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I am getting married Saturday and these are the gifts I pounded out for my Groomsmen. 2 damscus from band saw blade and binding straps and 2 from a coil spring off an old Ford truck.

Welded up the blank for the drop point and then tried to make the most of my effort so I worked on the end piece I cut off from the billet and made the bottom blade as well. The weld did not take to well on the bottom blade and I added the two welding rods for handle but the knife is junk so I think I will try and make something out of it for practice. Band saw blade and banding strap is what I used. Back with finished pics when I find the time to get them done. Bob Urban

Probably been covered on this forum many times but I cannot find any threads that talk about making a knife vise? Could someone direct me to thread(s) talking about this. I have seen some really nice ones made from pieces of pipe and would like to make my own. Any pictures of what you are useing would help a ton. Thank you for any advise, pics, help you can provide. Bob Urban

I will try just that? I have access to so much cable frome crane cables to chokers to ??? Just did not know what, if any, would be any good. I will give some a try next time I am in the shop. I really like the Cable handle on the knife Bob Urban

very nice - got to try the cable thing. Does it hold an edge well? I have tons of cable but also have no clue what it is made of(type of steel) so I worry about going to all the trouble to get a nice blade and have it not harden well or take a good lasting edge? Looks real cool though. Bob Urban

Very nice - How many layers did you start with? How many times did you fold the billet? Awesome blade - Bob Urban

Alan - I read you description of how you welded the chain up a few times and still cannot picture exactly what you did? If at all possible can you show some mocked up picks of what you described as welding it into a doughnut and so on? A newbie wants to know? Very nice by the way - I am hoping to make one myself. Bob Urban

Longhunter - Maybe we should do a forged Knife Swap? On a traditional bowsite I hang out on called "Tradgang". Every year we start a post about a knife swap with a dead line of like 3-4 months out. Then everyone, no mater what their skill level, makes as many as they want to trade and all names are put it a hat and let luck be your friend. If you give one, you get one. It is really fun and there are a few real pros and a lot of amatures like me. Last year I made a carbon blade and a bone handle stone knife(I am a flintknapper too). I think it would be a lot of fun with all forged knives. Lets keep it in mind - maybe in the spring. Bob Urban

Forged the finger guard, heat treated the blade and added a handle. Just need to put the finishing touches on this one and give it to my friend.

Craig it was a coil spring from an old Ford truck. Probably 1/2 - 3/4 inch spring that is coiled about 6" around. If that makes sense. I have a lot of it. Thanks for the compliment I am headed to the shop this morning to forge a finger guard and fit it all up. Also going to try and forge anothe damascus billet today. I love this stuff Bob Urban

BG - It was part of a tine from a shed moose palm I had laying around. I se moose antler to make billets(Hammers) for smashing large stones into smaller pointed stones. Some call it flint knapping but I make a lot more dust than arrow heads and blades so I cannot call myself a knapper. Moose antler is very solid with almost no pithy center anywhere in the antler so it makes a hard hammer and great knife handles. This was an old shed so I used some of the weathered area to get the older look and after I sanded it to shape I filled the small cracks with super glue, resanded and rubbed the whole knife with oil for a finish. I am going to try to make a larger one next Bob Urban Bob Urban

Pretty much a hodge podge of what was available. Steel is lawnmower blade, band saw blade and banding strap folded a few times. The handle is made of some moose antler I had laying around and the liners are cut from a plastic paint tray. Thanks for the compliments Bob Urban

Well with the help I got here and a couple other sites I got it done. Not perfect but I like it and now I know how it is done so more to come. Thank you for your help.

Very Nice. tell me what you use and how long you etch? I am just learning and made my first damascus blade recently. Thanks - Bob Urban

Forged this out of a coil spring today. Got to forge a nice finger guard and finish it up. Going to leave it pretty rough for a 1800's rendesvous look.

