Rich Hale

The method you asked about is not the normal way. Most bluing or browning formulas involve some salts. The only way to figure this out is to simply try it. First as you describe and then either mask off the areas you do not want done. Or try your way and remove areas you wish clean.

Find a real cheap knife that you like the design and buy it and use as a pattern...

All of the details on how to do that are in the knife making lessons on this site,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I am not sure about all bandsaw blades for wood. The big blades used in lumber mills I have always considered to be L6,,which. unless you really explore the data sheets is about the same as 15n20. The last 15n20 I bought new was marked bandsaw blade steel. Each of which contain, like said above. a small amount of nickel. That is why I use it in billets and I use a higher carbon steel such as 1084 or 1095 for the rest of the billet. The HC etches dark, and that with nickel brighter. If you weld a billet with one steel, such as above or with a cable billet. All the steel will be the same color. I see two good reasons to do just that. One it is simply a great forging exercise to hone skills. Another is to make a blade much thicker than the metal you have in hand. The contrast you see will be the lines of contact at the weld. Making wot you have into something that will do wot you wish in a better manner is a big reason to smith.

Anyone can do a blade with a really nice finish,,,one thing that helped me a lot is a simple concept. If you have a four foot square piece of metal or wood and it has a wonderfully nice perfect finish. But near the center is a scratch,that may be as deep as five thousands of an inch. To remove that bad spot is not as simple as sanding down into it and making it gone..Correctly you must remove the top layer of the entire piece by the depth of the scratch. In this case .005" Thinking that through, if there are scratches on a blade they usually show up when you work with finer grits. And they are from coarser grits. A 100 grit finish if done right may look good...if you go over it with 220 grit and do not remove all of the 100 marks,,it may show,,,if you move to 400 grit then everytime,,any of the 100 grit marks not removed ,,,will show. and so on. And you must work the entire area of the blade that needs it,,,if you just work on the area that has a couple of 100,,,or any grit marks,,,and remove them you will create a low spot in that area that shows up like a shallow valley in the finish. Sharp,clean files will start a nice finish,,,wet or dry sand paper with solid backing will bring up a nice finish. I finish with belts on a great machine. but the process is the same. If I see scratches when I am at 1000 grit,,,an 800 usually will not remove them...400 may or even step back to 220 may be called for...Add persistence to the mix if you wish. It is the difference between alright and really nice!

K, I am back in a wee bit! When and if you make this sord, and depending on your level of skill at that point, the length of stock you need to begin a blade will depend on the design and your forging ability. How much you change the width and length,,including the part behind the tang will determine how much the steel grows in those areas. If you do a nice long distal taper it will become longer...if you spread it out edge to edge it will also use up metal. if you take many heats getting this done you will lose metal to scale. If we give equal length and sizes of bars to different levels of skilled smiths and they produce a similar shaped item they will likely be different lengths. Best to measure a sord you wish to copy and cut long....maybe even longer...not unusual at all for folks new to forging to burn the tip off. All of this will make more sense when you forge the first hundred knife blades...Seriously!...have fun and take pics.

I am really not sure wot you are asking,,,however since you told us sords are illegal in your country,,,count me out,,,,,,

Now and then in this section I see information passed down once again about how stainless steel cannot match the awesome carbon steel in a knife blade. Let me offer some thoughts: Unless the maker of any knife blade has a shop testing protocol that will assure they are getting the heat treat proper for that individual steel it simply does not matter wot the formula is on the steel. And this applies to mystery steels also. If the maker is a bladesmith with background to determine if the steel is worthy of the efforts needed to make a blade they can indeed make a fine knife. A few things that are strongly in favor of high carbon for a blade are that someone with ability to manage a fire, forge with a minimum of heats and not over heat or forge too cool can craft a blank that may become a knife. Some of the common, simple HC steels can be hardened and tempered in most home shops to get the most from them. All of these things stack the odds in favor of a blade that works as intended if the smith works as they should. And of course any omissions in the process will not work out well. Stainless is different for a few reasons: I only know of one that can be forged without cracking in the process,,There may be more. The same one may be hardened and tempered in some home shops,,I say some as it is a knowledge thing. i am not going to make this a tutorial. So most high carbon stainless steels that are right for knives require a hardening process that is atmospherically controlled and done at rather exacting temps that are hard to reach and hold for the time necessary in a home forge. I put this in print to say simply this: A blade of any material may be a wonderful thing or scrap metal in spite of how it looks or feels when it comes to its intended ability to cut, slice, chop etc. In fact I am not sure that experience and time in the shop is critical to producing a good working blade. Keeping the metals properties intact during shaping by any means,,and the entire heat treat process and follow up testing. And of course applying the correct edge geometry and support is the heart of the matter. I don't care if it is a first blade or a bazzilionth one. If it is done right it will be right. And I say that without regard for fit, finish etc. that are important to some of us. So when I hear that any steel has a bad reputation for blades my first thought is that if it is a steel that can be done well,,,it has not been. When I hear that someone has a preference for a particular kind of steel I think of how nice it is they have found a steel that has been properly prepared in all the ways that make that happen. And I say all of this without regard to who the maker is. home shop or commercial, if it is right it's right. I hope that anyone that makes knives and reads this will follow testing protocols and see how their work holds up to simple shot tests. Harden a blade sized piece of steel and break it safely; Look at the grain structure, and again this is not a training paper. then make a blade form same steel and do all of the steps in heat treat, Fashion a blade and test it,,bend test, cutting tests, chopping tests,,etc. No need to spend a lot of time on fittings and handles,,just something that makes it usable for this testing. Remember when you change steels do this all again, and if you record all the data you can likely repeat the result in the future if you know wot the steel was. It is a rather easy for most folks to fashion a knife in a home shop. Some folks can heat treat that blade correctly. I was not the person. I had to spend a lot of time learning wot needed done and the steps involved. If you want to make knives,,,make them, test them,,, make more etc. If you wish to make them your way and disregard all of wot I have posted here then by all means do so,,Your shop your rules. There is information on this site about steels and heat treat, Use it if you wish.

