G L Drew
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2005
- Messages
- 4,807
With this hot weather I have been spending too much time in the house playing on the computer. I was looking at some antique ulus on the internet yesterday and got an idea for a new method of forging one out. So, in spite of the heat, I got excited about trying this and fired the forge this morning.
I laid out a piece of 1/4 x 1 1/2 inch 5160 and cut along the ends for the handle posts. (Yeah, I know, a traditional blacksmith would have hot cut the steel and not used a saw.)
At the forge I moved the legs out of the way to start forming the blade.
Using a half round spring fuller I started moving the steel toward the ends of the blade as I tapered the steel. This forces a nice curve into the blade which I need for the finished knife. This happens when I forge a straight knife too and I have to fight the steel back into position but here this works to my advantage.
Here I am using the "heel:" of my hammer to move more steel toward the edge which also increasing the curve.
Forging the legs and moving them up into position
Done at the forge, time to move upstairs to the grinder.
Using a 50 grit belt on the grinder I profiled the knife and did a rough grind on the blade.
Right now the knife is sitting at 1450 degrees in the normalizing process and I am sitting at 77 degrees in my office.
As soon as I quench the ulu and temper it in the oven I will be done for the day. If it is at all cool in the morning I will finish grinding the knife and add a handle. More photos at that time.
Thanks for looking, I hope this was entertaining. I think I need a beer.
I laid out a piece of 1/4 x 1 1/2 inch 5160 and cut along the ends for the handle posts. (Yeah, I know, a traditional blacksmith would have hot cut the steel and not used a saw.)
At the forge I moved the legs out of the way to start forming the blade.
Using a half round spring fuller I started moving the steel toward the ends of the blade as I tapered the steel. This forces a nice curve into the blade which I need for the finished knife. This happens when I forge a straight knife too and I have to fight the steel back into position but here this works to my advantage.
Here I am using the "heel:" of my hammer to move more steel toward the edge which also increasing the curve.
Forging the legs and moving them up into position
Done at the forge, time to move upstairs to the grinder.
Using a 50 grit belt on the grinder I profiled the knife and did a rough grind on the blade.
Right now the knife is sitting at 1450 degrees in the normalizing process and I am sitting at 77 degrees in my office.
As soon as I quench the ulu and temper it in the oven I will be done for the day. If it is at all cool in the morning I will finish grinding the knife and add a handle. More photos at that time.
Thanks for looking, I hope this was entertaining. I think I need a beer.
Last edited:
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