Hi,
I have made a few small blades from parts of old files. I forged them both around the same time and achieved the shape I wanted. I then left them to anneal in ash before grinding and polishing. I have yet to temper them. I suspect I should have tempered them before I tried to get a good finish and an edge. Two questions, then: at what stage should you temper the blade?

I also hope to fit simple wooden handles (most probably in yew). As these knives are to be approximately early mediaeval in style, and quite simple in design, I won't use rivets. However, to make sure the tang doesn't either split the wood or twist in the handle in use, I was thinking of using some form of epoxy glue. Second question: does anyone recommend anything in particular for this job? (I'll post the pics when I fit the handles).

Many thanks,
Declan

I reccommend JB Weld. It comes in either quick set or slow set. Its a two part epoxy type adhesive.
I've been using it for years and have had excellent results.
It sets up gray so dont get it where you dont want it.
If you want something that dries clear, then there's a two part epoxy that dries that way. It also comes in quisk set or slow set. However I reccommend that you completely finish the work on the blade before using this stuff as it loosens up when it gets hot, so doing any type of grinding or power sanding that will heat up the blade will cause this adhesive to loosen.

Thanks for that. Glueing in the handle would have been the very last thing I would have done in any case, so there would have been no danger of heat damaging the epoxy, but it's a good point to bear in mind. I wonder what (if anything) our ancestors might have used? Perhaps a hide glue. I also understand making a very fresh green handle works too, in that the seasoning of the timber causes shrinkage which naturally grips the tang.

Here is a post I did about tempering a while back http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f14/should-have-tempered-5211/ These questions you are asking would be great to ask tonight on the knife chat as well.

Thanks for that link - lots of good stuff there. I sense I will have quite a few 'oops' moments over the next wee while! I sense (being on GMT here in Ireland) that I will have hit the hay when you guys are chatting online. But no doubt there will be plenty to read up on in the forum. Thanks again.

Declan,
I think you just need to login at about 6am gmt to catch the knife chat. Grab yerself a cup of coffee, pour some Jameson in it, and join in...

Glue=A natural occuring substance; as in hide glue, fish glue, pine pitch glue
Adhesive=Mand made from chemicles; elmers wood glue 'super glue', gorilla glue. These are called glues but are in reality adhesives.
Our ancesters/forefathers used a glue made from pine resin (the hard,dried pine pitch fund on pine trees) with powdered charcoal as a binder. This was used to glue stone arrow and spear points to the shaft. For woodworking, the colonials used fish glue. Made from boiled codfish air bladders. I have used both of these and found them quite adequite when used for the intended purpose. I use the fish glue(available from Lee Valley Tools) quite a bit.
My wife and I are living historians /reenactors and make all our gear, accrouterments,clothes,etc as historicaly accurate as possible.
One of the main reasons I took up blacksmithing.

Sometimes it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all possible doubt... or put another way, maybe I should listen for now, and learn! But thanks for the invite. Now where's me Jameson...?

My wife and I are living historians /reenactors and make all our gear, accrouterments,clothes,etc as historicaly accurate as possible.
One of the main reasons I took up blacksmithing.

Greetings from tenth century Dublin. Seems you got into blacksmithing the same way I did.
Viking life is a real joy to research.
Finnr

About tempering; tempering is done to soften the blade a bit after hardening. After you harden the blade it will be a bit too hard to use as a blade and may even break from being brittle. Bp0078 covers the process fairly well. All metal work should be complete to the finished state before handle are attached.

Edited September 27, 200817 yr by Rich Hale
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Cheers Rich. I will give it a go in the morning.

Another product for epoxy for the handles is called west systems it is a marine epoxy the will stick just about anything together. Just don't let it set up on anything you want to take apart.The wood will tear apart befor the glued joint if applied correctly.

Thanks for that. Sounds like the stuff to use!