That is wot carbon steel does. You did not say how fine a finish you did,,,the finer the better as rust,,,(the culprit) starts easier to not so fine finishes. Guns that have a blued finish,,or brown,,, are rusted in a way to obtain that color. and a rusted surface keeps its present condition longer. So,,The color you see will not likely change alot,,the care you described done every use will do well, Except,,,I believe mineral oil does not do well when ingested. See google if you wish..I would use vegetable oil, My mama wouild have wiped it with bacon fat.

Was any of the information we put into the knife making section of value to you? And if you do look the part about pattern welding is in the section for advanced work,,,for good reason,,, And so you know it is really so easy even I can do it. but certainly not in the first few years. Kind of like asking to drive a nascar racer before learning to drive anything,,,And to take you at your word,, if you are truly talented and are making great knives already that will be of great value when you weld up a billet and you know how to shape it. A few pics of your knives and a run down on steels,,heat treating and etc would set my mind at ease. High carbon steel welds at a lower temp than mild steel. The forge I use is rated to reach 2350, I do not remember running the pressure up nearly high enough to reach that temp. and I weld quite a few billets.

I take the other side of the road on this: If you have and unknown steel you can do rather simple shop tests and see if it will indeed harden. Then with more testing with different tempering times and temps you can indeed get the most out of that steel if you are willing to spend the shop time to go through the steps needed. And of course wotever you find and record that works will only work on that particular piece of steel. In a stack of leaf springs it would be a good starting point but each leaf needs a confirmation. All that said I prefer to buy new steel from a rather short list of wot I have data on and like how it works and performs. A call to a supplier and for a fair price it is at my house in a few days. I sell knives so I have to be sure that wot I put so much work in is up to my standards. And as a big part of that I am very careful of the suppliers I use. If in the unlikely event I would try a new supplier, the first shipment would go through my shop with a close eye on how it matches with my expectations.

Finding a container to hold that much lead is not a tough hunt,,cast iron works well,,,do not use for cooking after.....Heating it is not a tough task either, The p roblem is handling a container of molten metal safely for the pour. If you spill a wee bit and it hits you anywhere you will likely do the molten metal burn dance...that may directly affect your abiity to safely set the rest of the container down while you get the deep burns tended to. How you lift the container will directly affect the safe handling also, Simply put research this thoroughly before you decide to take it on. May even wish to melt small amounts of lead and pour into smaller molds so you get the moves and tools sorted out. And by the way, heated lead is even worse for your health than just skin contact. May wish to research that a lot.

I have seen a lot of new folks that need help getting started fuss about not being able to find local groups or smiths to give them a jump start on learning. And there are farriers everywhere, Some of those farriers are really well schooled at the anvil and some of them will share. A good starting point in asking for help is to see if they have competed in farrier competitions. To do so means they have put in the hours learning drawing, tapering punching, drifting, fullering,bending and shaping, tool making and forge welding mild steel. You can look for local or state associations and see when they have clinics, hammer ins and contests. Keep in mind these are not hobby smiths, they need to make or shape shoes with a minimum of fuss to fit to the horse,,,each hoof is different. Those that make specialty shoes for the horses that require extra help are highly skill smiths with the extra training and knowledge to apply help as needed. It is all tied in to a working knowledge of anatomy and how the feet provide support for the animal.

Welcome to the site. I am not a fan of using colors to determine temperature for hardening blade steels. Ambient light is a key player in this problem. However there are simple shop tests to see if wot you did was right. I take a file and see if the steel is hard right after I remove from the quench, Then with a hard test sample I have forged to a blade thickness and hardened I break it and look at grain structure, If you have overheated the steel in hardening steps it will have really large grains and that makes for a poor knife blade, And if the grain is right then I temper and see how the blade flexes and holds an edge,,,if all is well I make a knife, And don't forget to use a magnet if you like to find correct heat for hardening,,,,All of this and more are in the knife making lessons in the forum.

Does not take anyone long to learn to apply a bandaid, To learn anatomy and physiology may take a wee longer,,,,,You made a choice for work to pass the bandaid stage. To make tools is way past a starting point.

