JHCC Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 5 hours ago, Chus said: Has anyone used diamond cutting wheels for knife making?? As knife stock, or as tooling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 concrete blade bodies are 4140 according to every manufacturer that got back with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 People have forged diamonds into steel to try to increase the carbon content; even using industrial diamonds it still is more expensive and less useful than pack carburizing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 10 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: People have forged diamonds into steel to try to increase the carbon content; even using industrial diamonds it still is more expensive and less useful than pack carburizing... I think it'd be fun to mention finding carbon nanotube and bucky balls in ancient steel sword blades watch what they try next. <evil mischievous cackles) Me? I'd just buy steel of the desired qualities and get it done. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Some Meteorites contain microscopic diamonds... Actually there is a lot of "hype" in the knife business and some folks sell that over just doing a proper heat treat on a proper alloy. (Why yes I have quenched in various medieval/renaissance quenchants; I was interested in their effects....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Looks over substance as brought to you by commercials and social media for the modern education. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Well there was a lot of hype back in the 1970's and '80's too when I was more involved in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Or you were more exposed to it? Not being a bladesmith guy I really to try to limit my exposure but I get splashed all the time. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 I had plans to make bladesmithing a career and even spent a year working under one full time, went to the Guild shows, etc and so got to see the Craft from that viewpoint. At the end of that year I got married and had to get a job I could support a family on *now* and made bladesmithing a hobby. A much better fit for me. (It takes a while to build up to supporting yourself bladesmithing.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Yeah I hear that. It's one thing to follow your passion IF you can afford to but as Mike Rowe says, that's the biggest lie ever. Follow opportunity instead but take your passion with you. In his 200 episodes of "Dirty Jobs" 60 of the people he worked with were self made millionaires and almost every single one was happy, balanced and living the good life. Once you have: a roof, enough food, future security for you and yours you can follow however many passions you wish. What's the Mexican adage? something like, "Take care of the tortillas and the frijoles will take care of themselves." Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 I was extremely lucky that I learned without having to scrape a subsistence living until a medical issue pushed me into bankruptcy. Still married to the same lady and it will be our 35th anniversary in early August. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 I was raised to get and keep a paycheck job above everything else so I didn't start practicing blacksmithing till I was well established, say mid 70s. Then I got to try and teach myself trial and error till I saw a copy of "The Art of Blacksmithing" on the close out table at a local book store. Being a field guy I did almost all my practicing around a campfire and finally welded up a rail anvil with the web and flange space filled with more rail for about 60lbs. Mid 80s when the internet went public I discovered there were not only working blacksmiths in the world but there were clubs like ABANA. I met Chris Ray by intruding on a conversation he was involved in with maybe George Dixon, maybe not. I was off! I found the Soderfors by asking everybody I ran across and it turned out one of the guys in the Soils lab had a neighbor who was moving and selling his smithing kit. Been married to Deb coming on 23 years. Type-II Diabetes made some serious changes for me in 2,000 and the tree did more. When I tell new folk to find someone to help them learn I'm speaking from personal experience. Teaching yourself WILL add years to the process. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 On 5/7/2019 at 2:15 PM, Frosty said: Looks over substance as brought to you by commercials and social media for the modern education. Frosty The Lucky. That includes YouTube videos for folks who like to be mostly misinformed. For blacksmithing videos, stick with the ones that are recommended here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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