D.O.G.

Nice and easy. I have used a similar method, using an 8 ft 4x4 chained to it as a lever to lift posts out. The jack looks easier on the back.

Thanks Eggwelder. I used the rebar handle, because the eye was drifted with that same piece of rebar(makes for a good fit), and it would be stronger,and I think better looking than the same diameter piece of wood.

This was my first attempt to make a hawk. It turned out better than I expected(I expected complete failure). I haven't broke it yet, and I've hucked it at a few solid stumps. The head and handle are made from the same piece of rebar(I know how much you guys like rebar ;)) edge quenched in water and tempered to light brown. I think it might still be a little hard, (as it is difficult to file) but no chips in the edge yet. I plan to wrap the handle in paracord after powder coating it. A friend of mine will do that for free. I'm not spending money on coating this ugly thing, but it would be nice to keep the rust at bay. Thanks for lookin Dustin

Greetings fellow Nebraskan! This is a great site with loads of info. Hope the forge building goes well. Dustin

I like it. Keep em coming. I'm no expert by any means, but I quench 1095 in warm water, unless its really thin or double edged. I have good results as long as its normalized first. Dustin

Thanks Kubiak. So basically if there is wobble I am taking my chances. It could be a costly fix. I will have to wait and see. The seller has not responded yet. I just sent another message so he knows I am serious, hopefully he is. Maybe I will get lucky and there will be no significant movement and I will take it home. Dustin

I would love to make this snow go away completely(I have to plow and shovel Instead of trying out my new used anvil arriving today :() but its already accumulating. I really appreciate your help Knots, I feel more confident about knowing what to look for. Glad to hear that the old American craftsmanship holds up well. There are plenty of Chinese made press's out there, but they don't appeal to me like the old ones. Thanks again for all the help Dustin

Wow, so parts are not likely going to be cheap. Thanks for all the help guys! I hate to waste money, or miss out on a deal due to my own ignorance. I wish the guy would get back to me, so I can look at it up close. Now its going to snow, :angry: that really throws off my schedule. I am ready for spring.

If there is sideways movement in the chuck, is it beyond reasonable repair? I am good at repairing things but there is a limit.

Thanks Frosty. I'm glad to hear it will be worth it even needing work. I'm trying to get a hold of the guy right now. Explain it later, I love it.

Thanks Knots. That's a good idea for testing. I will definitely take a close look, before buying. I'll have to check out that clausing group first, but if the machine is solid I'm probly going to buy it. As you said it seems like Clausing made some really good tools. They have been around since 1911, must be doing something right.

Thanks Jawno. I haven't got the chance to check it out in person, but it looks like a lot of machine for the money. Since it looks older(70's, 80's) I had concerns about finding parts, but clausing says they have parts going back 70 years. A similar grizzly seems to be about 475 to get it shipped. Clausing is made in America, and grizzly is Chinese. You are right, I just need to check it out in person. The older presses I have used worked great, and I think thats what I would prefer. I better not wait, just missed out on a large Rockwell drill press for 125, someone else was faster on the draw.

Looking at one on craigslist, is it worth $225? Anyone out there have one?

Very nice! What are they made of?

Again, I do not recommend that people use rebar for blades, I did because my testing said that this one piece would make a decent knife. The cleaver has only been sharpened once in a year and a half. It was still cutting/chopping pretty well when I sharpened it. These are useful blades. I certainly did not use rebar to save money, as I already own enough 1095, 5160, springs, and files to make plenty of knives. I definitely would not have made a second if the first had not worked so well. I have almost 2ft left from this piece and I will use it for blades eventually, and that will likely be the last rebar I ever use. Rebar is bad for knives most of the time. Please do not waste your time. Dustin

It reminds me of my first knife, made of mild steel and banana shaped. (Its the bottom one in my profile pic) While this "knife" could cut you, only a few times before dulling. You can make anything sharp for a little while. But that "knife" was fun enough to make that it encouraged me to do better. If you enjoy it keep making them, but better steel will make a better knife. I would try another with a straight blade for practice. Thanks for sharing, and lets see the next one.

Thanks Arbalist and Bikecop. I need to learn more about cord wraps as well. These were my first real cord handles, and I really like the way the feel in hand. This piece of rebar was found dumped with old concrete in a ravine that has become a forest. A truck hasn't been able to access this area to dump in this area for at least 40 years(based on the large cottonwood and elms blocking the way) and I'm doubting it was new rebar when dumped. I am sure it is quite old, and I have not encountered any other rebar with a useful carbon content. Definitely test testy test, and sometimes you get lucky. I got skunked mushroom hunting but brought home something I enjoy more.

I would be happy with it too. Looks good. I think my next knife will have an antler handle. The piece I have has even more curve than that, but I have read that you can boil them for 20 minutes and then Immediately(10-15 seconds from water to straight) clamp to straight in wood blocked vice. Never tried it but makes sense to me.

Wow that is great lookin knife!

Great work! The sheath looks good as well. Have you started the next one yet?

Definitely unpredictable stuff. I have only ever found this one piece of rebar that seemed to have promise, most is random. But I hated to scrap this piece without trying something and was willing to have wasted my time. I have plenty of known blade steels and spring but the rebar was just asking for a new life and was more fun for me. This is a hobby and if its not fun what's the point. A lot of people like the fish cleaver for its crude appearance, myself included as I am somewhat of a crude fellow with similar crude appearance ;) Thanks for the kind words Frosty Dustin

I know rebar is generally worthless fore blades. I am not by any means suggesting that anyone waste their time and efforts on rebar knives. A couple years ago while wandering a patch of woods for mushrooms, I found a 3.5 ft length of thick rebar(11/16-3/4'' diam.) I brought it home to throw in the pile, but the grinder said it needed further investigating. I flattened a piece out to 3/16'' or so heated to nonmagnetic and quenched in water. Very hard and brittle, even scratched my file. It did warp, so I tried with oil, and it was very hard and no warping. I was happy with double tempering at 400. I decided to make a simple blade to test it out. Yes it is ugly, but over the last year and a half it has become my favorite knife in the kitchen. I intended to use it for fish decapitation, but I use it for more things than any knife I have and it just keeps cutting. I not easy on it either. I decided to make a new reknife that was thinner and longer. I ground the ridges off the rebar before starting this time, to avoid cold shuts and stress. Nothing fancy but this metal hold its edge like a champ, and I made something of useful out of scrap which I love doing. The small knife in the last pic is 1095 not rebar. Thanks for looking Dustin

Just a couple of presents I made for some friends. The letter opener is made from coins, and the wood is russian olive burl. The knife is 1095, the handle is cow horn, and the guard and pommel are made from coins. More for fun, as it will never be used. Sorry for the terrible photography, and thanks for looking.

Nice work man. I like the video, looks like it will perform well.