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forged knife challenge


chichi

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Craig if you wouldl ike a thought on sharpening under a deadline: Use a file until you geet a wire edge..That is a lot of material you are trying to remove with the stone you have. A smooth cut sharp file and draw filing will get the angles you wish and leave a lot less work to do on a stone. Remember to keep the file teeth clean. I like a file card for that. And soap stone wiped into the teeth will help keep them from clogging so much. Welding supply house and big box home improvement stores have soap stone. A dirty file will leave more scratches as you are working.. File a couple of strokes. flip to other side of file. Clean with file card, soap stone the teath and back to work..takes longer to type that than it does to do it.

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What a good thread for demonstrating the task/challenge of the blacksmiths craft generally.

The challenge is to complete the task to the required specification within a specified time, just like when dealing with clients and their parameters but on a smaller scale.

The task should be relatively easily achievable if you stick to the criteria laid down.

Plan your work to achieve the goal required, and not to achieve what you want to put into the task.

As someone who is quite heavily involved in the National Blacksmiths Competitions in the UK ( www.blacksmithscompetition.co.uk )there are many times when inexperienced smiths win competitions over more experienced competitors because they fulfil the criteria and complete the task in the required time. If its incomplete, then it does not comply fully with the specs, ie finished and functional.

Don't try to do too much in the time allowed, plan what you are going to do (some practice endlessly the same piece before competing), and then do it, stick to the plan, if it goes wrong adapt accordingly or if its a cock up you can always feature that bit, and finish it off to suit the specifications.

Just like you would do on any clients job, except there is usually more leeway for individuality

I look forward to seeing the results and variety of the entries. Whens the deadline for the competition ?

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Would it be bad form to do an integral,


When I first read that I thought it was referring to an advanced level math problem :lol:

I don't know why you'd want to do an integral when trying to forge a blade in an hour, it would take too much time! :blink: (I also don't think it would give you much of an advantage in a competition like this to be able to do one :unsure: )




Seriously though, its a good question - is a separate handle piece required? And what about helpers? Can you have a friend come and do some striking?
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Any style handle is acceptable as long as it is comfortable enough to make the knife functional (ie useable to whittle, cut rope or carve etc.).
The drawfiling until getting a bur on the edge is a good tip.
If an integral handle means a long thin section folded into a handle, that is acceptable as long as the handle makes the knife useable. If it is too thin or cuts into the hand, it does not meet the criteria. You are the judge and on an honor system.

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Any style handle is acceptable as long as it is comfortable enough to make the knife functional (ie useable to whittle, cut rope or carve etc.).
The drawfiling until getting a bur on the edge is a good tip.
If an integral handle means a long thin section folded into a handle, that is acceptable as long as the handle makes the knife useable. If it is too thin or cuts into the hand, it does not meet the criteria. You are the judge and on an honor system.

Craig,
I missed your vid showing the spring in your knife. I think that is outstanding. What was you HT process. It seems to have worked well and you did it without heat treat oven,pyrometer, quenching salts, etc. Not that high tech is bad, just another way to view the world. Simple is beauty.
Thanks for you effort. Lets get others submitted. Due to holidays, is the first of the year too long or too short of an entry period?
Bob
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Craig,
I missed your vid showing the spring in your knife. I think that is outstanding. What was you HT process. It seems to have worked well and you did it without heat treat oven,pyrometer, quenching salts, etc. Not that high tech is bad, just another way to view the world. Simple is beauty.
Thanks for you effort. Lets get others submitted. Due to holidays, is the first of the year too long or too short of an entry period?
Bob

I just eyeballed the temperature, quenched in mineral oil, tempered in the forge, and cooled in the snow. The whole process took about a minute.
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Are there enough people interested in the challenge?
Two categories and goal is 60 minutes for a blade and any kind of functional handle. Beginning smith and experienced smith are the two categories.Over 90 minutes is a no go.Time does not have to be continuous. You can break for lunch or whatever, and annealing time is not counted. Time begins at the first hammer blow Post time used to complete the knife.The forging must begin from round or square stock. Flat stock would be way too easy. It must cut hair, be at least .5 in wide somewhere in the blade area and at least 3 in long and no more than 6 in long and heat treated.No electricity used (except for the blower) but any other mechanical means are acceptable.Function over pretty and rough is good as long as the blade is useable.Integral,hidden tang,wrapped or any other handle acceptable if comfortable enough to use.
Entries need to be submitted by this or next two weekends after that. At least 4 contestants or no competition.
A modest gift financed by me for each category winner. Two submissions allowed per contestant.
This is intended to be educational and fun for participants and members. Be safe, better to cheat than get hurt.
Look at previous posts for more info. Indicate your intention to compete by this Sun eve so we know if there will be a sanctioned competition.Good luck and have fun. I have improved my sharpening skills making a few knives in order to see if it can be done. It can,with a little luck or skill.

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IF you still want to get into this, You can use my shop Phil.


Steve, Thank you for the offer. My problem is the ever-present 2 year old daughter. If she naps I am in, if not, I'm not.

I have some stock lined up for this including a wheel bearing race, a coil spring, a leaf spring and a garage door spring. I also realized that I have everything for my charcoal forge. I found the old dryer vent, and bought an iron sewer grate yesterday, so its is just a case of hooking the pieces together. The table has been built for weeks.

My gasser works fine, and I have coil pieces cut that can fit in it. I do need to check to see if I have propane.

Phil
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Great to see the interest. You be the judge of the category you are in. I have forged dozens of knives and can easily do a decent full tang blank in 20 minutes so I am experienced altho my hand grinding might say otherwise.I encourage participation. Try to make a couple and decide the two best. You will improve your skills. I have and I had forged many in the past.I did a simple carving knife today and it is much better than previous attempts. Simple short tanged blade. I burned the tang into a block of walnut and ground and honed until it cut hair. It is short so great leverage. Now, I have to take up carving or whittling.For me, making these knives is relaxing because you dont have to fuss on the details and it only requires an hour or so to have something funtional. Remember, dont worry about pretty. If it cuts, it is done.
Bob

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Naptime! Oh Girl!

I got my blade forged and heat treated. It is tempering in the oven now.

I WAS going to make a smith's knife using the process Brian Brazeal posted, and had wonderful results for a first try. My blade is a bit more "leaf" shape than I like, but I'm OK with it. I was getting ready to cut the blade off the parent stock and the mail arrived. 30 seconds of inattention and half that tang was GONE. Now it has a short (2 1/2 inch) tang I hope will work.

I'm about 20-30 minutes in...I wasn't keeping excellent time.

The new charcoal forge is a treat. Pictures later.

Phil

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This is a terrific idea! But why temper for so long? 1 hour limit so u have to do it in 1 hour. I can temper in 30 seconds. Do it the old way. Hold spine against a hot peice of metal and watch the colors change blue spine, dark straw blade and then quench. Take the risk, shorten the normalization period. Just let it air cool if u must. I will try and do the whole thing in 1 hour. sounds like fun.

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