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I Forge Iron

Zombie meat cleaver


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This is my entry for a KITH exchange over on Knife Dogs.  The theme is zombie kitchen cutlery: "Since Zombies are all the rage and very tasty if properly prepared, how about a Neo Tribal, post apocalyptic kitchen "utensil"?"

 

So I forged out a meat cleaver. The steel is 5160, the blade is about 12" long, and the hole is 1".

 

zcleaver01_zps3aaa51ce.jpg

 

Here's what it looked like before triple hardening in canola oil:

 

zcleaver02_zpsbe0936ca.jpg

 

Here it is with zombie-appropriate handle wrap, an edge that shaves hair nicely, and a few "zombie skulls" for testing later on in the weekend.  Video eventually.  A discussion on Zombie Squad decided that all of the zombie-themed merchandise flooding the market right now is colored lime green because it must be outside the spectrum of colors that the undead can see.  Unfortunately, with my good camera on the fritz, the color is also somewhat outside of the spectrum my point-and-shoot camera can see accurately, apparently.  I'll see if I can get better pics before all is said and done.  :)

 

zcleaver03_zpsba48de45.jpg

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  I like it ! Looks exceedingly useful. I actually just finished up a cleaver myself,but I now blame you for making the mental conection of zombies and cleavers... I always though of them as being used for chopping up dead carcasses. Not undead ;)

 

  The Turk's head in (paracord?) look really spiffy too. And here's a queston that I was thinking about last weekend as i forged mine... what is the deal with the hole in the blade? Does it serve a purpose? I just put one because it's iconic to the style. Know of any practical reasons for it's existence?

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I really like the rough stuff big fan of  post apocalyptic I am guessing a forge to finish . I really am going to have to get my forge set so I can play and maybe have some thing for show and tell. nice toy.

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can I ask triple hardening how dose this help on 5160 (and I really like 5160) I understand 3 or 4 rounds of normalizing really worked steel . I often temper in oven and then do draw tempering on the back of middle depending on blade style . hardening more then once ? . I bring the heat up slow and soak it trying to get a even heat through out and quench in a large amount of oil . now I can believe it would help just not getting my head wrapped around . can you point me to a link or just a quick few words on it . and I will try not to talk to funny for you ;) .

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I think I can tell what you're talking aboot, Chance.  :D  Sorry, just that's the thing that has stood out to me on the few occasions that a Canadian has made it far enough south for me to talk with him.  Everything sounds normal, and then all of a sudden I hear "aboot" and it throws me off.  Some day I'd love to come visit y'all's beautiful country in the summer and y'all can laugh at my collective "you" usage.

 

Not all steel seems to benefit from a triple quench.  Seems like those with chromium do, though I don't know that it's involved.  5160 is the only one I've worked with, but I've heard that O1 and 52100 do as well.  A grinder guy I know said he tried it with O1 versus his typical soak at temperature and got the same results with both, so I think there's something to it.

 

I'm not a metallurgist, but as I understand it, it's getting the carbides into solution better.  The same thing can be done by bringing it a bit hotter and then quenching, but this lets me get the result without accidentally overheating the blade.  Since I'm gauging by magnet and eyeball in a gas forge, I see it as cheap insurance against getting too hot.  Seems to work well, but you're likely getting the same results with your soak.

 

The way you describe it sounds plenty good to me.  Are you pre-heating your oil?  I use the multi-quench bring the oil up to temp.

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I do have my mixed oil hot (I know I could use better oil then what I do just a mix or motor and canola oil and what ever gets in it ) . few chunks of mild steel made red hot and tossed in (the flair up is all ways fun :) ) . I am game to try new things out so do you heat quench and repeat right out of the quench or is there a cool down time . I have some spear heads I an "aboot" to make out of 5160 . I would like to try it out .

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