Confederate Bowie

Gary Mulkey

Gary Mulkey

Joined
May 14, 2001
Messages
1,414
I built this Bowie for a customer who wanted a rebel flag in the handle. I make it from box elder burl that was dyed the red & blue when stabilized with mosaic pins for the stars. Blade is 7" & 12"OAL. Hope you like it.

confederate%20bowie%20lg.JPG


confederate%20handle.JPG


Gary
 
I have a question re: rough grinding (stock removal) and "burning" the steel during the grinding process.
During the rough grinding process (before heat treating) the steel often turns blue while grinding thin sections of the blade such as at the tip etc.
Will this affect the quality of the steel AFTER heat treat or is this an issue at all?
The work would go a lot faster if I didn't have to quench the blade every few passes.
Can I just grind away without worrying about keeping the blade cool before I heat treat it?
I am a hobby knifemaker and have made only a few knives but I still want to make them with as much quality as possible.
 
Gary, that is mighty nice! I've been trying to figure out how to do a US flag and you've given me some ideas.
puppypuppy said:
The work would go a lot faster if I didn't have to quench the blade every few passes.
Click to expand...

Here's what the pros have told me: You can get the steel pretty hot before HT without ruining it. A stress-relief cycle before the actual quenching procedure is a good idea. The way I avoid excess heat when grinding is to work on 2 or 3 at a time and allow them to cool fully while I work on the next one. It seems like it takes longer but you end up with a couple blades ready for HT, and you can work steadily.
 
Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad that you liked it. The glue up was a little tricky as there are 15 pieces to the handle as well as the "stars".

In answer to the question about heat on the preliminary grind: I have never had a piece go blue during grinding but straw or blue aren't going to hurt anything before H/T. If you are getting blue color on a regular basis then I suspect that your belts aren't sharp. Try using new belts and see if you have the same problem. (the ceramic grit belts will give you much more service than the aluminum oxide ones)

Gary
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top