Zanshin

Ciao Angiolino, è un po' difficile capire quello che scrivi per via dell'inglese... (senza intendere nessun vilipendio, per carità) se vuoi scrivere in Italiano posso tradurre io per te. Comunque, quello che twntano di dirti è che devi star lontano da pezzi non solidi come la putrella, il binario ecc. Se trovi blocchi massello anche non enormi, 40 o 50 kg bastano, pezzi di rimanenza da tornitori, fonderie ecc va benissimo le forche del muletto vanno benissimo ma le devi usare verticalmente altrimenti la flessione è troppa e fai lavoro doppio. Se vuoi, su ebay trovi un fornitore che ti spedisce una incudine decente e le spese di spedizione sono abbordabilissime ed il prezzo dell'incudine è molto buono. Son fatte in cina ma è c45 ottimo acciaio per iniziare. Io ne presi una ed ha un rimbalzo ottimo, ancora la usiamo. Se vuoi ti do il nome del venditore in privato, non so se si possa pubblicamente. Fammi sapere! Fra

Welcome to the community Tsunero. I live in NW Las Vegas. I think that Biggundictor was referring to blacksmithing, bladesmithing etc. Personally, I am an hobbyst bladesmith (thank Biggundoctor for your compliments) and I am trying to hammer as much as I can. I don t have all the tool either but if you want to stop by, a couple of hands more could be helpful, if I can get a good sledge hammer. Lemme know

Hi everybody, I went ahead a little since last time... Those are my progresses so far... But I also forged a folder blade and built the frame of that folder, that's why I haven't finished it yet... I hope you like it so far. PS. I need to find some ferric acid to etch the blade...

Thank you, Paul!!!

Let's gather in a couple of week!! So everyone will have enough time to prepare himself...

I agree with Frosty, try and make your own. In the meanwhile you can use the HF ones. Not always in that shop is negatife, I found a lot of stuff there that works pretty good... I red some reviews of those punchs and some are oretty bad. Although, people are stupid and lots of negative reviews talked about punching hard metal like pliers, wrenches... Those are often hardened steel and is not adviceable to punch hardened steel even with more expensive ones, they will get ruined, I know it for experience. I say: buy them, try them, if not working, return them. In the meanwhile, make your own. Don't case harden, the process would modify the lines and the stamps would get out bad... Fra

I agree with Frosty, try and make your own. In the meanwhile you can use the HF ones. Not always in that shop is negatife, I found a lot of stuff there that works pretty good... I red some reviews of those punchs and some are oretty bad. Although, people are stupid and lots of negative reviews talked about punching hard metal like pliers, wrenches... Those are often hardened steel and is not adviceable to punch hardened steel even with more expensive ones, they will get ruined, I know it for experience. I say: buy them, try them, if not working, return them. In the meanwhile, make your own. Don't case harden, the process would modify the lines and the stamps would get out bad... Fra

Well, for some particular steels, you need a little of annealing before forging (i found it useful on d2, d3, ecc if they have been already forged previously, to prevent cracks, those steels are pretty nasty) but for a leaf spring it's useless. After forging you have lits of stresses in the metal structure so you may need a first normalization (SUB critical heat) and air cooling a couple of time, and then, I suggest to bring the knife blank to austenitic temperatur (amagnetic) and turn off the forge leaving the knife inside the coal. In my forge, which is closed on sides and top, the coal keeps being hot for hours and sometimes the day after it is still warm. Work the knife as you like leaving some meat before the heat treating, if you're using a grinder, if you are working with file and sand paper, there's no way after HT to get the eccess of meat from the knife so it should be almost done. A 220 gri finish wi be appreciated by your hands if you are working by hands only. When wirking with grinders I found useful, to prevent warping, to leave 20/30% of the edge thickess to do after ht, on razor up to 60/70% or, on some kind of steels, I grind completely after HT. But I have also ground finished up to 400 grit before HT with good result and jad warps leaving meat to grind after HT so it really is a matter of luck. In any case, the thickness to leave on the ege on a FINISHED knife before SHARPENING it's 1 to 0.8 mm, it depends on the size of the knife. On razors it's 0.1 mm. When you work your knife, you create more mechanical stresses in the molecular structure so, before quenching, it is better to notmalize at least 3 times. I noticed that normalization gives its best results if it is SUB critical and it helps prevent from warping (it refines the molecular structure too) normalization. I use to quench in oil 3 times. When I get crazy I quench in oil 2 times and then in water the 3rd. Plus, do the HT in a metal square tube so that the the knife doesn't touch the coal, that will prevent your finish to get ruined by the coal touching the hot metal, it can be annoying if you want a good finish. If the tube is closed at one end, you can also introduce wood chips continuosly to help bunr the oxigen to prevent oxidation/decarburation but this part I am not sure it's not only a myth. I tried sometimes and it doesn't look so different but trying is not bad. If you are working with bearings steel you'll appreciate a good finish before the HT, that metal in nasty on sand paper. I love it. Cuts lake a laser. Finish your knife. Assemble it. Make the sheath, THEN sharpen. No good to handle a sharpened blade while making the sheath... That's the way I use, i am sure it's not the only way but it works for me. Cheers Fra

Wow!! You guys are coming out with solution I can't even think about... I can totally see the expertise you must have in working the metal...

Eddie and DCRAVEN, those are really good things indeed!!! I would wear that bracelet!!!!

Pics?

I can totally Understand. Plus, hammering gives to the metal better mechanical properties and allows you to save a lot of metal, which is very important sometimes. However, to hammer-shape so precisely, one has to be very, very, very good at forging. Again, wonderful job!!!!