I will soak it longer - Would it be better if I did not dilute it with water? There are a lot of layers but only the thicker(lawn mower blade I think) show up well. I think it is muratic acid but really do not know because it was just laying around my friends shop. I will ask him what it is? Here is the handle in process. Moose antler, plastic paint tray liners and welding rod pins. Pretty much a make shift first try.

Just out of a test etch with diluted acid. Layers of lawnmower blade and band saw blade. I am very happy with the weld for my forst attempt but I need more contrasting steel to get all the layers to show up better. Adding a bone handle today. If you look close you can see many layers. Steve the longer etch was the ticket!! Just got ahead of myself and put the handle on too soon(arrggg!) I will try to drip a little acid on the area that was not submerged and see if I cannot even it up a bit. Either way I am glad to see the results of my heating and pounding. Need to do a little finish work and call this one good!

Thanks guys - i am also working on my first pattern welded blade and it is looking good. What type, and where can I get the acid you use to etch your blades? This is a mix of lawnmower blade steel, bandsaw blade and banding strap. I am hand sanding the scraches out of the blade now and when I leave it in vinagar for an hour or so it looks pretty good but does not last?

Made from a truck coil spring. Blade is 5" handle is 4 1/2" and made of osage. Heat treated by taking the blade to critical and quenching in heated vegetable oil. My goal was a camp knife with a rough, forged mountain man look. Bob Urban

Yes - Please - give us more detail on what and how and how many? I am just learning as well and like soaking up as much imfo as I can

TRIW - I have no clue? I just thought it was tough stuff and really springy so I used it. Also used because it stacks so well and layers grow quick. The stuff I am using comes from bar joists and steel decking to keep them together while shipping. Bob Urban

Jsanders - Check wood shops and metal fabricating shops. My best friend has an fabrication company and they have a ton of old metal cutting saw blades in the junk pile. That is where I do my work. I am sure if you ask for old used blades they would just give them to you - they are worthless for cutting. Bob Urban

OK I am new here and have been lurking for a few months and soaking up all I can about forging steel mostly for the purpose of making knives. I have two projects going one made from a piece of coil spring off an old truck that is already shaped like a knife and the other is my second billet forge work and my first attempt at pattern welding. This started out as 4 pieces of lawnmower blade with 5 layers of banding strap. I welded and folded this combo 3 times then cut this billet into 3 pieces and sandwiched it with 4 pieces of band saw blade. I welded this together, folded once and drew it out into the billet in the photo. I am guesing this will be about 60-70 layers if my math is correct? Anyway, I hae been woking it flat on a belt sander and tried to etch it with vinager. Hard to see but there is some pattern showing and I am hoping it all holds together when I begin shaping it into a knife blade. Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself and get my pics posted so that you experts have something to refer to when I start asking tons of questions. I will keep pics coming as I progress with these knives. By the way, I am using a propane forge and have a 50lb power hammer, 3 anvils, a mountain of hammers, tongs and tools and a scrap yard of steel. I am becoming obsessed with this and will probably be asking a lot of questions. Thanks for looking - Bob Urban

ATS - can you tel me more about the knife build? I have my first ever billet and actually my first ever forging project going and I think it is turning out pretty well. I took an old lawn mower blade and cut it into 1x3 chunks and sandwiched them with equal size pieces of banding strap.(9 pieces total) I forge welded this all together with 3 folds then let it sit for a couple weeks(sidetracked) I then cut this billet into 3 pieces and sandwiched them between 4 pieces of band saw blade(7 total) welded and folded once. I then drew this out to a 8x1x1/4" billet and I am now working the billet smooth on a belt sander and it looks to have held together pretty well with some decent pattern showing up. I will post pics when I get the knife finished. My question to you is: When you use the pallet banding and saw blades how hot are you taking the steel? I have a gas forge and it seems my outside layers almost get too hot and want to burn off? I clamp and tack weld both ends of my stack with a mig but dhould I weld a little on the sides too? Wat I an doing seems to be working but I have not finished the knife yet so we will see? Also, how many layers and folds do you have there and did you just fold or did you twist? Thanks from a newbie - Bob Urban