Ron Hicks

Hi cooter

Did you get the forge working ? Havent heard from you
Ron

I think I may trash the handle its to good a blade to chance- Ive allways had trouble with a full hidden tang getting the handle to look right.
I just hate to waste such a good looking chunk of Walnut.

This is a knife I forged from a bearing race last spring thinking about finishing it.
All hand work files, hand sand,edge harden & tempered.Its a through tang.
I brazed sheet brass to make top furrel & NS pin stock flattened and brazed for the rings. The pomel is sheet brass also made a flaired out furrel dish out a cap and brazed on. The guard is NS ,wood is from a Walnut stump.
I have the handle is glued to the rings furrel and pommel - its not attached to the blade or guard. I want to take a little bend out of the guard and file it down to the sides of handle also kind of blend it in.

What do you think about the handle??? I dont know If I like it or not???
Maybe a Pakistan Bowie?

I was going to peen the tang to hold on the hanlde- But Im not sure If it will work. I have a 1/8 in gap between the end of the wood and inside of the pommel where I wanted to peen the tang.I thought I would fill the void with JB Weld & when dry peen the tang down. Think the JB Weld will hold up ?or dent in the brass.
Also If I were to peen it how much tang do i need to peen? I left it long.
I can not take off the pommel its glue on.
But I can make a new handle

What ya think? Ron

Good for you
They say the KMG is about as good as it gets
Like to see some pics. when its set up
how big a motor are you using?
Ron

OK Guys I give - Making Chain isnt fun anymore I hate it!!!!!!!!
20ft. of 3/8 rd bar trashed out - bucket full of clinkers ,burnt, smoked,wasted coal.Time to walk away & leave it be Im to uptight.
Sorry to bother you all and thanks for all the help everyone gave me, sorry I have wasted your time.
Ron

I guess Im just hard headed - Ill keep at
Has anyone tired making chain like in the link?

I would not care to have a Panther any where around little kids.
I bet somethings worng for it to come up that close - Ive only heard them Squal never seen one
Good old 30-30 might just be the thing

ttt
???
???

I keep it in the upper 1/3 of the fire - The hand cranked blower is Royal you can see it in the old pic.

Im getting welds and think I must not be making the scarf right- I cant seem to get the ends welded - it welds in center just the very tiny ends of the scarf is where I have my trouble.
I tried today thinning the ends down & still having same problem.

Ive got to be doing something Wrong ,I know the guys that made chain did spend an hour on each link with 4-5 welding heats.

Im getting welds and think its my scarfs thats the problem
Can you see in the pic. what Im talking about???????

Look at the top of the links .
I must not understand this book Making a Chain :Farm Blacksmithing
Its welding first heat all but the very ends
Thomas have you made chain like this how did you shape the scarfs??
Ive been making pretty good Forge welds till I started foolin with this chain
Ron

Open fire -
I have a Champion Whirlwind fire pot 9 X 11 X 4 1/2 deep.

Ive been filling the pot with coke level with top for the chain.

So I know how much coke I need - should I keep as much coke on top the fire pot as in it, with wet coal banked on sides and back?

Does the color of the flames tell you If it a comsuming fire when the blower is on?
I have a Orangeish Redish flame.

Other than the thick ends on my scarfs is this right for chain?:confused:

This is on Chain Making and what Im tring to do.
Making a Chain :Farm Blacksmithing

I wish someone could do a scarf for chain and show a picture

Thanks Ron

This first picture I tried to get a edge view of the scarfs.
They are scarfed on opposite sides of the bar.


Second picture is of the side of bar. I give the ends a good wack on the horn
to bend them in. Then heat and bend into like a tear drop shape with the scarfs together for the weld.
Ive tried bending the U first ,scarf ends, and turn in .


Third picture is the links welded. I have the bad ends all to the top of picture.
I get them welded in the center first weld I reheat 2-3 more times tring to get the ends to weld .
Ive made 10 links so far and only had 1 weld with out no seem at ends of scarf. I twisted 1 apart in the vise they are welded but with the end not welded that is where the tear starts.


I started with a good size coal fire and had a hard time working in it.I had better luck with just enough coal to fill the pot.
I turn the links over every few seconds and use flux. Ive tried to weld at heat just before sparks - the best weld Ive gotten the link had sparks shooting off.