@ Biggundoctor: On Cl las vegas i found only that one ($750) and a PW same poundage ($500). The last one is still there after a month, really rare for an anvil... @ Jim Coke: I have always, and when I say always it means since I started digging a hole in the ground to make a fire to strigthen spring leaves, always found in blacksmiths (and bladesmiths) real, true, and fair people. We can be a little... rough sometimes (and I say this only talking about myself) but we give a kidney if another hammerhead needs it, even if never met. A master bladesmith in Italy who I had never met before, explained to me for 45 minutes how to proceed to forge weld my first billet on the phone and he was going to a baptism with his family. He let wife and sons go ahead and he sat in his car explaining step by step. Thanks Jim for your words Anyways, I am going off topic... sorry ;P

By the way, I just called the guy to see if he still wants to sell me the anvil and he said he never send me an email. He is actually taking it to an auction house because it thinks to sell it $1000. Well, the email with pictures in my account it must be auto generated... good luck!!! Fra

Thomas: I hammered for years on a railroad track and, before, on one of those iron weights used on the front of tractors before having my cheap anvil at my parent's in Italy. Now that I moved here I was thinking to buy a chunk of steel and have it hardened because I don't really need the complex shape of an anvil. Then, this guy contacted me and offered me the anvil. You can understand that in such this case, it's feeling the "taste" of the anvil so close that made me sad, not the fact that I want something specific. Plus, the lack of honesty xxxx me off a lot, even if, it's true, the anvil is his property and he can do whatever he wants with it... But I am still sad thinking about it...... Francesco

Guys, I don't know what to say... I am not gonna lie, my wife just saw me almost crying... For joy. Thanks to biggundoctor for the offer... Jim, I agree with you but if you really need something it is hard not to look for it really hard... Anyways, going back to the topic: the problem is that lately people just think to do whatever they want even if it mean being dishonest. One example: I had to sell the wood for cellos I had in Italy because sending it here was not convenient. A guy contacted me to buy the whole thing and he made an offer. I accepted. Later I received offers for single pieces at higher offers. Still, I sold the wood to the first guy because I told him I accepted in first place. I could have risen more money but I'd rather be honest and sell stuff at a reasonable price instead that like it was made of gold. And because I think that when I give my word, that's a contract. You can call me stupid but that's the way I think. Thanks to all of you again for the support Francesco

Yesterday. I found a guy selling a Swedish anvil 120 lb for 200. He send me pics. Then I said: when can we meet? He never responded. Now, that anvil is on cl for 750. Now. One thing I don't understand: if I have to pay 750 for a used anvil with chipped corners, I would rather buy a new one like NC or Cliff Carroll from online shops that sells you free shipping, for the same price. NEW. The whole point of buying a used tool is to have it for cheaper because it is USED. I am not gonna lie: I am pretty angry at those people who BUY used anvils at stupid prices because it is their fault if a tool became a luxury item. I need to work and I cannot do it without an anvil and a forge. I can make my forge pretty easily but not an anvil. And I can't afford to buy a new one or a used one priced as new. I am angry at this lack of honesty and at this stupidity. I am sorry if I upset someone but this is how I feel today. I was happy yesterday now I am really sad Francesco

This is the reason I cannot find a used anvil for a price lower than a new one. Because there are id...s that buy chewed anvils at huge prices because they look "vintage" for their collection ov vintage stuff. I found a guy sellung here in Henderson a Peter Wright 120 lb CHEWED (bended working table, all corners destroyed) for 500. Fortunately the ad is there after several weeks. I recently sent an email with a reasonable offer and he told me the price is firm. The world is upside down...

It's impressive how precisely you forge shaped the knife!!!! I wish I had half of your skill!!! Wanderful knife!!!

I like the blade. Personally, I like better when the twisted is deeply ground so that it shows the "stars" but this is a very handsome blade!!! I would NOT use an antler for this blade because the shape is very nice and clean... You could try a Hippo tooth, the straight ones, I think that how it usually tapers would nicely fit the shape of the blade creating a fluent shape. And, it is an awesome material!!! Francesco

Nice little knives. I would not make that little dent in the proximal part of the blade, it would bother the end of the cutting edge, the one towards the handle, to not touch if cutting on a board or a workbench. Just my opinion. But the knives are very handsome!!!

I usually make small knives to giveaway out from drill bits for concrete. I usually leave the twisting pattern of the bit on the back, as I am showing here. This is made by tapering the bit and bending the metal to make the handle (I am sure you guys can do it much better, I am not a good bladesmith :rolleyes: ) but you can make the handle leaving its original shape and maybe just bending it so that you can recognize the drill bit. Te goot bits for concrete are a good steel that, without hardening, get hard and flexible enough to be a pocket knife (remember it's a giveaway item) even just after the shaping temp, air cooling. Others, need an oil quench and tempering but they usually are really good steels. This sheath is not difficult to make but here I used a really good leather but if you don't need a belt clip, just take a piece of wood or horn thick enough, heat the blade in the forge prior the hardening and use it to make a hole in the wood/horn. That would be your blade cover. If it would be too lose, glue small strips of thin leather in the mouth of the sheath and yo are served. Hope it will be useful. Let us know Francesco

OOOk, these days I had to go slow and I just started to polish ome side. A lot to polish still but I wanted to start looking at the pattern. I have no ferric so I used lemon overnight, as soon as I can go to Radioshack I will buy the serious one... anyways: there it is:

So beautiful.... I can't wait to have a forge again...