poppaclutch Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 Here's my first attempt at a Machete. Made out of a agricultural sweep with a rebar handle and a copper spade silver soldered to the blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 That scares me a lot! As I understand the properties of rebar to be really inconsistent and rather untrustworthy for use in place of a more reliable grade of steel. I worry a lot about the ability of the joint between the two steels to not fail. I suspect that it is welded. But perhaps soldered, brazed riveted or ? Any of those methods may lead to failure. That is why I fret. A failure in use would no doubt in my mind lead to the long blade section,,,which does look well made and capable of doing bodily damage. ,,to become a flying missal. A TRUE DANGER!. Please do not use this blade, I understand you have put a lot of effort in and are no doubt proud of it. But let it be as a user. Hang on the shop wall as part of tuition and move on...Even better weld a bolt to back side of the blade so you can bolt it to the wall and not be tempted by its nice looks. Even if you had not put rebar in as the handle...any metal you attach at that point would make it unsafe. Make the blade material become part of the handle in any of the many ways it can be done. No joint please. One possibility I can think of is if you split the rebar and added it as scales to an extension of the blade and fastened it somehow with solder or rivets..That may work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 How is that rebar attached to that blade ? (looking at the safety issues here ) please show /tell how it is made . Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppaclutch Posted September 21, 2013 Author Share Posted September 21, 2013 Thanks for your concern. I milled a groove in the rebar, inserted the blade and welded it with my mig welder at something like 140 amps. I've sunk the blade deeply in stuff like the top of a utility pole with little effort. I was planning on using it as a wall hanger as it would be a poor substitute for something like a 45-70. I had the idea of splitting the rebar and using it as scales (was after a different effect) and might for the second, which is now in progress. Don't know how it would be boring out the rebar on the lathe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 My thouights and fright are the same now,,welded to me defines unsafe with this...I think yoiu are on the right track,,,keep safe,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 I think splitting the rebar, and "penny welding" of brazing with copper on to a full tang would be nice looking, strong and would survive heat treating. I certainly like the look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppaclutch Posted September 21, 2013 Author Share Posted September 21, 2013 My thouights and fright are the same now,,welded to me defines unsafe with this...I think yoiu are on the right track,,,keep safe,,, OK... to the wall for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppaclutch Posted September 21, 2013 Author Share Posted September 21, 2013 I think splitting the rebar, and "penny welding" of brazing with copper on to a full tang would be nice looking, strong and would survive heat treating. I certainly like the look. How do you do the penny welding? I have thin sheets of flashing. Sounds like a cool effect.... like to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Penny welding is braising with copper. Copper melts at a higher temp than brass. Infact you can heat a shoe with a penny welded toe cleat and reshape it at red heat with out the braze failing. Clean and prep as for brazing or silver soder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno C. Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Looks Cool. Head all safety warnings from the Knowledgeable here. I sent most of the rebar I had laying around to the scrap yard. I broke a Himalayan Imports sword a while back. Thought they were Awesome when I first bought it. Was disappointed in the Rat-tail Tang that was used. When I look back at it, I think of how lucky I am that it harmlessly fell to the ground in front of me instead of sticking me in the face. Rebar scales sounds like a cool idea though. Btw: I like your anvil setup, Looks like timing chain holding it down ? Looks Cool :) -Bruno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 when younger I had part of a katana go flying into a lady's leg while I was doing a martial arts kata, the tang let go and it was a bullet from there, lucky the spine contacted her leg, not the edge. This was in my 20's before I knew better about cheaply made swords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 I like how you've "pegged" your anvil to the stump. Haven't seen that before! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppaclutch Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 I like how you've "pegged" your anvil to the stump. Haven't seen that before! :D That stump is two 2" circles of steel for a combined weight of 95 lbs. The total stand weighs (guessing) 350. Anvil is 97. Even though the tang ( of the machete) is an inch wide and goes 3.5" into the rebar and is welded with great penetration (for a mig welder), I will be hanging the thing on the wall.... if I can find a spot. Timing chain is useful for lots of things. Not only do I heed safety warnings from the Knowledgeable here, but I really enjoy this forum and have learned a great deal from all the years of lurking. Thanks to all, Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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