Hand Forged blades for survival ect

[firemaker]

Hi all I'm new here, I find the edged tool forum to be very interesting. I for a long time tryed to find the one knife to do it all for me in the woods, but I couldnt find it the way I wanted it. Custom knifes were to pricy for me! after all I could buy all the tools to make them myself for the cost of one knife from some of the makers. So thats what I did! I forge all my edged tools now. I didnt see any posts on this subject. Do any of the members here do any forge work of there own.

 

[Ahjno]

Some are mate, but the majority of the guys who do are our friends on www.britishblades.com (sister site)

Edit: Welcome to the forum BTW

 

[Ed]

Hiya and welcome aboard

There are a few here who make knives and forge blades. Check out www.britishblades.com . Many members here are also members over there and that is where most of the knife related discussions go on

Enjoy the forums

Ed

 

[firemaker]

Thanks guys I think I'll like it here! My question for ya is what size and shape you find the most useful for all around use when in the bush. I find that for me I carry at least two knifes. What would you not leave the house without?

 

[Ogri the trog]

Hi Firemaker and welcome to the forum,
I had a go at making a knife from an old metal file, following the advice on www.greenpete.com I ended up with a serviceable blade, good, but not stunning. What it has done is to whet my appetite for making knives myself. No doubt sometime in the future I'll try a forging session to see what I can come up with.

As to what I would not be without - difficult one as it depends on whether I'm working (when I'll carry something like a Gerber Legend or a single blade penknife) or out on the farm (when a kit made Nordic from Brisa.com is always to hand) other cutting tools for varying tasks include axes, billhooks, a homemade machette, chainsaw etc etc.

Any photos of your work - its always good to see other peoples interpretation of what they consider to be the ultimate knife!

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[firemaker]

Sorry it took me so long to reply I just got back from work. If I did it right heres a pic of my most resent knife its just days old, made from a leaf spring from a car from the 60s its 5160 steel. Its 10 inches long 1/4 inch thick 1 3/4 inches at the widest part of the blade, a convex bevel and a hammer finnish, thats so I dont worry about scratchs. The handle is water buffalo horn. I made it for hard use chopping, splitting, and cutting. So far its gone through two 3 inch chunks of hornbeem (dry) very hard wood, Some poplar, and some pine two by fours, I can still shave with it. The balance point is at the finger groove just before the blade starts. I would feel ok in the woods with this one and a good pocket knife.
And yes you should try forging a blade its not to hard to start out all you need is something to pound on and a source of high heet be it coal, char coal, or gas.

 

[Mr_Yarrow]

Sweet looking piece of kit there firemaker.

have you filed in thumb/finger grips on the metal just before the cutting edge starts. if so is that to compensate for lack of a tang/finger gaurd?

 

[firemaker]

Yes its to help provide a better grip. Keep all my fingers its a little hard to see in the pic but I did some file work on the back for looks as well as a no slip spot for my thumb or finger.

 

[ESpy]

There are a few here who make knives and forge blades.

Occasionally...

 

[C_Claycomb]

Peter, I didn't know you made knives!! You must bring one along to show!

Sorry, couldn't resist Hey, I'll settle for seeing bits of test blades or forged blanks

 

[ESpy]

Peter, I didn't know you made knives!! You must bring one along to show!

Sorry, couldn't resist Hey, I'll settle for seeing bits of test blades or forged blanks

I've got a bucketload of part-done blades?
(and the one I had hoped to finish by May, which still doesn't have a sheath...)

 

[firemaker]

Espy I like that avatar. What do you like for a strate up bush knife. And is that why you make your own?

 

[C_Claycomb]

Yes, please bring some part done blades and the one with no sheath! No need for a whole bucket load though.

Sorry Firemaker...I don't forge, only manage stockremoval so will go away now

 

[Hedgehog]

Not hand forged but,
I've made a couple of small knives so far...

This was my first

& second

Both blades are around 3" - I kept them small so I could heat treat them in my gas 'coal effect' fire. Stock removal method, 01 tool steel - Beech & African Blackwood handles.

No pics of the finished sheaths as yet.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Very nice work,
and thank you to all who are posting pictures on this thread.
It puts my efforts to shame.

Ogri the trog

 

[firemaker]

I see most every one likes the nordic knifes!? I've tryed to forge them but for what ever resone I end up with something well not quite it! I'm working on one right now the epoxie is set up by now time to shape the handle. Those are some sweet looking knifes you have a good eye for it.