Dangaard

HWooldridge: thank you for confirming my thoughts. Rich Hale: "You may also want to pay attention to the heat treat for D2" I have searched on google on this topic, and the numbers look like I will be moving to another steel for now. Thank you, that was useful information.

Gentleman, I am having some difficulty forging D2 into knives I have some D2 1/2" round stock. I was forging my round into square (at orange bright/dull heat) when it cracked right through the part I was hammering on straight through the cross section. I figured it was a fluke maybe I was working it too cold, so I hot cut the piece back 3" and started over same thing happened. I have heard and read wonderful things about d2 steel for knives I really want to make one. anyone have any answers/advice?

thank you MRobb, so do I. Ian: I have not tempered these yet, I am currently working on the facilities to perform such an act. These were pieces I made for shits and giggles, hardenable or not they were a worthwhile learning experience. I hope for the best though I see that I miss spoke (or posted as the case may be) these are my first knives made with the stock removal method. I was an apprentice blacksmith for a few weeks at the renaissance festival near where I live. I made two knives in that time. One I trashed, it was an improperly made (mild steel at that) piece. The second also made from mild steel much better designed I still have it somewhere. I will post pictures when I find it.

Dangaard is a cross between my personal name and the name of a monster in a fantasy card game I played once. Sjongaard was the name of the card I liked the name used to use it, but then I realized that you could whack off "sjon" (which some people cant pronounce and add Dan. Daniel here, always preferred Dan though). the card was of a dwarf made of stone, really tough, (not meaning to brag) kinda like me. Dangaard is actually used by other people I came to find out, pissed me off a little actually. My tailor made name and somebody else has it! meh got over it though.

recycling as I understand it is a common thing among hobbyist knife makers I am no exception. I made these knives from a P.O.S. untempered stainless sword I bought at a knife show some 8 years ago. They were made with the stock removal process I reworked the grind to get it very close to a flat grind with only a slight curve. they are rough work no mistake but very satisfying to make. The larger of the two started out as an idea for a tanto-ish style knife but ended up as a kind of drop point severly angled fighter. I don't care for tanto tips much myself, they look too fragile for my taste. I hope to cast a bronze ring guard for the larger piece, and finish it with a wood grip riveted on, purple heart if I can manage it. the smaller of the two was made from the tip you can actually see a bit of the original grind on the handle this will probably end up with a cord grip.