Rich Hale

Configuration of a spark during a test is highly important. Along with passing along to folks new to it that colors may not mean much unless you take into consideration the ambient light you are testing in. And a key part of a test is to have test samples of know steels for comparison. Without specific samples you are kind of flying blind. Many of the steels may look like one thing in your mind, but if you compare it to a known sample it may fall short of wot you are expecting. Test samples should be deeply stamped for ID and the steel either annealed or HT'd to match the testing sample. And do not to forget to mention that grinding on test piece and new sample should be done with the same grinder. Without the above protocols you may be able to tell a mild steel from a HC steel. If you follow all of the above, you may get a rough idea..but only after spending a lot of time in practice, preferably with someone else to help compare sparks. I do not use spark testing in my work as I do not trust my skills to many reasonable guesses as to wot I am testing for. But then I am a knife maker. If I wanted to know if a steel was high carbon and needed to weld it, I might spark test to see if I needed to pre and post heat.

Smoothbore you hit it on the nail..many times I have said it on this forum...Anyone with a membership here and a keyboard may proclaim just about anything....... By the same token,,it does not take long at all to read a few items and see if they are real or couch smiths. Many of them that I have asked for something to show they have the knowledge/skills to back it up,,,never respond to me. However some of them continue to post answers to questions that to me just aint real...

Any glue that oozed out could be removed

You did not say wot kind of burner(s) or how many you will use....Gassers work best when designed as a total package. Burners have to be matched to inside cubic inches of space in the forge. And your use will determine wot space you need. If you are starting out new to this I suggest you spend some time in shops that are using gassers and see wot they have and wot they can do in them. And to prevent me from typing a lot of old information once again in this wee little box. I will ask that yoiu spend some time reading this section of the forum for information where others have asked about the same thing and have received responses fro a lot of folks. See wot they used for outside shells and inside linings for wot kind and how many burners and look to see if they stated a use for the forge.

RAdials...duh!

L 6 has nickel in it and with 0 1 does really well

Bill Epps made top and bottom dies and ran weld beads irregularly over them to put texture in

I drill a lot of eighth or smaller holes in knife quality stainless steel. I almost use HF cheap bits for everything and maybe once a year will toss one and grab a new from the drawer. I don't use a lube on them. Key is correct speed. in drill press. And for larger drill bits,,you can take to hex nuts..lay them side by each and one side of each will meet..there will also be sides that meet at an angle,,that angle is correct for the shape on cutting end of drill bit. You could tack weld the nuts together so you can hold them up to light..or maybe even super glue,,if you lay them on plastic so they will lift off, If you have a tough time visualizing wot I am typing..go to shop and don't over think it..put two nuts together and look...Use larger or smaller nuts to fit the bits you are wanting to sharpen. I don't sharpen anything eighth inch or smaller...New ones are cheap.

That is some fine smithing work,,,you can do wotever you wish,

Clear powder coat will delay the corrosion...not sure how long

Luck wont help,,you need an adjustable pressure regulator,,farrier suppliers have the right ones as well as mail order place like them...

Bottom line as I see it...you made a nice knife and tailored it to fit the new owner. It is yours to change or not. The next knife you make may be quite different to suit its new owner. Do your best at it also. There have been some very interesting comments on this thread. I am impressed that you took them as they were given.. in a helpful way. Any time I can be of help private message me.

If you look through all the threads here on lpg forges there is a ton of information that may give you ideas.....One common problem is when folks do not start out with a proven design and or the take a working design and change it til it does not work.....

And each section right here on this forum..there are those with anvils,,forges,,how to make knives,,and enough to keep yoiu busy all night long for several months,,,,

Ric Furrer has a video on the site of doing it.

In 2002 I welded a billlet stack all the way around,,,once...That was the last time I had a billet fail to weld and I was not able to save that one....Will not try again...everyone since has worked fine

If I brought one of those home,,,it would never see the shop..wife would own it on arrival...

Dang,,,I could put a couple of buckets full of knives in that,,,,,

So you think was a whim post?

The reason I asked abouit cutting ht SS is that all that I buy for blades comes annealed,,,

Build an air leak into the system. A hole in the pipe that you can open or close to let extra air out. Methinks with the amount of sparks you speak of you have a lot too much air for your needs. You also may make sure you are using hardwood lump charcoal.

I work with a lot of hardened stainless do all the cutting and drilling before heat treat. Would that work for you?

Scott that is a really nice knife....Attention to detail including fit and finish are spot on.

Not sure where you are at but if you find a museum or place that has wagons or buggies,,visit and look at the metal parts that held them together..all of them forged by a smith,,,most made of iron.