can't shake my forging fever

[forginhill]

I enjoyed making the last knife so much I had to start another one....And it's winter which is a perfect time to fire up the forge. I'm going to experiment with some design elements. Like a good womble, I chose a rusty old piece of file for the steel. Ground off the teeth and split it in two for two blades. One will be a wood carving knife. The other a general purpose puukko style blade.

 

[Muddypaws]

Looking good so far!

 

[forginhill]

Thanks, Muddypaws.

Filing in the bevels...



Bevels done...tangs drilled and prepped, prior to heat treatment.

 

[Trotsky]

Looking good!
Have you ever tried making anything from leaf springs? I've come into possession of a set of 4 recently, thinking of making something from them.

 

[Robson Valley]

forginhill: I learned very quickly that striking accuracy with the hammer on hot metal gets the job done. I am so clumsy.
Then I paid the local farrier to forge a copper adze blade for me. Saw the profound difference in his ability. Amazing.
My lesson is that you practice your craft a lot. It shows in your results.

trotsky: vehicle leaf spring metal has been used for wood carving tools here in the Pacific Northwest for a century+.
Apparently, very old Volkswagen spring leaves are wonderful, as are power lawnmower blades.

 

[forginhill]

Thanks Trotsky and Robson...

Trotsky, as Robson said, those leaf springs will make great knives and tools. I've used it many times.

Next I heat treated. I'm on a Japanese clay quench kick right now and W2 (file steel) is a water hardening steel anyway. Got the blades quenched and tempered.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Looking good, can't wait ti see them finished.

 

[forginhill]

Thanks, crosslandkelly.

So I finished them up. I'm testing the tang connection using just epoxy. The last one I pinned, but I feel that epoxy is more than adequate, which greatly simplifies that aspect of knife making. I'm also testing thin blades. The blades on these are just 2 mm at the thickest. We'll see how they stand up to some field testing. Handles are some unidentified tropical hardwood a friend gave me.

The carving knife.



The puukko.



Both.

 

[bilmo-p5]

Sweet. Especially the puukko.

 

[forginhill]

Thanks, bilmo-p5!

Been using both knives and liking them.





Carved some spoons with the carver too.

 

[Mesquite]

Very nice work indeed

 

[Muddypaws]

Great looking finished knives! And nice spoon too.

 

[Leshy]

Wow , very clean work again!
That carver looks beautiful and the clean lines and geometry of the spoon just shows off your great skills.
👍👍

 

[John Fenna]

They look good and seem to work well - an all round success I would say!

 

[forginhill]

Thanks for the feedback! Good to hear confirmation from serious bushcrafters like you all...

Crosslandkelly, did you see your ferro rod? Works perfectly...really enjoying it!