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I Forge Iron

HackKnives

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Everything posted by HackKnives

  1. My first knives were worse than that. Above opinions are solid. You learn at such an accelerated rate when you finish knives you start. You can hands on see how to avoid mistakes when you forge since you are dealing with them during the finishing proccess. I believe the best term would be "rustic" for your knife. Eat dinner and use it with pride. It is a great first knife.
  2. I am guilty of tailoring my tools to my person a little too much. Most every tool I have in my arsenal has a tweek I have made to it. Thinning a handle or altering a tong with intentional off centering ect. I agree it is a bad habit as proper body machanics are a foundation for longevity. Hofi will probably read this post so I wont crow too much about it but much of his work on body machanics is very solid to learn and practice while you are impressionable. All too many of us have the school of thought that "bah rubbish! I have been swinging a hammer for years without that hype just fine." Truth is mechanics are paramount towards being effective when individual strikes can make or break a project. Breaking bad habits and practicing solid form will avoid injuries and much frustration. Hofi can explain it so much better than myself. His isolation techniques of joint movement and fixed body positions can make long hours possible with no sore muscles. Like a golfer reviewing his swing. Lift, swing, and tap with your tools and see what your particular habits are. What you do when tired or fatigued. A pattern will emerge. My appologies if I am long winded as you were direct with your question. "Dressing a hammer".... I personally avoid stock removal on my hammers except the rounding of the very outer edge. More like just a very slight rounding of the corners. I polish the faces as true as I can to avoid unwanted toutchmarking but otherwise your hammers should be crisp and true. Over working your tools can produce patterns and lead to fighting against yourself when trying to draw out or flatten materials on fine finishes. I agree that it is to each thier own design so I too look forward to hearing what more members will say about thier hammers. Just my opinion, welcome to the boards.
  3. Very smooth radius all the way around. Quite nice indeed. I will be sure to follow its progress. Keep us posted.
  4. I am an interloper. I have a woodshop mixed right into my metalshop so I always use my beltsander to form out tendons and such. Doing it by hand- I always ink the head and use it like a stamp onto the top of my stock (wood)then just remove anything with ink showing. Takes 3 minutes with a belt sander but you always have more pride doing it by hand if you have the time. This a showpiece or a working hammer?
  5. Doing old school pounded damascus, I have routinley have people do tandem with me. Its odd. While in your head- If you said you could do the drawing twice as fast with double the striking....In reality is seems like magic the way it goes 5x's as fast. I never do anything anyone would consider in the heavy catigory. It gives you an odd feeling to both share the same hot anvil. In short, it DOES work and I could see how someone could implement it a regular practice if thier regiment had the room. It also shows your apprentice "how" and more importantly "WHY" you use different angles with the strikes. You can have all sorts of conversations about it with someone new, but when you are literally on the same piece at the same time all of the variables dissolve. The heat, the piece, the speed ect. They can FEEL you working through the piece and instantly get feedback for: if they are on target for draw, speed, and force for the given situation. When to reheat, when to let that last hit wait, when you HAVE to let that last hit wait. I could go on but its basically academic. You get my point. #1- more muscle, leaves you fresh longer. Much more effecient. #2-training, nothing beats hands on with an experienced safety net for someone to "feel" how it should go. Just my .02 -Hack
  6. Brush with Merc and smudge in some lead?
  7. Yep. Damascus barrels were common shotbun barrels for the time period I believe. I am sure someone will correct me if wrong so might wait for a few others to chime in but I think your in step.
  8. Thank you to everyone for the warm invite both to the boards, and for the kind words on my work. I came home late this evening but have made an oath to myself to spend Monday in the shop. I will try add more photos. I will have some better lighting during the daylight so I will post some other works for praise/ridicule. -Hack
  9. For many years when someone botched something amongst my coworkers, friends, and even family you hear it tossed as a label. More of a bark..."Hack!" Well I am the original. Some people have great skills and natural talents that make them shine. It can be any number of great attributes that distinguishes them from a pack. I have none..... My only claim to fame has to be my unmatched ability to plod through things to figure them out and achieve a given goal. Never rigged, but DEFINATLEY creative in use of resources. Never instructed, never experienced, but ALWAYS stubbourn, oppinionated, and ready with both feet. Ready to LEARN. Many tries and many failures....many great wins for all hack-kind mixed in. When I got into making knives I just thought it natural to call myself a hacksmith when I was pounding on the anvil and it instantly stuck. So when I started my forge. I naturally named it Hack Knife Co. Even My business cards read "Hacksmith" as my title.
  10. Bolster is Desert Ironwood. Body is Spalted Tamarind. The top spacer and buttcap is Tortise shell. Dang thing was terrifying to drill out. Edit: yes Full tang, or hidden as some call it. I double and triple dowel all my handles. (eases the terror when drilling)
  11. That is a BEAST. I love it. Just tagging along for the next build. You had mentioned adding a distal taper to the next blade, you will be shocked at how much more balance it gives longer blades when in the hand. Def a nice build all the way.
  12. Part skinner, part hunter........"Skunter"? Looks stout. I like it. Keep the pics coming.
  13. Nice. but there needs to be a makers mark on that bad boy!!
  14. Nothing really exiting but here is a handle I finished not an hour ago, just before signing up in fact. Ill post the blade pictures when its finished. Too ugly in its raw form yet. Handle is getting mounted on Monday when I should have the blade finished. I have plenty of pics but all too often I just get carried away and never bother with the "during" proccess when taking pics. Feedback is always appreciated. And please be critical as I have no feelings. I simply make knives because I cant help myself.
  15. Hello to all. New to the boards and in all respects I am learning every day. I am a working chef so kitchen knives are my passion, no safe queens here. I used to keep buying knives until it hit me when I was put on a waiting list for a new blade I wanted.......I can do it myself dangit! I went against ALL advice and just jumped in with both feet. Built a small forge and started ruining stuff.....and more stuff.....and then more. My friends have labeled me the inventor of "Prison Damascus" since most of my early works were more like prison shanks than usable knives. With time, work refines itself and I got more exp. I still have MUCH to learn but I found this board and thought to just jump on in and introduce myself. Hello
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