- Joined
- Apr 6, 2001
- Messages
- 2,632
Today I went down to his shop with a buddy of mine and talked for hours. Mr. Watson is a really great guy and took alot of time to entertain a few beginning knife nuts with the art of making blades.
I got back hours ago and still dont know where to start!
He showed us around, demonstrated some forging, and we got to look through his collection of personally collected antiques and merchandise. Simply amaizing stuff! I cannot stop thinking about all the cool blades I saw and all the shapes, styles, and materials they came in.
I knew I liked knives before, but dayum that shop tour blew my mind!
Huge belt sanders, several grinders and polishing wheels, cad machines, a massive gas forge, oven, everything you could dream of!
Before I got to see and handle any of his complete stuff he walked my friend and I through how he forged his blades and how his shop operated. The stuff that was 1/2 done was amaizing. I have been looking into forging for awhile and what they 1/2 way did blew my mind. We talked about the carburizing and decarburizing effects of the different parts of the fire when forging, carbides, cryogenics, alloys of steel, all sorts of technical stuff I hope I remember when I get started.
Pole arms like Naginata, and swords as varied as you can imagine, the variety was unreal! I have been looking for a maker for some time that has experience in making pole arms and finally found one! From tanto to tarwar, he made it. The coolest stuff was his "Avatar" blades made from Wootz. Gorgous stuff, he makes it in all sorts of patterns from straight grained to very erratic.
Anyway, the only thing I have really come away with is the suggestion that all the newbys find a local knife maker and attempt to get a shop tour. You will learn so much in such a short time it really is mind boggleing!
In the meantime I am going to go start saving for a sword!
I got back hours ago and still dont know where to start!
He showed us around, demonstrated some forging, and we got to look through his collection of personally collected antiques and merchandise. Simply amaizing stuff! I cannot stop thinking about all the cool blades I saw and all the shapes, styles, and materials they came in.
I knew I liked knives before, but dayum that shop tour blew my mind!
Huge belt sanders, several grinders and polishing wheels, cad machines, a massive gas forge, oven, everything you could dream of!
Before I got to see and handle any of his complete stuff he walked my friend and I through how he forged his blades and how his shop operated. The stuff that was 1/2 done was amaizing. I have been looking into forging for awhile and what they 1/2 way did blew my mind. We talked about the carburizing and decarburizing effects of the different parts of the fire when forging, carbides, cryogenics, alloys of steel, all sorts of technical stuff I hope I remember when I get started.
Pole arms like Naginata, and swords as varied as you can imagine, the variety was unreal! I have been looking for a maker for some time that has experience in making pole arms and finally found one! From tanto to tarwar, he made it. The coolest stuff was his "Avatar" blades made from Wootz. Gorgous stuff, he makes it in all sorts of patterns from straight grained to very erratic.
Anyway, the only thing I have really come away with is the suggestion that all the newbys find a local knife maker and attempt to get a shop tour. You will learn so much in such a short time it really is mind boggleing!
In the meantime I am going to go start saving for a sword!
