tantofolder

Thanks guys. Matt, It is right at 1/4 inch at it's thickest(at the hilt),and then tapers from there.I used my spring fuller for most of the squeezing. :)

Thank you Marksnagel!....it sure was fun.

After finishing my first rail spike knife,( http://www.iforgeiro...il-spike-knife/ ) I decided to make one for my brother.He was always a fan of the Gurkha kukri style so I decided to try that.I knew it would be tough getting the blade mass for this style,so my first attempt fullered out the tang thinking I would add a wooden handle.I scrapped that idea after too much work and decided on a twisted handle.The first attempt(after necking it smaller towards the center)broke.I had tried too tight a twist in a short area.The second try was successful,but it did develop a crack after several heats.A quick arc weld and then I finished it out.I pushed everything that was left towards the tip.It isn't exactly proportionate to the style,but it was as close as I could do with the mass. I think this is it for me and rail spike knives....although I have started a tomahawk from one. Hmm....not sure how I put the photo up last time....so here is a link: http://s1087.photobu...lspikekukri.jpg

Elegant and beautiful.

Thanks for the welcome everyone,I have waited too long to get involved here!! Matt,I joined the CVBG a couple of years ago but my son had just been born so I have not made many meetings.They are some great guys though.Hopefully at some point I can make it up where you are for a visit. Mark, Thanks for the welcome I am in the city of Richmond (for now). Frosty,Hopefully I can make it to more meetings,there are so many techniques my books do not show how to do.Show me some tricks oldtimer. Thomas,Nice score!! I recognize your name from the Armour Archive.I have visited there daily for the last several years,and could tell by your posts that you were blacksmith concerned.Small world. David,Thank you for the info.I am afraid that may be a bit far for me to travel at the moment though. Cheers, Richard

I meant to do this before,but life gets in the way you know.Where to start?I guess I started metalwork(about 7-8 years ago) cold forming,because I developed an interest in armour.This led to collecting hammers of various shapes/sizes, from flea markets and altering them for specific tasks as well as making stakes/tools. Next I started using a weedburner/firebrick because some of the pieces needed to be normalized.Then my interests went toward heavier stock. My father-in-law built me a propane burner from plumbing parts, which I currently use with said firebricks.I never know where my interests will go next,but metal seems to have held it.It's an incredible journey. Richard

I recently made a fullering tool (stock removal type) that attaches to my angle grinder.It is simply a piece of angle iron that rides along the edge of the workpiece and is attached to the grinder by a bracket.The hole/slot on the bracket bolts into one of the threaded holes on either side of the grinder head.The threaded holes are where you normally attach your grinder handle.

Thanks for the responses everyone.I kind of thought it might be difficult to upset again where it is so thin.Oh well, I will consider it a lesson learned. I had hoped to create the guard from the original stock. Maybe next time!! Thanks again.

I was drawing out a rail spike(leaving the head intact),and need it half the thickness of the original material which worked fine.I had the drawn out section 3" long,but then I tried to give it a sharp shoulder(where the drawn section met the original stock) and upset the steel by placing the drawn out section into the vise and hitting from the spikes pointed end.This worked,but then it seems the drawn out portion is 3 1/2" now.Is it possible to shrink that length back to 3"? I think the vise is out of the question now as it seem to have acted like drawing a wire.I hope this explanation makes sense.Thanks for any help.

Thanks for all the positive feedback guys!And yes,tantofolder is just an alias I took long before I ever made a knife because that's my everyday carry.

Just wanted to share my recent forging.Made from a rail spike,this is my second try at making a knife. Cheers, tanto

Thanks guys! I am finally back from Christmas traveling,and got to work on my shop today. I got my shutter exhaust fan mounted today,and will likely wire it tomorrow. Then it's just mounting my leg vise,hooking up the forge,and arranging my scrap pile. Then I can finally get back to work (hopefully). Richard

I usually lurk on forums a bit before joining, but wanted to get at some photos here. I guess first I should explain that my name here does not mean that I make japanese knives.I have had an affinity for them since I was a kid,and so that is the kind of everyday knife I carry. A folder w/a tanto blade.However I have not actually done any knife work yet. I am fairly new to metalwork,having started about 3 or 4 years ago.Mostly what I have done has been cold working sheet(18g to 12g), in both mild and stainless. Most of this has been for SCA armour,with some being sculptural,which has created the need for normalizing. My experience w/this has been a weedburner w/firebricks forge. I have also been trying to teach myself to arc weld with a Century (230 amp I think) welding machine. I am currently making more room in my shop for metalwork, including installing an exhaust fan for carbon monoxide and welding fumes.I will also be setting up a new forge with a venturi gas burner that my girlfriends father made for me,and trying to layout the floor plan to be more work friendly. Richard