As much as I could get

Raymond Richard

Raymond Richard

Joined
Jun 17, 2001
Messages
5,705
I started forging this blade last night and stayed on it for a couple hours till I had enough and called it quits. My goal was to see just how much of a blade I could get from the bar of steel in the picture. First picture is as far as I got last night forging. Forged for around maybe an hour and a half this morning and was able to grow it a good inch in length and maybe 3/8" in width. :D Took a picture of the edge. Its hard to tell but its down to 2 knat's asses. I plan to heat treat it shortly and it will be left forge finished. I just hope it doesn't go south when I quench. The piece of steel I started with was 1 1/2" X 1/4" X 10 1/4". Hand held hammers were all that were used to forge this blade.

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Picture taken last night, blade is at 13"

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After this mornings forging session blade is now 14", 18 1/2" from point to end of tang 2 1/8" wide

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Ready to normalize and then heat treat
 
Dang. thats pretty dang sweet Raymond!
 
Awesome work there, I'm very jealous of your hammer skills. I know I just gotta keep at it and it'll get there, I was taught well I'm just a bad student lol

Will
 
Will, As much as I forge I still feel like I'm learning plus I still enjoy doing it. The forging gets better in time.
 
I'm happy now that I can keep the edge in line at the ricasso, keep the bevels good and even. I'd like to be better at getting the most out of my material like you just did. I'm working on a rifleman's knife/dagger/dirk... I wanted a Persian recurve to it but just couldn't get everything to behave and move like I envisioned, any advice? lol

I enjoy the rythm of forging and when you get in that groove (I get that mainly with hunters and edc's) it's a feeling hard to match. I just get miffed when the hammer and steel don't do what I envision on the larger knives. I try to keep everything straight as I move along..... ah well more practice this weekend I guess :D
 
Will, There's times when I can't get the curve I want with just the hammer and anvil. Sometime putting the blade in a vise and bending or hitting will get it started in the direction you want to go. I've also got a Thunker I use for normal straightening but for the most part I just use a hammer. I try and bring the bevel and the spine out about the same time while I'm forging. Perfect forging weather also makes a difference. Just enjoy it and after awhile it will become second nature to you. Getting everything to line up can get frustrating. I got this blade past the quench and am now waiting for my oven to come down enough for a heat treat cycle. This blade won't fit in the toaster oven.
 
A report on my latest slotted screw driver knife blade. In the process of trying to get the tip of the blade lined up that little extra pressure proved to be just a little to much. My once 14" blade is now down to 12". Still a lot of blade left but its still disappointing.
 
Karl, I just got done forging another tip. The blade is down to 12 1/2". Still enough steel for 3 skinners. I was so proud that big blade. I need to not jump the gun when posting until the knife is complete.
 
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