Heat treating in the back garden

[JohnC]

I'm half way though making a couple of knives. Today I was doing the heat treating. I'm following instructions (somewhere on the forum) for cleaning bones to make into handles too.

This is an old gas bottle cu in half with a foot pump attached

I got a lot of encouragement reading others stories of having a go and making their own tools and knives, so I hope this encourages someone whos thinking of having a go.

 

[barry]

hi john looks great i like the idea of using bones for the handles would love to hear more about that when you get on a bit wouldnt mind trying that myself just havnt had time to make another knife at the momment look forward to seeing how you get on

 

[Draven]

Nice work mate!

Just out of curiosity, how did you cut out the blades?

And whered you get the bones? i've been thinking of a bone handle too, was thinking of just asking at a butchers...

 

[JohnC]

The flaat stock was cut out with a mixture of hacksawsing and filing and drilling.
I got the bones from a butcher down the road. I let them know I wanted longish thick bones for carving/crafts and they were quite happy to put them by (£3)

 

[nickg]

that looks like a very useful setup. Did it take long to cut the gas bottle in half and did you sneed anything HD like oxy acetalyne etc.
The bone look like beef shins. I used to turn them on a wood lathe to make lace bobbins. I prepared them by boiling them for a few hours. Are you preparing them in any way

Nick

 

[Ogri the trog]

Good looking set-up John.
Couple of quickies if you don't mind....
Are you burning just charcoal, and is your pump one that pumps on both strokes?

I really must get my finger out and set about one of my spare gas bottles. I got a bag of Blacksmith's Slack a while ago so I'll be trying that as soon as the forge is up and running, but I've no idea how hot it will actually get.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[JohnC]

Sorry for not replying

It's just charcoal, The pump is an old foot pump that is a single cycle one. I'd like to make a better blower..

The bottle was cut in half with an angle grinder after making sure it was empty. It took about 30 mins and 2 discs. The edge was cleaned up with a file