MotoMike

wow, that is quite a commission.  I am anxious to see the progress as you work through that.  

OK.  been quite hot lately.  just wondering

ohh.  I'm with JHCC.  No Pics!!

short shorts?  It sounds like a lot of denim

so now your are sporting denim cut offs?

Well, I've never forged a knife so my critique is based on next to no knowledge.  They are great looking knives.  I prefer the second one, and as it has been mentioned it is sort of spydercoish.  Or as I say, cop knife.  Looks good. the Micarta looks quite toothy.  can you tell about how it is made?  If I had a criticism, it would be that to my eye, if the leading edge of the scales paralleled the plunge line, it would just seem more in place.  but it is an aesthetic opinion.  It's a sweet knife. as is the other. 

King Tut's Iron dagger was forged from a meteorite circa 3400 years ago. 

Another rail spike cap lifter.  

Welcome along.  I'm up in Savanna. 

1 hour ago, Metal detector said:

I found this in north west Illinois

Which county.  I'm in northwest Illinois, Carroll Co. 

welcome

Looks a tad over 20 pounds

3 hours ago, JHCC said:

Here’s the finished hammer, by the way:

JHCC, that is a sweet hammer.  Love the touchmark.  Do you use a press to set it?  Or a 20 pound sledge?

punched out a cap lifter to try out my new touchmark on.  

That looks great Bryan 

  recently acquired a chunk of white oak and a plank of Ash.  made a tuning hammer.

Sounds like a plan.  

I personally think that two layers of 1 inch kaowool inside a 20 pound propane bottle or similar, rigidized with a 1/4 to half inch layer of hard flame face refractory like Satinite or Greenpatch,  with a split brick or kiln shelf floor would be a rugged forge that would not require frequent replacing of the kaowool.  I'd also use a ir kiln wash like Plistix or similar, which I don't think helps with ruggedness but will help to make it more efficent and use less fuel.  such a forge I think would use less fuel than the one you are planning.  If you keep an eye on it for cracks and patch them when they occur, I don't see why it would not last for many years.  just my 2 cents.  

good luck. 

Welcome.  tell about your small set up at home.  I too have a small setup at home.

Jennifer that is awesome work.  I don't suppose you are making a video of that one?  what is the steel?

considering the difficulty in forging the directly meteoric iron, amazing considering it was from what 1400bc?  I wondered if the high nickel content contributed to its longevity?

Quote

The guy.  Ron I am using your burner with the Bordeaux modification.  works like a champ.  welcome.

 

Tried a bit of google foo but no exray found.  article originally published in the Journal of Meteorics and Planetary Science.  you can get an abstract but not the full text without membership or an $1871 annual subscription.  did find a closeup of the blade though showing the two spots where they sampled it.  the abstract says the blade had almost 11% nickel and .5% cobalt.  how would this effect the final product compared to terrestrial iron? 

It just now occurs to me that the pommel is crystal.  If the guard were also crystal, it is easy for me to imagine a mishap that would account for the exposed machi

I concur with Thomas that the iron knife is more intriguing.  I read that they analyzed the knife back in the 70s and thought that it might be from meteorite, but was deemed inclonclusive.  recently I heard they proved it was from a meteor.  they said the hieroglyph that describes it translates to iron from the sky.

I wonder if the machi is intended, or if the blade has come loose from the handle or if there was something else there that has deteriorated.  Amazing that it has lasted this long in such great condition.  must be like zero humidity there.  

I'm also struck with the beauty and timelessness of the design.

Thanks Slag, but I have some white oak for heads and ash for handles.