Chef knife questions

Justin Schmidt

Justin Schmidt

Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Messages
2,209
Alright so I'm focusing on strictly chef knives for a while and I will be forging them. So, what is your beginning stock thickness before forging (ie 1.5in x .250)
What is your spine thickness after forging?
Do you use pins in your handles? I've seen ALOT without pins. Any other tips?
Thanks everyone!
 
Don’t forge most, but I tend not to use pins. I grind grooves in the tang for the epoxy, and a few holes.
 
I Start with the thinnest stock I can get for the knife I’m going to make.
Mostly I buy laminated steel so I get what they make and sell

Generally the spine is 1/8” max and tapers quickly.
Most of the time I don’t use pins.
If you are in doubt, make a dummy handle and glue it on a tang and try to take it off
 
I forge from W2 round bar and my own damascus for the most part. For my stainless knives, I use .110 AEB-L. I like the spine at around .100 for big knives and like .060-70 for large parer/small petty blades in the 105-120mm range. I have made a couple of stock removal knives that same thickness from 2.7mm 115W8 and forged down another blade from 5mm stock.
 
HSC /// said:
I Start with the thinnest stock I can get for the knife I’m going to make.
Mostly I buy laminated steel so I get what they make and sell

Generally the spine is 1/8” max and tapers quickly.
Most of the time I don’t use pins.
If you are in doubt, make a dummy handle and glue it on a tang and try to take it off
Click to expand...

When you do monosteel blades do you forge the bevels in? Or just forge to shape then grind the bevels?
 
Justin Schmidt said:
When you do monosteel blades do you forge the bevels in? Or just forge to shape then grind the bevels?
Click to expand...

It varies and depends. I’m a bit of spontaneous maker. So I have done both. Again it depends on what size stock I have to work with.

A couple of recent 1084 blades I forged to shape and then forge the taper from the heel to tip and forge out the tang.

I rarely forge in the bevels on anything now that I think about it. I always forge in the taper from heel to tip
 
I forge from 1" round silver steel or 1" square o1 by hand
I use so big for integral bolsters.full tang
I think I go to about 5 or 6 mm above heel.i am forging today and can measure to be sure
Takes about 3 or 4 hours of heavy forging for big chef knife
 
HSC /// said:
It varies and depends. I’m a bit of spontaneous maker. So I have done both. Again it depends on what size stock I have to work with.

A couple of recent 1084 blades I forged to shape and then forge the taper from the heel to tip and forge out the tang.

I rarely forge in the bevels on anything now that I think about it. I always forge in the taper from heel to tip
Click to expand...

Very Murray Carter style. Now when you say forge the taper heel to tip are you meaning from the spine?
 
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