Fighter Progression Thread With Lots Of Photos

Kyle Royer

Kyle Royer

Joined
Dec 6, 2006
Messages
1,109
This is the first time I've started a progression thread so bear with me.

I am making a knife similar to the re-curve hunter that I just posted, only it will have a 6" blade, Desert Ironwood handle and the blade and fittings will all be made of "W" Feather Pattern Damascus. The guard will be double instead of single.

I will explain what is happening as I go along.

Thanks for looking and enjoy.

Here are 12 layers of 1084 and 13 layers of 15N20.
img_1906.jpg


Here I have the pieces stacked and tack welded together, I ground all the scale off the 1084 before tack welding together. The 15N20 doesnt have any scale on it from the factory. I sprayed WD-40 on the billet after tack welding so the borax will stick to it before I put it in the forge.
img_1911.jpg


Here's the billet with borax on it before going into the forge.
img_1912.jpg


At 1300 degrees fahrenheit I take the billet out of the forge and weld it under the power of my press.
img_1917.jpg


Now I am drawing the billet out on a bias 90 or you could say with the edge up.
img_1921.jpg


Here is the billet after drawing out, it is 34" long.
img_1929.jpg


Here is the billet after grinding the scale off.
img_1930.jpg


Here is the billet cut up into 11 pieces, so after I weld it the billet will have 275 layers. Repeat the process with WD-40 and borax.
img_1931.jpg


Thats what I did today for about three hours. I will have more later as I go along.
 
Good documentation, Kyle, important to display it too!

All the best,
David Darom
 
When you cut the pressed billet and weld it up for the second time, how do you arrange the bars to set you up for the feather pattern? You first drew them out edge-wise, but is there a certain arrangement in the bars for the second weld that you need to prepare?
 
Great presentation, Kyle.

Really looking forward to seeing the feather go together! When you say "bias 90", do you mean tilt the billet on the corner, or squash the layers straight down ?

Love the blade profile on your little recurve, it'll be neat to see it in the feather damascus.

You're a great addition to the bladesmith fraternity, keep it up!

John
 
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David Schott said:
When you cut the pressed billet and weld it up for the second time, how do you arrange the bars to set you up for the feather pattern? You first drew them out edge-wise, but is there a certain arrangement in the bars for the second weld that you need to prepare?
Click to expand...

No it does not matter.

John,

I mean with the edges straight up, the picture makes it look like it is on the corner. Does this answer your question?

Thanks for all the response everyone and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.
 
Can't wait for more photos Kyle.

At Jerry Fisk's Micro Show two years ago Steve Dunn went through the process of making the feather pattern on the whiteboard. Interesting process in deed.

Who did you learn the feather pattern from?
 
Here I have welded the billet and am beginning to draw it out.
kevins-knife-001.jpg

Here is the billet drawn out to 30 inches long.
kevins-knife-006.jpg

Here is the billet descaled and marked every 1 1/4".
kevins-knife-007.jpg

Here is what the billet looks like on the inside.
kevins-knife-013.jpg

Here are all 22 - 1 1/4" stacked pieces. Each piece is 1 1/4 X 1 1/4 X 3/8
kevins-knife-017.jpg

Here I am welding the billet together, it now has 6,050 layers.
kevins-knife-019.jpg

After I welded the billet and smashed it down to about 5" tall, I used a splitting dye that I made for the press which is in the next picture to split the billet length ways and smear the pattern downwards to create the feather.
kevins-knife-020.jpg

Here is the dye I used to split the billet lengthwise.
kevins-knife-021.jpg

After I welded the billet back together and drew it out, as in this picture, I will stand it up on it's edge and cut it in half with the bandsaw to make it thinner because if you draw this billet out to make it thinner it would distort the pattern.
kevins-knife-023.jpg
 
Here is what the billet looks like cleaned and etched a little bit.
kevins-knife-030.jpg

Here is the billet drawn out and the profile forged for the knife (roughly), if you forge the pattern too much, it will distort it terribly so you have to use stock removal methods from here on. The blade will be 6 1/2 - 7 " long. That's all for today, Thanks.:thumbup:
kevins-knife-033.jpg


Here is a picture of a beautiful piece of Ironwood I got for this knife.
kevins-knife-035.jpg


Kevin,

I learned how to make a straight feather pattern from Steve Dunn and then figured out how to make the "W" Feather on my own looking at pictures.
 
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Kyle Royer said:
Here is a picture of a beautiful piece of Ironwood I got for this knife.
kevins-knife-035.jpg


Kevin,
I learned how to make a straight feather pattern from Steve Dunn and then figured out how to make the "W" Feather on my own looking at pictures.
Click to expand...

I thought so.
That is one fantastic piece of Ironwood. :thumbup:
Thanks for taking the time Kyle.
 
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