95golf Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 The first one I don't have a picture of, but wanted opinions on these! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95golf Posted January 3, 2007 Author Share Posted January 3, 2007 Funny that you mention that, I have no idea. It's unfinished, forged in a gas setup from an unmarked rr spike. The color showed up after wire brushing. It's not heat treated yet, but I wonder if the color is from different cooling rate/thickness? It's really defined in person...any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted T Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 95golf, I second Apprentice Mans "WOW". They look like eye candy to me. Very nice. Thanks for sharing. Be safe, be safe! Ted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95golf Posted January 3, 2007 Author Share Posted January 3, 2007 Thank! I'll post pics of the kris when it's finished (when I can get some time! ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feukair Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 95golf, would you mind telling me how you grind your knives. I reading up on different ways people are grinding... I want to get into that soon. Thanks, L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julian Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Hey man, really nice knives, I like the second from the left with a couple spots of pits then it finishes up into a real finished edge. Excellent blades for the first few attempts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95golf Posted January 3, 2007 Author Share Posted January 3, 2007 Actually, grinders are still a bit beyond me right now($$$) so I do almost all my shaping in the fire. The polished bowie was done with files and then up to 2000 grit wet/dry paper. I wrap the paper around various tools to get a more or less defined edge (like in a corner). Anything from a piece of wood or hard rubber to a file steel with no teeth. I did use a buffer on that one. The other knives pictured were done mostly in the forge. The drop point has maybe two hours of work with files and stones, and the kris was all done in the forge with minimal filing and stones on the edge. I'll post a picture of the jig I use to hold the blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Like them all, but my preferred one is the bowie, how you beveled? bigger pics please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95golf Posted January 4, 2007 Author Share Posted January 4, 2007 Here's the jig I use when doing my filing. It is meant to be bolted down, but I just clamp it into a large vise. Notice that the blade clamp head can be rotated completely around, and this helps when doing file work. If I have a deep bevel or plunge cut in mind, I try to forge it in, but on the bowie I did a lot of file and sandpaper work. I hope this pic shows up more detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feukair Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Thanks for the grinding comments 95golf. I don't have a grinder yet either, well I have a bench grinder but it's a little to powerful for what i want to do right now and it's not speed adjustable so if i slip it ruins up the blade quick. Plus i don't really want to do hollow ground bevels, i'd like to so straight ground but i can't do that on the bench grinder i have. I wouldn't have thought of using metal files (duh...) I think i will try to do that on my next one then finish and polish up with stones. I like doing stuff by hand... when I have the right jigs and stuff... otherwise it takes even longer and i don't have much play time these days. I've been trying to hammer out bevels on blades I've been practicing on. If one mostly bevels at the forge is it possible to complete a nice even edged bevel down the length of a blade with a hand file? Or isn't it really possible with hand tools. If a decent bevel is do-able then I'll pick up some nice files to have a go on my next blade. Thanks again for the comments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobThAK Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 very nice job. im impressed enough. like them all for different reasons. well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Actually, grinders are still a bit beyond me right now($$$) so I do almost all my shaping in the fire. The polished bowie was done with files and then up to 2000 grit wet/dry paper. I wrap the paper around various tools to get a more or less defined edge (like in a corner). Anything from a piece of wood or hard rubber to a file steel with no teeth. I did use a buffer on that one. The other knives pictured were done mostly in the forge. The drop point has maybe two hours of work with files and stones, and the kris was all done in the forge with minimal filing and stones on the edge. I'll post a picture of the jig I use to hold the blades. You did all that buy hand??? Thats fantastic!!! There may be hope for me yet LOL. I am in the same boat as you in the $$ dept. but I'm working on a home made grinder. I have a couple knives started but the grinding is whats got me held up. I do have a number of different grades of files, however. Hmmmm. I may have to break them out and give them a try :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95golf Posted January 4, 2007 Author Share Posted January 4, 2007 Thanks for all the good words, guys. I'll try to answer a couple of questions but I'm still new at this so remember "grain of salt":) When I set a bevel I use the edge of the anvil with the future blade edged up to it. If you then lift the spine a few degrees (matches the bevel you want) and hammer in your bevel. You're not moving a huge amount of metal if you already put in your blade and distal tapers. The magic is that the anvil will set the other bevel! A thought on filing...Think of the detail work on old firearms and Gothic period armor, a lot of that was hand filed! Can give us some hope!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feukair Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Yep, good point about the old fashioned work, as was recently pointed out in another thread, quality craftmanship in the oldend days was as refined with hand tools as power tools can do today. Sorry... i forget which one our fellow members post I'm stealing from or I'd give him the credit. I spend about 20 minutes with a hand file on a spike knife today when i got home and I feel promise that i may be able to get a good bevel using that method... we'll see... Besides, i don't know squat about the history of the types of high carbon steel files we're talking about using here but i doubt all the "olden days" crafstman had those types of files so we should already have a leg up right? L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted T Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 95Golf, WoW, Wow, and Thank You. Great looking knifes. They reflect your skill, love of your craft, and Sweat. I understand about not being able to afford grinders and other tools that would assist you. I have been there also. If I were able, I would try to set up all of you with the tools you desire. But then it may ruin you some of you. I think part of this craft is the great effort you put into the struggle to become a dedicated and talented smith. Your efforts cement your pride in your craft, and no one can take that away from you. To be without a certain tool makes you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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