Zanshin

I think they are all good reasons!!! I like the bacon comment!!! I think it will handle batoning just fine. Beautiful work, looking forward to see it finished!!

For a liner lock, as already said, there is a detent micro sphere pressed into the spring/liner at te upper corner usually that "falls" into a little blind hole drilled in the flat face of the blade in closed position. It looks not enough but if done properly it can stop the blade from opening quite well and safely. For the lock back: in closed position it works exactly like a slipjoint, with the head of the spring pressing down the heel of the blade beyond the pivot so that the blade rises inside the handle. Although, I designed, some months ago, a lock in closed position that works perfectly, but it is not simple because you have to do it very last thing on the knife, so if you give just a single file stroke too much you can jeopardize the whole thing. I attached a couple of pics. This is the way I use, I like to reduce the quantity of pieces in my knives. The spring is one piece with the back. In those pics it is oversized, I carefully grind it after HT to reach the strength I desire. This way of making the mechanism allows me to reduce a little the size of the butt of the handle. I put just one pin at the end of the spring to force it upwards. This spring is MA5M (420C) but you can make it in any carbon steel you want. I'd rather use C45 (1045 I think) because it decreases the possibilities of breaking since I usually close my folders with rivets and not with screws. This is just my experience I hope it helps Francesco

This is just an old project, since It's been awhile since last time I forged... Blade composite "W" twisted damascus pure nickel and 1070 with a cutting edge simple twisted 15n20 and k720. Ebony scales, random damascus bolsters (pure nickel and 1070), 304 inox liners, 440A inox spring. fileworked, inside the spring too, inox bail. Blade:85 mm, 3 mm thick. Backlock. Thank you for looking :D

I used tons of springs, always used. The problem with the old ones it's, principally, that they are made out of worse material than the new ones, lots os time C45. Over time the steel manufacturing has improved and I found really good material, mostly on 4wd offroads truck. Really good are train spring leaves (55si7). It is true that if hardly used, they can have some micro fractures maybe not visible but, blow after blow, they can cause a bad ending of our projects. Personally, i like better using the junkyard ones but only beacuse I love recycling!!! :D :D :D Francesco

Looks very good so far. Flat bevels? It looks quite thick (I believe 5 mm, from the pics), why didn't you grind full height with this thickness? I think it would be strong enough to handle the full flat grind which has much better cutting properties... I am loving it so far!!! Beautifully strong shape!! Francesco

Beautiful. I never managed to make an hamon like that. I should practice more. It is lovely Francesco

Thank you, you helped a lot!!!

Hi Jay, I was thinking about buying one of those since I was in Italy, the three burner, two years after I started blacksmithing. I never did because the shipping to Italy was double the cost of the forge. Now that I am in USA I am wondering to switch to gas instead of coal. Making damascus, I need very high heating temps. Do you think this one can be good for that purpose? Can it reach the welding point without consuming a whole tank of propane? Thanks Francesco

I believe he's busy... In Italy his books are considered like Holy Bibles!!! Anyways, if there was someone who can share the workshop sometimes, I would really appreciate... I miss forging a lot and I also need to make a piece of damascus for a knife. It is also for me a way to make some friends, I met only my wife's friends but they all talk only about cirque du soleil (they all work there)... I can bring the beers!!!

Thanks to everyone. I'll update my profile as soon as I can. And thanks for the suggestion about where to shop. Wait a minute... Mr. Hrislousas is FrOm VeGaSSSsss? OMG... All my friends from Italy will be jealous to death!!!! Thanks to all of you. And, I will show some picsas soon as I can!!! Fra

Hallo to everyone, my name is Francesco and I just moved to Las Vegas. I am a knifemaker and I usually forge my blades in damascus. I make fixed and folders and I have a good experience in making medieval swords and armors (I was in a reenactment group in italy). Unfortunately I don't have an anvil and a forge yet, nor a place to forge, since I live in a complex of houses very close to each other, very small garage and very small backyard. I am glad I found this awesome website!!!! Thanks Francesco

Hi everyone, I just moved to LV from Italy two months ago. Unfortunately I have no place to put a forge and an anvil and I really miss forging. I live in nw vegas, and if someone would like to have a forge buddie for a day (or more) I would really appreciate. I am a knifemaker and I usually make damascus. Thanks to everyone Francesco