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Thanks for the nice comments guys!!

Bob, I am starting to harden the spines on my knives. The center section is still soft. I have an old bowie I made a long time ago and I use it to drive through some hart pine kindling and the spine has mushroomed out quite a bit. I know this is abuse of the knife, but that is how I use it. I don't have a hardness tester but I think I have the spine just a little softer than the edge. I kinda like the way it looks.

Forged 1095 blade, 416 stainless guard and butt cap and stag handle. Thanks for looking

The first piece of damascus I made I used 0-1 and 1018. If I remember right I started with 5 pieces (3-1018 & 2- 01). There are a lot of different combinations of steels you can use, but this is the one I welded first and it will give a medium carbon steel and will have good contrast when etched. I think the key to get good welds is to have your steel clean and flat. I started out trying to make a small billet at first to learn to weld. If your son has success on smaller pieces maybe that will encourage him to stick with it.

Any pictures of your knives to post? This is a great forum with a lot of very good bladesmiths. Thanks, Buddy

Looks like a slight upsweep to the point of the blade, I'd call it a hunter,,?. What ever you call it, that's a good looking blade. Hope to see pics when it's finished. Buddy

Just finished this folder. Blade is forged 52100 about 3" long acid etched finished, Titanium liners bolsters and clip, G10 scales. This one is going in the pocket of a soldier headed back to Iraq very soon. Thanks for looking,

When I make a knife with a tang like yours, I thread the end and screw the butt cap on. I like to have a mechanical force holding the handle on, not relying on just the epoxy, although yours may work fine. Nice blade shape. Hope to see a photo when it's finished.

" every day carry "

Triple quench,

Thanks, I grind to 800 grit, then hand sand with 600 grit, wet with WD40

Just finished a edc with 52100 blade, flat ground, removeable G10 scales, 6 1/2" overall length. Thanks for looking

Thanks for the extra pic, beautiful workmanship,

Very good looking folder!! More pics please,,,

You might try a Google search for "heat treating steel". You might find a company nearby that does a small quanity. www.texasknife.com heattreats air hardening steels.

I live in Northeast Ga. You can go to Georgia Custom Knifemakers' Guild - Website News - Knifemaker Identification Assistance and Tutoring needed - News and view the makers map and maybe find someone nearby.

7MM Rem. Mag

Photo of my latest mini. 3" overall length, nickel damascus, mammoth ivory. I know, they are not much use but are a challenge for me to make and I enjoy it. Thanks for looking!

7mm Remington mag.

Just finished a mini Bowie, nickel damascus and mammoth ivory. Thanks for looking,

Just finished a folder with damascus and exhibition grade pearl. This is a pretty big folder, about 5" closed length. Thanks for looking,

Thats 160 layers 1095 & 15n20. Thanks for the comments guys!

Just finished a damascus and walnut knife. 1095 & 15n20, 416 stainless fittings. Thanks for looking,

Perhaps you can try 6 times, 12 times and let us know. I only state what I know works for me. I have broken many small pieces of forged steel with different numbers of heat treatments and the "3" number produces the finest grain in the blades I forge.

I think it is a good idea to start and stick with one type of steel while learning to forge blades. For large and small knives, I think 5160 would be a good steel.1/4" x 1" bar stock would be a good size to start with. I've made several knives from 5160, and it is one of my favorites, and it's easy to work with. I forge mine at about 1500-1600 degrees. Normalize 3 times, anneal 3 times, quench 3 times(in oil heated to about 160 degrees), and temper 3 times. A Google search for "forging 5160" steel will probably load you with information. Hope tis helps,