Custom Fighter WIP

[Phillip Patton]

Hey all,
It's been a loooong time since I did a work-in-progress thread in this here sub forum, and I just started working on a fighter for a customer, so thought I'd better snap some pictures and share them.

I'm hoping this will be informative enough that someone could make a knife after reading this thread. So, if I don't make something clear, feel free to ask questions.

This knife is being modeled somewhat after this one:

which was arguably the most popular knife I've ever made. The blade will be pretty much the same. I'm altering the pattern slightly, and the handle will be ivory paper Micarta instead of carbon fiber.

So, without further ado, here's the first round of pics. Pics follow the explanations.

This billet is starting out as 4 layers, 2 each of O1 and L6. The O1 layers are 3/4" thick, the L6 is 5/8" thick. The pieces are 1-1/4" wide and 4" long.

Cutting to length with the chop saw:

After grinding clean:

Now the pieces are clamped in my special billet welding vise and tack welded together at the corners:

Then a handle is welded on:

 

[Phillip Patton]

Since my last WIP, I've switched from borax to oil for forge welding flux. Works great, and is so much cleaner and safer. It only works of the billet is cold. If you have to take another weld when the billet is hot, then you still have to use borax. I do this anyway, because sometimes using oil, the very outside edges of the seams don't take, and the borax closes these up.

Some people use diesel, some use kerosene. I'm using vet grade mineral oil, because it's what I have.

It flares up quite a bit when you first put it in:

Once the billet is a uniform color, and as hot as it's going to get, then it's time to squeeze it under the hammer. I didn't get any pictures of the actual forging, but here it is at temperature:

and here is it forged out to 16" long

 

[RyanW]

Thanks for this Phillip!

 

[Phillip Patton]

Thanks for this Phillip!

You're welcome!

Now the scale is ground off the billet with an angle grinder, it's cut into 4, 4" pieces, and they are ground smooth on the belt grinder. I use the angle grinder along one edge so I know how to orient them all later, like so:

It's tack welded together again, and forge welded.

Then the process is repeated again, for a total of 64 layers. The billet is drawn out to 12" long:

It will be cut into 3 pieces, and some thin layers of O2 will be inserted in between. The O2 has to be forged down as thin as I can get it with my hammer, which is about 3/32":

At this point, I ran out of propane. I got the tank filled this afternoon, so in the morning, I'll be able to make the last weld.

 

[peterinct]

Thanks for taking time to post Phillip.

This should be good!

Peter

 

[Shawn Hatcher]

Great WIP, Phillip! Looking forward to seeing this one progress . . .

 

[JParanee]

I'm in

 

[John White]

Good to see this in progress from you.

I'll be following along!

John

 

[Salem Straub]

Cool, Phillip! I like the chunky pieces you started with.

 

[Daft Slice 1986]

I love seeing WIPs. Awesome looking knife!

 

[SBranson]

Looking forward to more. Thanks!!

 

[Zemapeli]

Great work, im interested to see how it turns out.

 

[Doug C]

Looking good, Phillip.
Great to see this build, thanks.

Doug

 

[Dawkind]

Another fine WIP, I continue to go back to the one you did on that sword.

 

[keithf]

Yes, Yes yes, Are we there yet? Looking forward to this! As my Dad used to say, Take your time, Hurry up!
cheers Keith

 

[claudio-cas]

Thanks for the photos!

Claudio

 

[Phillip Patton]

Thanks, guys, for watching.

I did, in fact, do the last weld yesterday morning:

Then drew it out to about 3/4" square:

Then started twisting. I did a left hand twist, about one twist per inch.

After twisting, the untwisted section of the end is cut off:

Then it's forged flat and widened and the tip is started. I forge it flat at a welding heat with flux in case there's any welds trying to open up. I didn't see any, but it doesn't hurt.

I was afraid there wasn't going to be enough material to get the width and thickness I needed, but I think it's ok. But it would be better next time to leave it 7/8" square before twisting...

 

[Idlewild]

Thanks Phillip for illustrating the processes you work through to make a beautiful knife. I'm amazed at all of the detailed work that goes into the making of a fine knife. I'm looking forward to following along here and seeing this one completed.

 

[Jim Coffee]

Awesome, Thanks for this great wip Phillip

 

[Phillip Patton]

Now the billet is cut off of the rebar handle and reheated:

The shape of the tip is refined:

and the recurve is forged in. If I had rounded dies for my hammer, it would be great for this, but I don't, so I had to do it the old fashioned way, with hammer and anvil.

When the shape of the blade is as good as it's going to be, it's cut off from the rest of the billet:

Then start forging out the tang:

All done forging:

Now I grind the edges clean on the belt grinder to make sure there are no bad welds or deep grooves from the twisting that will relegate this blade to the scrap bucket:

It's a little narrower than I'd intended, but still within specs, so I went ahead and thermal cycled it. I do this in my heat treat oven. I didn't want to heat it up for just one blade, so this afternoon I forged out a couple kitchen knife blades and a hunter to keep it company in the oven.

I cycle my blades three times. Once at 1600 F, then at 1525, then 1450. After the last one, I quench them, then anneal them in the oven at 1250 for a couple hours. By morning they'll be cooled down and soft and ready for grinding.