Beckerhead Knife Making and Modification Thread

[JoshSkaarup]

Took my first foray into hand forging a blade from an old file. Started out promising enough. Built a guard and pommel from some mild steel--that was also a first for me--the heat treatment went smooth, and the temper was a nice straw yellow, but then went to peen the tang, and well...

Ah well. It was a learning experience for sure. Starting to build a proper forge, so there's lots more experimenting to come. Note to self: try two temper cycles, a bit hotter. Got too impatient to see it done.

 

[GeofS]

A noble attempt, J JoshSkaarup . Don’t give up, try it again.

 

[JoshSkaarup]

A noble attempt, J JoshSkaarup . Don’t give up, try it again.

Oh for sure. Got parts coming in to build me a new forge. There will be much more to come!

 

[daizee]

D'oh!
I just broke a file knife recently myself.
Can you shoot a picture inside the break so we can see the grain structure?
All those teeth in files are stress risers, and they can be loaded with tiny invisible cracks from their previous life.

 

[JoshSkaarup]

Tried to get some clear pictures of the grain, this is the best my phone is capable of, lol. Damned auto focus.

I knew something was up after the temper when a file cut on the lower half but still skated off the foible area. But, I was in a rush to finish. Lesson learned.

 

[daizee]

Yeah, looks like a crack near the spine and very rough grain. Probably overheated at some point, or held in the heat too long.

 

[daizee]

Just finished in time for this past weekend. Still smelled of Tru-oil when I packed it for the Gathering:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/dispatula-skinner-in-a2-and-katalox.1656230/

 

[The Warrior]

Very nice man.

 

[Xr6x]

It sure is daizee

 

[JoshSkaarup]

A micarta bolster/guard? Neat!

 

[GeofS]

Sure is clean. Great lines too. I like it!

 

[JoshSkaarup]

Built a new forge!

 

[The Warrior]

Built a new forge!

Nice! Looking forward to seeing what you create.

 

[JoshSkaarup]

First piece out of the forge! Still some polishing and such to be done. Made from an old Black Diamond file, which is close to W2 in terms of alloy. Hand forged fittings from mild steel and an antler hilt. Pretty excited!

 

[The Warrior]

Very cool man.

 

[Beastchopper]

What's the quickest/easiest way to put a mirror polish on a bk-9? Has anyone here tackled that task? I always see these grey stripped blades which are cool, but a shiny one would be a nice touch. Also, I use my choppers hard, will that hard use jack up the finish?

 

[Beastchopper]

PS, i have a ken onion worksharp grinder and a dremmel.

 

[JoshSkaarup]

Lots of increasingly fine grits of sandpaper. And Yeah, a mirror polish is going to scratch up almost instantly with hard use.

 

[Beastchopper]

Lots of increasingly fine grits of sandpaper. And Yeah, a mirror polish is going to scratch up almost instantly with hard use.

Ya, not worth it then. Thanks

 

[GeofS]

What's the quickest/easiest way to put a mirror polish on a bk-9? Has anyone here tackled that task? I always see these grey stripped blades which are cool, but a shiny one would be a nice touch. Also, I use my choppers hard, will that hard use jack up the finish?

Ask Xr6x .