Cheap aids for socket handles?

[Truelove]

Does anyone have any clever (and low-priced) ways to improve socket formation, function and appearance? Pics would be especially helpful to me on my quest to roll - my - own.
Thanks as always!

 

[12345678910]

You mean Socketed Spears ?


I remember Raymond Richard did some pics WIP, - maybe you can find it.

Like this but more in depth
http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51838

 

[Truelove]

Not necessarily spears, but you're dead - on with the link. I'll have to do that search as I love Mr. Richard's work (I bookmarked his astounding 'hawk WIP post). His reference to Tai Goo's work is also what I was thinking of.

 

[Sam Salvati]

You are looking for a bick iron, like a long thin anvil horn that fits in the hardy, you roll the socket over it thenuse it to true it up into a true cone, very handy tool.

 

[Tai Goo]

Cleaver maybe,... but not cheap or easy.

It would be almost impossible for me to teach my way with just pixs and words, because the hammer techniques are not simple and require a lot of skill and experience to do right. Probably the hardest part is getting the transition from the blade to socket lined up straight and even.

Ray shows his method, which is a bit more simple than mine on the “Hammerjamin” DVD, available through Ray, Chuck Richards and myself.

 

[Tai Goo]

You are looking for a bick iron, like a long thin anvil horn that fits in the hardy, you roll the socket over it thenuse it to true it up into a true cone, very handy tool.

Good point Sam. Those definitely help. However, I usually start my sockets in a swedge block instead of rolling them over a mandrel. Ray uses the step on the cutting platform of an anvil to "sink" the form first, instead of a swedge block. After that step we roll the socket shut just over the surface of the anvil, (over air), with nothing but the socket itself (and anvil) for support. We both use a mandrel to help true it up.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

No matter how you do it,you will need some sort of mandrel.

 

[Raymond Richard]

Here's a few pictures of me starting to shape the socket and then another one after I have got it closed up. There is no really easy way to do it. Just takes lots of practice and patience. So much depends on how you hold your mouth to.

This last picture is a progression of the forging of the spearhead. About every 10 to 20 minutes I would cool off the work and trace it on the wall of my shop so I wouldn't forget how to do it. Its almost a tutorial in itself. Time to get back out to the shop.

 

[Truelove]

So much depends on how you hold your mouth to.

Then I'm certainly in trouble, I'm mostly grimacing and swearing

Thanks for all the expert replies, the line (and the later picture) about using the step for the initial bowing was especially helpful. Looks like the Hammerjamin DVD and a bick from Kayne's is in my future.
Thanks again!

 

[Tai Goo]

The mandrel is not absolutely necessary for fine tuning and truing up the socket. You can also substitute a pair of scroll tongs or just use the anvil horn to true up the very end of the socket. The rest can be done over the flat of the anvil. I usually use all of it though, but have had some come out so well I didn't need any of it, which is probably what you want to shoot for in the long run.

Also with the mandrel, it doesn’t need to be a tight fit in the socket, just a loose fit is fine. You can do round or oval on a loose fitting round mandrel. I prefer oval on the majority of the knives. Spears are a bit different.