Forged fighter with hamon (little WIP)

[planube]

Hi, guys.

I want to show you some photos. I´m working in this blade since a few weeks ago. It´s a hidden tang blade, forged from a HR1095 bar. It was clay coated and water hardened, hadness test after tempering was 61 HRC in the edge zone. It was hand polished to 2500 grit, and finished with natural stones (nagura slurry). I think the hamon appears nice.

I want to make an oval-guard-bowie-style handle, i will take some photos about the process.

Here is in 40 grit, before HT:

The clay is now dry:

400 grit:

The polish is now near finished:

Regards, Pablo.

 

[Fred.Rowe]

Very nice polishing job. There's a trick to making them stand out as you have done.

 

[ricky_arthur]

Looks very nice. 1095 and water quench, you are a brave soul.

 

[clockworkfish]

jeez man whats the secret of not breaking the blade in the water? tried once and it did not work at all lol.

Also great job with the polish!

 

[planube]

Thanks very much!

jeez man whats the secret of not breaking the blade in the water? tried once and it did not work at all lol.

Also great job with the polish!

To break some blades in water is unavoidable. Some tricks are:

- Before quenching, get the blade structure equalized, fine grained, and with an uniform carbides distribution (I use normalizing and spheroidal anneal). Get the edge zone thicker than for oil quench blades.
- Good temperature control. For clay coated 1095 i use 760º C (1400 ºF). Large soaking (30 min).
- Use distilled water (salt free, so slower). Pre-heat it to 55 ºC (131 ºF).
- Apply a very thin clay layer in the edge zone, in order to avoid boiling around the blade.
- Absolutely don´t move the blade once inside the water.
- Pray.


I´m sorry about my english, i hope you to understand me.

Regards, Pablo.

 

[ricky_arthur]

Thanks very much!



To break some blades in water is unavoidable. Some tricks are:

- Before quenching, get the blade structure equalized, fine grained, and with an uniform carbides distribution (I use normalizing and spheroidal anneal). Get the edge zone thicker than for oil quench blades.
- Good temperature control. For clay coated 1095 i use 760º C (1400 ºF). Large soaking (30 min).
- Use distilled water (salt free, so slower). Pre-heat it to 55 ºC (131 ºF).
- Apply a very thin clay layer in the edge zone, in order to avoid boiling around the blade.
- Absolutely don´t move the blade once inside the water.
- Pray.


I´m sorry about my english, i hope you to understand me.

Regards, Pablo.

Your english is better than mine, Thanks for the tips and thanks for providing Fahrenheit conversions for your temps for us Celsius impaired people. When I see Measuremets in MM and degrees in Celsius my brain fogs. lol

I need to remember to pray next time I quench. lol

 

[Tom Lewis]

Beautiful temper line. Thanks for sharing.

 

[pap11y]

Nice..

 

[planube]

Well, i started with the handle making. First, i cover the blade in order to not scratch it:

I finish with a file the transition blade-tang, for an optimum adjust:

I cut and slot the guard and collar and, when it are well adjusted, i make the tang hole in the wood. After this, i make the pin holes:

I glue with cyanoacrylate the collar to the wood, it will serve as a guide while grinding the shape of the handle:

And i approximate the shape:

The next step is hand sanding handle and finishing iron pieces. I will take more photos.

Regards, Pablo.