinny dagger with a bird's head pommel. I'm currently working on my first successful bit of cannister damascus (1084 and bandsaw blades)it will hopefully become a katana. Finally bit the bullet and bought some decent quenchant (Mcmaster 11) and made a fancy tank for itBeen doing armoring and hilt work (new hobbies include fencing and heavy in the SCA) I also completed my first comission. It was also my first spike knife. And the last couple pictures are of my first knife ever, rebar, with its old and newer handle. My forge has evolved (and moved) several times. Currently using a soft brick box in a welded frame My scabbard work has also come a long way. Pro-tip, routers are your friend. It's a lot of fun and the more I learn the more I need to learn. Thanks for checking it out!

Thanks for the input. Yesterday I set it aside and started my first stock removal from a sawblade, but I will revisit the hand forged one and see how it holds up.

Well I started removing scale and realized that this is almost certainly not 1045. It cracks like air hardening steel. so great learning experience at the expense of time and what may have been a great knife. I have a cold chisel I'll try and if that doesn't work I'll probably order a billet of the 1095 you suggest. I COULD keep working it and see if it breaks during use, or I could make it ornamental, or I can set it aside as a lesson learned.

I'm making a sushi knife for my brother. The steel is mystery, but I believe it was some sort of vintage masonry chisel (1045?) I have extra to practice heat treating on. The picture with the measure tape is the most recent. I can give more details and will update as I make progress.

I've looked for hours around the web, and I know this was a stupid error on my part (wrong kind of heat treat on mystery spring steel, too lazy/hurried to test on a few scraps). The crack actually took place about 8 months ago, and I'm considering revisiting the blade. I don't want to weld or braze the crack shut (or at least not until I ensure that it won't propagate) but I had an idea. For glass, you can sometimes stop a crack by drilling a hole at the termination. I was thinking by using a large enough bit, I might catch even the microscopic end of the crack, and then either cut/grind/weld/fill/heat treat it and have a mostly serviceable blade, and if that fails, at least I still have a nice looking shelf knife. Unfortunately, I already made a sheath for it (before heat treat) but I guess I can re-make a similar enough blade to fit if all else fails. has anyone else used this method on a blade? what degree of success if any? Thanks!

Definitely will. I like all my fingers, and want to keep making things for a long time.

It's multi purpose. I may even be able to make steel ingots to forge blades from, but we'll see. The primary reason I built it as a furnace and not strictly a forge was to make bronze knife furniture. But there are all sorts of fun things to cast, including a scrap metal lathe eventually Without further adieu, here's the video Also, some pictures of the knife in working on.

Was at the local farmers market, and actually saw one of the things I was looking for. it's not in bad shape, and the best part is that I only paid $10! Not sure what it weighs, but its definitely more than 40lbs. big upgrade from my HF special.

I can actually maintain a good flow with this now :)