Ive been having the same trouble on other welds also and takes 2-3 heats to make it right but I cant seem to get the chain to weld on down.
Thanks Ron

Roger
I really like your posts you allways show us great things
Thank You
Ron

I tring to learn to make chain.
I dog ear scarf and bend to lap each other & forge weld.
Im having a lot of trouble getting the ends of the scarfs welded down.
Ive gotten a few welded good but took like 4 heats.
Most of the links Ive made are welded in the center and not at the scarfed ends.
Thanks for the help
Ron

Rick
That is a Great Demo
Lucian Avery does make it look easy
& I thought I knew how to make a scroll
Great Demos I wish they could be put in the Gallery
Thanks Ron
Oh yea my tongs I made are sorry for chain
gota make a better pair after I find a pair to look at.

Ive gotten 3 links made and together - looks like this might get fun

Man JPH thats VERY NICE

I made a set of tongs to hold the chain today ,not sure how the chain tongs were made but seem like they will work.
Farm Blacksmithing had some good stuff on chain making
Hand Forging Wrought good stuff on scarfing.
I unerstand the dog ear now .

Ill go at it see If I can learn it

Thanks Guys

Im just learning to forge weld ,welding mild steel.
I use 20 Mule Team Borax Soap from the store.
I heard some say dont use soap and some swear by it.

What is anti- borax?

Sorry Dennis
dont take me wrong Im just tring to help.
I had a heck of a time with the torch until I got a neutral flame
Be Safe
Ron

Might start by Spark testing BP0020 Spark Testing
maybe forge out a thin section and quench see if it hardens - break it.
play with it to see what forge temps to work in
it may crack or crumble at to high a heat or may be air harding.
Might be better for tools like punches & chisels not saying you can not make a knife from it.

I think you get your amp settings from the size of rod you are using.
Im just learning myself maybe some of the Weldors here will help and post.
You know as many welding ? as there is it would be nice to have a Welding section.
Ron

I havent room for 20 ft. -10ft. only on overhead rack on the wall.
The off fall and short stuff is leaning along one wall and growing .
I have an old tub outside that I was keeping junk scrap in but its
getting hard to find the tub.
Its the start to the old Traditional Junk Pile

Ive been doing a little forge welding and thought I might try making chain for practice out of 3/8 rd. bar.

I guess Im confussed about how long to make the scarfs & how much upset I need .
Like you say some Ive seen are like S shaped shoulder.Other things Ive read is to cut like barbs on the scarf with corner of the hardy.

Ron

Can some one tell me about how and what shape Scarfs should be made.
Are there different scarfs ?
Pictures would be great
Ron

Lots of Pro Welders here
I know very little about welding but learning but-
YOU NEED TO READ UP ON THE SAFTEY FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!

NEUTRAL FLAME NEUTRAL FLAME NEUTRAL FLAME NEUTRAL FLAME
once you get a NEUTRAL FLAME it will solve most of the problems.
The weldes will not be strong if not a NEUTRAL FLAME
NEUTRAL FLAME is the key
Look at the links & read Im sure there is a pic. of a NEUTRAL FLAME
If you dont have a NEUTRAL FLAME it wont work
NEUTRAL FLAME NEUTRAL FLAME NEUTRAL FLAME NEUTRAL FLAME
This is the first step then you got learn about puddle- penatration -beads undercutting -joints- just to name a few.

YOU NEED TO READ UP ON THE SAFTEY FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Neutral Flame & Clean tip
Open Torch Acetylene valve 1/8 turn light torch- black soot will come out.
Increase the acetytlene till soot stops.
Then open oxygen vavle 1/8 to 1/4 and adjust for a nutral flame.

This is what you want = Neutral Flame 1 light blue cone at tip no hissing

Gas Rich = Carburizing- large light blue with a very light green outer feather no hissing

Oxygen Rich = Oxidizing- small white cone & loud hissing

Hold torch about 1 inch away -Steel should start to turn red with in 5-10
seconds if not you are not holding it close enough or the tip isnt large enough
for the metal thickness.


I havent done much Torch welding but some , got to have a neutral flame.
You can weld with out rod Fusion.
TC 9-237 Chptr 11 Oxygen Fuel Gas Welding Procedures
Oxyacetylene Gas Welding - Engineers Edge
Ron