Hammer time! forging a booshway

[mqqn]

Hi Mark -

What is benefit to hand forging a knife to shape to the end-user?

I have never forged a knife, so I don't know the benefits, but I know the difference in the technique.

Cool pictures in this thread - thanks for posting them, I assume your manager had to take them for you.

thanks and best regards -

mqqn

[NoahL]

Hi Mark -

What is benefit to hand forging a knife to shape to the end-user?

I have never forged a knife, so I don't know the benefits, but I know the difference in the technique.

Cool pictures in this thread - thanks for posting them, I assume your manager had to take them for you.

thanks and best regards -

mqqn

Forging a knife allows the maker to move metal beyond its original dimensions (a 1"x1/4"x12" bar can become several 1-1/4" wide, 1/8" thick knives, for example) and it reduces waste because the maker doesn't have to grind as much steel. Forging also gives you the ability to construct features like laminated steel, socket handles, integral bolsters and curled tang tails. The benefit to the end-user is essentially the fact that there is more room for creativity if they are designing a custom knife, and there are some aesthetic benefits as well. Other than that there is the fact that you can tell people that your knife was hand-forged, which is pretty cool :P

[mqqn]

Thanks Noah -

Good to see you are posting.

Does forging make the edge retention better?

I always thought that forging was to make the steel 'stronger' in some way, and I am not sure where I formed that impression.

best regards -

mqqn

[NoahL]

Thanks Noah -

Good to see you are posting.

Does forging make the edge retention better?

I always thought that forging was to make the steel 'stronger' in some way, and I am not sure where I formed that impression.

best regards -

mqqn

Yeah, things have been hectic and I haven't gotten to post much.

Forging does not make edge retention better, nor does it make the steel stronger, but these are common misconceptions. People think that hammering on it compresses the molecular compounds in the metal to make it stronger, but that's not the case--any compression that is gained during forging is completely removed during the heat treating process called "normalizing" which reduces the grain structure size of the steel to a neutral state, and then it changes again when hardened and yet again when tempered. I think that the original source of that theory is either from before modern steel became readily available and forging meant you could forge-weld high quality steel to iron to have better edge retention, or it came about during the resurgence of bladesmithing in the mid-20th century as a marketing ploy by bladesmiths :P. Don't get me wrong, though, I love forged blades

[markv]

we are just getting all our tools and gear moved into the new shop, the forge will be set up as soon as it cools down, i mean the weather , not the forge.LOL
anyway real forging is the best for getting a good strong blade and the heat treat done right is a real pleasure

long story short i'm glad you posted this forge finish topic

i would like more info on your L6 blade steel process Mark? i have a few L6 knives and the steel is really phenomenal the toughest and holds an edge for ever under extremely hard use. i am not sure why, ... it just does?

all good
buzz