Dumb question

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Nov 26, 2001
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I've made up to now 4 blades. one test (now broken), 2 eating knives in a medieval pattern, one mini-kat (10 inch long) from an old file to experiment with clay heat treat and I'm now making a fourth one.
The method I use is this:
I start from C70 3mm thick plate.
I draw the blade shape, cut it out of the plate and then forge the edge bevels. I tried forging the entire blade out of an old square file but to shape such a piece of steel in a very different form took heavy hammering and being in the attic of an apartment house I can't really do such heavy forging. So I cut the rought shape from thick plate and forge it to finished shape. I then, anneal, grind the balde to finished, heat treat and grind to about 800 grit (don't have a buffer right now, so I stop there).
So: is my method stock removal or forging?
Should I refer to me as hobbyst knifemaker or bladesmith?
 
Well, if you're heating the steel till it's red hot and then hammering, it's forging...

If you're hammering cold... well, you're eccentric. It's called cold forging. It's done with things like carabiners, but ineffective for knifemaking...
 
Nah :)
You are eccentric just if you are very rich. If not you are just crazy :D

Anyway I forge at proper forging temps, obtained either with a coffee can forge or a one brick forge.
 
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