rockstar.esq

Keykeeper, thanks for the kind words. I'll post pictures when I've got something put together!

Chukster and Keykeeper, you're both making lots of sense. When I consider that the knife has only been around for a few thousand years it's more than a little likely that folks have addressed this before. Looking back on handles that fit versus ones that were just ok it's not all that large a dimensional difference. I was hoping that somewhere along the line an approach not entirely unlike fitting a suit, or having a gunstock fitted, there was a technique developed to reliably quantify what needed to be done to make the final perfect work like an extension of the client. Thanks for offering your insights.

MarkC, I can see why you'd be proud to make your own touch mark. Thanks for the encouragement.

mcraigl, I've heard of an outfit called Herrets that makes hardwood handgun stocks that are custom made based on a tracing of the customers hand. I haven't the slightest idea how they know how to interpret the tracing but I can kind of see myself test fitting a handle against a casting to ensure the customer will be happy. Keykeeper, you're absolutely right that a more generic profile would sell better but I'm thinking more about the commission project where the concern is strictly fitting that one person perfectly. On a related note I'm frequently impressed at how chef knife handles aren't entirely well shaped. When grasped like a hunting knife or a machete they fit fine however chef's choke up on the bolster where they frequently get callouses from abrading their finger against the back of the blade.

Curly George, I was thinking of lost wax casting a metal form to which I'd pound a bar of steel to form the touchmark. Mattbower, that's what I was afraid of. I don't think I can cast anything but aluminum or lead but then again I've never tried. I was thinking it may be possible to case harden the mold if it I could cast in mild steel. It would seem that a case hardened base would hold up long enough to allow a high carbon touch mark to take the impression but I've never tried it. 781, I'm thinking of a shield with my initials overlaid. Although pre-made type sets would definitely work, I was hoping for a more custom looking lettering. If possible I'm hoping that the shield would end up curving outward with my initials slightly proud of the surface. Phillip, those folks look like they're doing an amazing job! Still I'm sort of bitten by the bug to do this myself. Now that I've seen truly awesome work, I'll have to try especially hard.

I'm considering making my first touch mark however I have absolutely no engraving experience. As I understand the process you cut the impression /depression you want into a block of steel then you pound a hot bar into the engraving to make a stamp. I was wondering if there are any other ways to do this. I'm curious if I could accomplish this with a lost wax casting since I'm fairly confident that I could make it look right in wax. Thanks for the help.

Thanks for all the replies! Lost wax casting might be a good idea. I know there's a type of duplicating machine used for copying rifle stocks with a router. I would suspect the stylus could follow the profile of clay or something just as well as wood. The points about it only fitting one way are insightful. I wonder if the client grasped say three clay handles each in a different way if a person could put a blank in the stock duplicator and use each handle in turn and see what was left. No matter what it would be almost guaranteed to look unattractive. Definitely need to do some experimenting.

So I'm fairly new at blacksmithing and I've been thinking about all the intricacies of what makes a grip feel perfect. I'm curious if anyone has ever developed a technique for making a handle based off of a casting of the users hand? Thanks in advance for any help!

I saw a smith who worked with a wet anvil and hammer because the water would form steam so fast it blew the scale off the steel without brushing. I've tried it and it works however I've splashed myself a few times plus the loud pop when the steel hits the anvil is a touch disconcerting for onlookers.

I tried using a sliding air valve with my blower running full speed but I only succeeded in choking off the air flow till it was just a small but really forceful jet of air. Slowing down the blower using a dimmer switch was much, much better. It's worth noting that Universal brush type motors are a combination of AC and DC motor designs and they are intended to maintain their torque throughout the speed range. Most power drills, saws, etc fall into this group. A simple squirrel cage blower motor like those used on residential furnaces, exhaust fans, and the like will have lower torque at lower speeds but spinning the fan isn't hard on it and you won't need as much current. Lower current draw means you can use the el-cheapo dimmer switches sold at hardware stores.

I own one of these targets, it's supposedly rated for the 50 BMG. Makes me wonder if somebody was using armor piercing rounds on it. If so, there isn't much to stop such a thing. Seems like the retailer of mine said it had a brinnel hardness of 500 or some such. Law Enforcement Targets, Inc. - Steel Silhouette Targets . My though isn't terribly scientific but isn't the greatest hardness achieved through the fastest quench from critical temp? These plates aren't supposed to be "tough" so much as hard. The angle they hang at is intended to ricochet the bullet into the ground in front of the target stand.

A couple of tips from a cooks point of view. If you make the prongs adjustable along the length of the spit do so with thumb screws that will fit inside the handle side opening of a pair of spring loaded tongs. Turning fussy little parts that are 400 degrees is better done with a culinary implement in this case. Otherwise use screws with a largish handle on them so you can operate them with a potholder. Also, bear in mind that lifting a full spit out of a hot grille requires two hands. If you don't make the spit handle long enough you'll throw out your back before you get any bacon.

As an electrician I've cut miles of pipe, angle iron, and sheet metal. On thinner stock I've found it's easier to approach the cut from one end to the other as opposed to trying to cut the widest part all in one shot. The advantage is that the cut forms a channel to guide the blade once you've got a good start. Another tip is to extend your index finger from the grip. Most high tension hacksaw frames have a guard in front where you can put your finger. I find it harder to over grip the saw handle with my index finger extended. Beyond that, pay attention to which direction you seem to favor. If you're angling to the right, move your whole body right a little and vice versa. Before long you'll have feel for how you have to set up the workpiece relative to your body position. At that point the blade will track nicely without as much effort.

Just out of curiosity, is there any enhanced corrosion resistance using any of the proscribed methods? I recall hearing about lever action rifle receivers getting bone charcoal case hardened which leaves a mottled and colorful finish not unlike a bluing. Not really a super strong finish but certainly better than bare steel.

Frosty, Thanks for the reply. I'm definitely looking forward to meeting up with some knowledgeable smiths as I'm a beginner. Sorry there's no couch in the shop...yet! -Rockstar.esq

Hello all. I'm just getting started in blacksmithing and I'm looking forward to learning lots from I forge's smiths. -Rockstar.esq