Rhyfelwr

What would you guys call this? I just did a variation of a utility knife blade I carry and changed the handle up a bit.
I made the knife out of an old tire iron, the handle is Osage from my backyard. Copper rivits of course.

I like your work so far.. I will be interested in a kit if you keep on making them.

Nice knives.. Easy to understand layout!

I mark almost everything with a simple 'H' stamp that I made myself. I don't stamp simple items like fireplace pokers or 'S' hooks, but knives or anything complicated I stamp.

The 'H' is the first initial of my last name.

Just buy a dimmer switch.. The older kind with a knob.. Its just a rheostat.

Welcome to I Forge Iron!

I am glad to see a writer actually researching Blacksmithing as opposed to just assuming certain things about the craft.

I have been forging 1" and 1"1/2 on my anvil with a 6# sledge with a short haft! Wears your forearms out but moves the steel, I've been making hardy tools recently.

I did get the fish lips on one piece but I just heated it and hammered them back in.. Not the prettiest work but I don't have the money (or the shop) for a power hammer so I make do.

Well thanks for all the feedback, that is probably one of the most informative answers (collectively) that I have ever gotten.. Now I need to make a header for square nails as well!

Also I didn't know that the Viking boats were nailed and clinched, just that they were nailed.

Well I learn something new every day!

Is a Round shank or Square shank nail better or worse? And why?

I read an article the other day on Vikings and how the archaeologists decided that they had visited our (USA) coast, was that they found round shank nails and they said American Colonials used square shanks.

Frosty - Do you have a picture of your handle? I am very much interested, I think I know what you are saying but I'd still like to see a picture!

What I was the most proud of, was that I hot punched the hole through it; with a slitter I made myself that morning!

Jimbob - I already like making my own punches/chisels/hardi's and tongs.. Hard to resist making hammers now!

Grant - You are probably right, I just like the feel 'cause I made it..

Lewis - I just rough carved the handle from a limb of Osage, I probably aught to make a better one. Maybe straight grained Oak.

Today I forged and punched my first hammer. I know it doesn't look like much but I made some "S" hooks to hang tools on using it and I am really pleased with the balance.

It weighs 20oz

Thanks for the link, I found it very informative and interesting. I especially liked the little blade about halfway down the first page.

I just made one this morning out of a unidentified peice of railroad hardware. But it felt just like the railroad spikes I have worked, same hardness I think.

Although I have only made one nail it seems to work fine!

You probably are right about investing in a belt grinder, even though I do like the semi forged look. And I typically forge the blades down to almost 90% of completion.

Thanks for the critique!

I wont comment on a price for another to sell their stuff, sorry, that's a call I doubt anyone can do for you.

I will comment about a statement on your web site. you posted a folder stating you used a copper and nickel core wire. where did you get that? if its Electrical its copper clad Aluminum, not a nickel core. if it is a copper plated nickel, I would like to get some.

I just finished this folder, specs are as follows: 5" Red Oak Handle (one peice!). The blade is made from the leavings of another knife, but I believe its a buggy spring. Holds an edge rather well. I hand sanded and filed the blade and handle, overall I think I have 3 hours in this knife.

Oh and the handle finish is Linseed oil.

I am curious what would you charge for something like this? I mostly give my creations away as birthday/Christmas gifts.. But recently I have a local store owner wanting to retail some and I am at a loss as to what to charge.

Thanks for looking!

I have been using a peice of 12"x3" round bar steel as my anvil for a while now and it seemed to work just fine set on end sunk into a stump. The edges rounded off after a while and the face mushroomed a bit in 2 years..

I just recently bought myself a 113# Hay-Budden and am now realizing what I was missing!

Thanks, I paid $200 for it.. But I have been hunting for one for a while now.

I just bought a #114 Hay-Budden serial number is A17956 can anyone tell me the year?



Thanks!

I watched that Jim Poor video, and boy does he know how to make tongs. Pretty ones too! I laughed like crazy when his wife and friend joined in.. They were spot on. Showed my wife that part :P

I never know what to ask for something unless I see a price online or at somebodies stand.. Its real hard starting out to figure out what to price something you craft.

Thats why I like posts like this.. You get everyones opinion..

Nice work.. I'd probably rivit, since I lack a welder..

I haven't been on here recently.. But thanks for the comments everyone. Thomas: I usually am pretty good about not splitting the woods I use but Osage is new to me as a handle material.. I don't think I actually noticed that knot! As for re-handling the blade, my heat treat had some inconsistencies and after I used the knife a while I was dissatisfied with it (I think I end up that way with all my own knives).

Anyway I've moved on to several blades since, right now I am working on a camp knife for a civil war artifact hunter.

How did you get the scrolls on it/in it? Did you weld them on or cut and work the whole thing from a single piece of 3/8"x1" bar?

Looks great by the way!

I recently decided to mess with some Osage Orange, so I made a little folder and handled it in Osage. The blade is a fragment of a lawnmower blade, the rest of which is a Bowie knife I made for my Dad.

The pins were supposed to be copper, which is what I usually pin handles with except this time the wire I grabbed had some nickel in it. The axle pin is steel.

The only thing I was not happy about was the handle split just a hair, but apparently it didn't lose a lot of strength.

And here are the pictures!