First born...

Robert Hankins

Robert Hankins

Joined
May 19, 2003
Messages
1,848
Finally something that resembles a knife.
This is my first real attempt at forging a blade. Have just been playing around getting used to the forge and pounding hot steel.
Thanks for the tips and the links to the tutorials on forging (Send More) that helped. Now when my forearmquits hurting i will try again. Didn't know about stretching or how to hold the hammer Etc...paying for it now.

This one is going to my son for his 17th birthday when it gets done. Plan to leave as much of the forging marks etc on it as possible just to be able to see where I started.

Actually came out straight and even...suprised myself:D
firstforgedblade.jpg

firstforgedbladedistaltaper.jpg
 
It looks pretty dang good. Just some grinding around the edges to profile it. Did you remember to normalize it? Show us the finished knife.
 
Normalize..Duh no thanks for reminding me. :rolleyes:
Tried as best I could to keep the hits the same on ea side that seemed to help alot.
This will probably get a piece of Elk crown with a ferrule and butcap in 1018 so I can color it in the forge to match.

Bruce thanks that is a great compliment coming from someone in your league. Look for my table at Blade in Atlanta next year.

Going to practice on a few more then get down to business and start forging Bowies and some exotic fighters.
 
Glad to see you finally got one forged...Are you "hooked on forging" yet?Your son will like this on I bet as she looks really Great in the pictures..
Now go pound more steel.
Bruce
 
Looks good to me also! I can't get my steel to that shape without a little profile grinding, especially in the ricasso area. I tend to leave much thicker because I seem to be good at pounding scale into the steel, and need the extra for grinding later (been wanting to try that wet hammer/anvil thing). This reminds me a photo posted by Ray Richard a while back. You're doing great, but you're cheating. How do I know? It's obvious, you have a power supply cord going to your anvil, it's visible in the photo :D
 
rhrocker---Yea that is my new "Electric Anvil"
(Thats my new coin phrase)
No it is the cord to my camera
Ricasso was the easiest. heat and pound against the edge of the anvil from the top.
Actually i have been doing blades for over 6yrs and am just now getting into forging.
IMO learn stock removal first then forge as you will need to know both anyway. Probably some who see it differently but it will still have two seperate learning curves no matter which you learn first.
 
Cool, looks a lot better than my first forged blade, got everything in there, edge, and great distal taper. If you want to straighten out the blade use a wood mallet or such to pound the edge of the blade and with the back of the blade on the anvil and it will stretch the blade out straight without damaging the edge to much like a hammer would.

Welcome to the heat and beat crowd. :D
 
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