First forged blade

Mr. Bad Example

Mr. Bad Example

Joined
Dec 4, 2009
Messages
475
Had some fun at the ABS Hammer-In today. Here is my blade so far--I need to draw out and shape the tang tomorrow. An hour and a half at the forge and I have blisters and a whole new level of awe and respect for those who have mastered this.

HammerIn02.jpg


I did have a little help--a very nice young man named Zack (currently getting ready for his Journeyman test) fixed the point I had drawn out too far and got me back on track.

HammerIn04.jpg


Here is the forge, and Mace V. who also helped me with advice and showed my how to beat the blade with a baseball bat to straighten it back out.
 
Good start, now there's no going back. I still haven't finished the last completely stock removal blade I started before I picked up the hammer for the first time, and that was 15+ years ago.

There's something primal about being able to move metal into form rather than just grind away anything that doesn't look like a knife that keeps pulling you into the craft of our ancestors once you have had a taste of it. It's a long road, but ultimately rewarding!

-Page
 
With some help from Herb and Nick Rossi,

HammerIn008.jpg


this is the finished blade:

HammerIn002.jpg


HammerIn001.jpg


Now I'll get the scale off and hit the grinder.
 
It's great fun whacking and moving steel isn't it? Work on good routines early such as body position, shoulder and arm use.
 
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Hey Mr. Bad Example,

I think you have a natural talent for the heat and beat. I hope you do more of it.

Great to meet you in person.

-Nick
 
That is looking really good!

If you have a few days inbetween working on it, plop it in a container filled with white vinegar. It will take all the scale off for you... then it's smooth grinding. It may work overnight. That scale is pretty hard stuff, so why dull/clog your files and belts, when you can be drawing up your second forged knife plans as the vinegar works on that one?:thumbup:
 
glad I got to see it here, since I did not see it at the hammer in. Let me know if you are going to be around Bangor, I can help with the heat treat and we can start #2.
 
Looks like you're on the right track. I'm not familiar with the baseball bat technique. Care to share it?

- Chris
 
The baseball bat technique includes using a bat,2x4, wooden club, ect to beat on the blade to straighten out the profile. It is used after forging in the bevels causes the tip to bow up. It moves the hot steel without leaving hammer marks.
 
JMJones said:
The baseball bat technique includes using a bat,2x4, wooden club, ect to beat on the blade to straighten out the profile. It is used after forging in the bevels causes the tip to bow up. It moves the hot steel without leaving hammer marks.
Click to expand...

OR...before forging the bevels so that creating the bevel actually straightens the curve out again.
 
The bat also helps to keep Dave Sylvester in line!:D

Nice looking blade! Keep it up.:thumbup:
Mace
 
Finally got a chance to work on the blade. Did the profile with a file and started cleaning up the flats with the grinder. Now, I wonder how much of the hammer "dents" I can/should get out, especially down near the edge? I forsee this being sort of a rustic looking knife so some forge marks are fine. Ideas, advice, comments?

ForgedBladeProject004.jpg


ForgedBladeProject003.jpg


ForgedBladeProject002.jpg


ForgedBladeProject001.jpg
 
you should be able to grind a little deeper before HT, I don't think you'll get them all out so don't drive yourself nuts and ruin the knife trying. It's a great first forging (having Mace as a tutor doesn't hurt) live with a few pits on this one and work on hammer control so you can move the metal and keep the surface flat (I'm still working on that one to some extent) and leave a little extra on so you can grind out any pits

-Page
 
EXCELLENT!!! :) Welcome to the hot side of things :)

My first forged blade looked like a retarded banana on its death bed. Be proud of that one. :)
 
I think you will get out all the dents near the edge. Remember, you grind the sides of the blades until you reach a thickness of 0,5mm. All nicks and dents will have disappeared. The higher part of the blade, where there is no "angle" will still have hammer marks, but that makes for a nice, rustic feel.

I do not know the exact expressions in the english language to be more precise, so I did some MS paint for you.

 
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