Down time knife WIP

... I'm thinking I might cook diner with most of it. Looks tasty, even without the chicken livers and gravy! hee hee :) LOL

I'll meditate on it a while... *

... maybe stuff the hen with the livers... we'll see?
 
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I decided to eat the hen last night, and made some stuffing from the chicken livers. It was real tasty. My wife loved it! I wasn’t sure what to do with the crawdad so I hung it on the front of the muffle furnace for good luck.

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I used a candy thermometer to check the temp., of the canola, 120-130.

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I checked the outside of the steel muffle for non magnetic, the curie point, 1414, with a magnet, while taking note of where it was at in the color spectrum on the inside of the muffle. The color inside the muffle is higher on the spectrum than the outside because of ambient light. Then, I brought it up a hair, 50-100 degrees, targeting 1475-1500,… a “salmon” color inside the muffle.

Just before I put the blade in, I inserted a piece of cedar wood to create a reducing atmosphere inside the muffle, making sure it was well lit before sliding it to the back of the muffle.

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Next, I let the blade come up to temp., same color as the inside of the muffle, and soaked it for 8 minutes. Then I quenched it.

It took a slight warp towards the point so I over corrected it to the same degree in the other direction and brought it back to center with this bending jig.

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I checked it with a file just to make sure it was converting to martensite, (interrupted quench) and got it into the tempering oven while it was still about 200 degrees. It’s in the first temper right now at 450 for 1 hour. I’ll do a second temper the same, after it cools to room temp and has a chance to set up. After the second temper, I’ll test the blade and see… So far it seems fine. I'm not expecting any serious problems, since I've done this many a times before... never hurts to test it though.
 
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Mister crawdad looks to be done perfectly. :D When I was at you place in 2010 when you hardened Don't blade I was shocked at how clean it was when it came out of the pipe. Having that piece of wood in the pipe along with the blade works great!
 
R, yeah, it comes out pretty clean, works good.

I ate the crawdad while waiting for the temper.
 
I’m going try and leave some of the burnt oil finish and heat patina from the “voodoo” part on the finished blade, at least a few traces of it.

Oh goody, more “process markings”… taking advantage of the steel’s “memory”!

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That was a great WIP.

Thanks very much
 
I did a some extra tempering on the tang this morning with a torch, using a vice as a heat sink to protect the edge. I did it in two stages. First on the back ¾, running it up to non magnetic, a dull red, and air cooling. Then, I took that section up to a black heat a couple times air cooling between cycles. This area needs to be soft so I can drill a hole for the pin, not sure exactly where it’s going to go yet. Next, I took the front ¼ up to where it just started to show some blue. I flex tested the front part and it was very springy and checked the back part with a file and it was soft.

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I also put an edge on it and tested the blade,… good to go. :)
 
I worked on the finish a little just to get a better idea of what it will all look like,… although I won’t be doing the final finish and assembly until after Mr. Ray makes the sheath.

Did some hand sanding to the blade, leaving some of the hot patina. I also put a heat patina on the ferrule with a torch, highlighted it with some fine steel wool, and put one coat of Fiebing’s “chocolate” on the stag.

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The next thing is to make some type of decorative end piece for the stag.

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… starting to look like a knife.
 
Tai,
I want to thank you for doing this.

Your HT methods may be the only choice available to many smiths. Your light hearted romp through making a really nice knife is much appreciated, and I have enjoyed it a lot.

You can send the knife to me when you are done cutting up the chickens with it, and I'll send you a yanagi-ba.
 
bladsmth said:
You can send the knife to me when you are done cutting up the chickens with it, and I'll send you a yanagi-ba.
Click to expand...

I appreciate that Stacy,... but I need the money right now and Mr. Ray probably does too. Times are tough. You understand don't you? ;)

I would like to do a trade for one of your kitchen knives someday though.

Thanks for thinking of the whole BBQ WIP idea bro,... I'm having fun with it. :)
 
every now and then I start to think a know a little something about making knives, I read stuff think this and it reminds me i dont know a darn thing haha. thanks a lot, this has been great to read. I love everything i have ever seen from you.
 
Mister T, I am so looking forward to handle this knife. You did another exceptional job with you special look! I get back home from Little Rock and Texas on the 22nd of February. Why don't you mail it on the 22nd and that will give me a couple days to adjust to Pacific time. I'll get on the sheath right away. Just got a great idea as I was writing this.
 
Thanks.

Sounds good Mr. Ray. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with, love those sheaths you've been doing. Hope you have a great show.
 
For years I've been wishing (and prodding) for a good proper Tai Goo WIP. I've been following this thread with great interest. Excellent! I enjoy the insight into your deranged and talented mind. I can't think of a more unique, original, and skilled maker.

On a side note, I think the first person who saw a Crawdad and thought "Hum, I think I'll eat that" must have been really hungry.
 
Hi Tai,
As an aspiring, poor, soon to be knife maker (still making my 1st one) I was really amazed at your copper work! I love the warm earth tone that copper has and your technique for that twist was off the charts cool! Thanks for the inspiration! And as a honorary cajun, that mud bug looked tasty! Wish I lived closer to see more (your techniqes) Ha ha!
 
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