Zachary Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Actually this only probably my third or fourth knife shaped object to date. I don’t consider myself a knife maker at all I just decided to give it a try. It’s 136 layers of 15n20 and 1084 with a brass pins and a curly maple handle. The guard is a different pattern from a scrap piece left over from another project. There’re a lot of things that could be better but I’m happy with it at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(M) Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Beauty!! Amazing work, let alone for your first! I hope to get there some day.... What are some of "the things that could be better"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyO Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Sweet! Welcome to the pattern welded addiction.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachary Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 Thanks guys. Some of my grind lines and fitting could use a lot of improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Forge Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 I like it!! Good Job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhitee93 Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 The steel looks good. Not washed out or muddy looking like a lot of early pattern welding attempts. The grinding and fit and finish will come along with practice. I'd encourage you to take the grind higher up the side of the blade. That a great piece of curly maple. Did you do an aqua fortis finish on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachary Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 Yeah I used Aqua Fortis for the first time it’s amazing stuff. I’ll keep that in mind about grinding the bevels higher. I wasn’t sure how high to go. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhitee93 Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 I need to play with aqua fortis. I love that look. You'll find your grind referred to as a "Noob grind" in some circles. Many commercially made knives are ground like that, so it is understandable why people start there. Below is a pic of a similar blade I did a while ago, but the grind goes almost all the way to the spine. If you look closely, you'll see that most makers have grinds more along these lines. What part of northern Indiana are you in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachary Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 I’ll have to remember that. I’m about 15 miles or so from Michigan in roughly the center of the state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in Oly, WA Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Nice looking knife Zachary, but be careful! That pattern-welding stuff can be very addicting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachary Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 Maybe I should see if I can find a local support group?!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in Oly, WA Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Yes. Better a support group than a rehabilitation center. This kind of an addiction needs support more than a cure! LOL Any blacksmith clubs in your area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachary Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 There are a couple groups about 45 minutes either side of me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 fy wayne meets 2nd saturday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachary Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 I need to remember that. You happen to know a gentleman by the name of Bruce Teegarden? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 yup good man, worked with him a few times over the years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in Oly, WA Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Well, there you go! Looks like you've found your support group. Now there'll be no stopping the addiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachary Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 That’s the problem! It appears to be more of a helping you in group! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in Oly, WA Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Oh yeah, they'll help you get in deep. Who knows what it'll lead to. And anvils and hammers are "gateway" tools - they'll cause you to acquire and make more - tongs, chisels, punches, hardies, guillotines, forge presses, flatteners, dies - the list is endless. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryson489 Posted September 22, 2018 Share Posted September 22, 2018 Awesome pattern. Nicely done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 22, 2018 Share Posted September 22, 2018 18 hours ago, Zachary said: That’s the problem! It appears to be more of a helping you in group! Well YEAH we'll help get you involved in the group. It's no problem at all. It's what we do. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted September 22, 2018 Share Posted September 22, 2018 Yes, aqua fortis is the best to use on curly anything. When we burned wood for heat a few years back, I got a lot of curly ash mixed in. I saved as much as I could. When using regular stains, they settle into the grain and disrupt seeing the curly pattern but aqua fortis doesn't do that and it turns out fabulous. You sir made an excellent looking knife! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 The more common name for aqua fortis is nitric acid. That mild acid is used to give some woods an aged look. The reagent would be around a ten percent solution of nitric acid. Pine and maple wood are often treated with that chemical. Please look up safety sheets for handling mineral acids, before using those reagents. They can give a nasty burn or even kill you. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 Good points Slag, I always use gloves and do the AF treatment outside. I've found rubber gloves are not needed and that regular first aid type latex gloves are enough protection for this type of work. I wouldn't recommend ever using it indoors without ventilation or the right kind of mask. Sure works really well though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachary Posted September 24, 2018 Author Share Posted September 24, 2018 Yeah I carefully read the directions (this time) before I used it and tried to be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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