S7 is one of the steels most suited for punching,,,,I like that if deforms very little if used while hot. I have never seen references to it being used for springs,,,On any of the steels you can google the specs and see wot it is used for. I think you just got some bad info pm the steel.identity.

Antifreeze is a quenchant for some metals....When in doubt google the metal you wish to quench and look for the proper quenchant for that use,,,

Whoa,,,,,,Thomas suggested that The Complete Bladesmith would offer you good information and the same day you say it was a good read,,,,,Seriously?

In order to be legible when stamped into metal that stamp would really have to be smacked hard. To make an impression with something that large will require a lot of psI applied. That could be reduced if you shrink the size a lot but then I doubt if the impression will look like you wish. Forge some spring steel into very simple shapes of various sizes and stamp them into hot mild steel to see wot I am getting at. For instance a center punch, a round punch with a quarter inch flat circle shape on the tip,,,another with three eights, etc,,,that will give you a feel for wot you can design that will work. I do wonder al ittle bit aboiut how you will fashion tool steel into a shape for this stamp. If you contact places that make touchmarks and discuss it they will advise on design and work out something usable. They will not do this for bargain basement price.

This is another thread that shows that we really need to look at who is providing anwers to questions such as this. For one thing i never suggest colors for folks to look for when learning to weld. In fact i use colors in my shop, I do not know if others see or interpret colors the same way I do. Nor do I know if they can do that well in changing ambient light. Basher cited a key I look for,,the appearance of the flux. I do not think I have ever seen steel white hot. If someone else was in my shop they may say they see white and at the same time i did not. And more about what I started this with: When someone answers questions in these threads ask yourself how do you you know if they really know. Review other items they have put on the site, It does not take long to figure out the keyboard smiths from those with knowledge and willingness to help.In the early days of this site that list was short,,,now not so short. Thanks to all the folks that add so much from their experiance and abilities and also the time they take to sit and type in the interest of furthering the knowledge of smithing.

I am not into the theory that holding at the end of a long handle has a detrimental impact on accuracy. I rarely hold up close to the head for more precise strikes. And with a long handle I use a spot near the end but a couple of inches closer to the head. I have that area modified for hand hold and with that I can tell which face of the head will impact the work. When I use top tools,,even ones with small targets to hit I want to hit with wotever force is called for. I dislike short handled tools but some folks like them a lot. I also notice that skilled smiths can use most tools effectively. And in groups that can affect the tools that others use. Not unusual for groups to gravitate to similiar tools. And if that works i am a supporter. And i will restate wot i posted earlier. Anyone learning this craft should seek help with body mechanice from someone that has the ability to do that. If you learn to forge incorrectly you may be able to forge pretty well. You may also limit your skills due to that. And I have in so many ways done just that both with forging and other areas., When i had to retrace the early steps and lose practiced habits it was not an enjoyable experience and for sure put work on hold. However when i paid that tuition my work finally improved, Your shop,,,your rules,

If you have ever played racquetball and tennis you may know there is a differnce in wrist at contact,,,r ball had a whip and t has a rather stiff wrist.

The wrist is a small part of body mechanics. I am not exactly sure wot he meant,,,but i have the hammer real loose in hand at time of strike, For me that reduces stress on my old joints. I suppose like most folks i learned forging in so many incorrect ways without proper guidance.Then when I paid to attend events that had the right folks to move me forward it took me a long time to correct. Now I think I have it right....but then again that thinking caused problems in the past. You cannot learn this on line! You need someone that understands body mechanics as related to forging that will watch you and make suggestions. That someone needs to be the best you can possibly find. That may or not be at a local group of friends or members of a local smithing group. There are some folks that post in these forums that seem to have those skills. I went to those that had competed in the world blacksmithing and other competitions. i know that almost all of the ones I paid to see had also had others help them at some time along the way. Some local groups have folks do clinics that it would be worth anyones time to attend.

Recently in the forums Basher posted a thread about makeing knives from ore and included a lot of pics that may give you a heads up on wot the process is and how it happens. If I remember correctly they did not really say alot about selecting the ore before the start. I beleive he does this class yearly and you may send him a note to ask about a student spot in a future class, Start saving for the air fare and expenses. In the mean time, as you mentioned. if you spend time at the anvil forgein some of the answers will appear. Expect a couple of years work at real basic skills to get a good start. That is if you spend long hours/weeks. in the shop.

I have been welding for over 50 years,,,self taught but with the odd help when needed. Stick,,then later O/A, A little bif of Tig for myself and about 20 years ago added a flux core mig to the shop. I am pretty confident of my welds for wotever is needed. That all said I do not have the training and back ground to teach anything about welding in text and pics,,,even if I add videos. There is too much of a need for interaction with instructor and student to make this work. I can for sure give some online tips that may help someone with forge welding simple items. And have had positive feed back from doing this. The welding help needs shop time from an experienced instructor with the correct back ground and abilites to instruct effectively. Lots of folks on here view how to videos about metal working. i hope they pay close attention to the person posting as well as looking to see wot the video offers them to learn from.