Forging at last

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Leave it to BF. One of the guys in the makers section has agreed to teach me to forge a blade. I went over there today and pounded out my first blade. Its normalizing now and by tomorrow will be ready to grind. I'll probably do some of that next weekend. I am hooked. Its just amazing to hit the steel and see it move. The maker I am working with has amazing skills. After getting the blade shaped up and sitting in virmiculite he toured me around his shop. Wow. He's got two sweet grinders (2x72 style) and a major stock of handle materials. Ever seen a walrus tooth? His sheaths are works of art too. I am on the beginning of a long journey here, and I love it. I am finding that the knife community is one of the most charitable and down to earth group of people around.:thumbup:
 
There are many kind and talented folks in the knife and weapons world. I think weapons attract humans who have reconciled what is to what is not.

A local Rancher and I are building a forge- well, he is. I bought the weed burner end needed for the box. There is so much spring steel laying across the American West prarrie.



munk
 
Cool. I'd like to learn alongside you. Can't wait to see what you get set up. Have you figured out how to take pics yet?
 
I can take 'em, can't post em yet. But I haven't even been over there- a small 20 mile jaunt here in Montana. The guy who has done the work is an authenic rancher, one of a handful you could call a cowboy. The herd has to be gathered every fall or they'll be down in the Mo River breaks till the end of Winter. There's an old Packard or something stuck in the mud near Kid Curry's hideout. Half a car from yesteryear sticking out of the clay like dinosaur bones. This clay has to be experienced to be believed. You put half an inch of water on a dirt road in the Mo River breaks and you're not going anywhere.

Anyway, my friend Tim is quite a character. Strong as seasoned Oak and half Gros Ventres or something. I keep telling him we need to find a name for his forge so we can dive right into the yup knife market.


munk
 
Be careful Andy, hammering hot steel on a regular basis will cause you to mutter, squint, and develop grotesquely large forearms. Don't say I didn't warn you. . . . . .
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Sarge ;)
 
Andy and Munk enter the knife forging world! This place is always evolving, or I guess we are.

Good for you guys! :thumbup: :cool: I'm really looking forward to seeing your work.

Munk you can always email me pics to post of whatever needs posting.
 
Sounds like fun, I wish there was somewhere around here I could pound some steel. I would warn you about that walrus ivory andy, its nice stuff (I've only ever carved it never used it for a handle) but it smells terrible when you're working it. I've still got the better part of one, my father traded a case of beer for it when he was working on ice breakers in the arctic.
Gord
 
Anything mamalian dried and applied smells terrrible. Horn. hide, guts, tooth; you name it.

I guess it means we live in a stinky universe. Or that something has to look real bad and smell worse; before it works well, looks good, and serves a purpose.



munk
 
Funny I finished a sheath this weekend and while sanding it my wife came outside and made a sour face. It stinks to sand the leather. My father-in-law said my horn handled knives were plastic until he smelled me sanding them. Think of burnt hair.:barf:
 
Yep, you knew it and yet were in denial. ;)
 
Good for you Andy! :thumbup: Can't wait to see how it goes for you. You are very lucky to find such a talented mentor. I am sure if I ever made a knife it would be by stock removal. I wouldn't know anything about forging a blade.

Norm
 
Happy hammering, Andy.
I tried to forge a chisel in Shop class once, uggg that was an ugly sucker.
It's not as easy as it looks, that's for sure.

DaddyDett
 
Having an experienced teacher makes a great deal of difference. Jim was able to tell me how each hammer blow was affecting the steel. He also tought me how to shape the billet, bending it forward before drawing out the edge. That way as I hammered it out the edge the billet straightened out as I went. Otherwise you'd have a backward curve like an arabian knife. I also learned about normalizing steel after pounding it. Next week I'll learn some heat treating. I've got my fire bricks in and have a forge now (less than 30 dollars total cost), and I'm looking for an anvil, a set or two of tongs (ebay), and a hammer (on sale now at Harbor Frieght). The anvil is the biggest problem. They just aren't easy to come across and the shipping for one on ebay is horrible. Plus if you can't see it, and hit it a couple of times you could get a cast iron one. Worthless. Jim warned me right away about missing the billet and hitting the anvil. Lemme tell you that hammer comes up at you fast. A good anvil should bounce that hammer big time and not take a mark. Beware of getting hit in the face with the back of the hammer if you miss.
 
Ive been wanting to get into forging, but am in an urban setting, so my neighbors only have to put up with my small shop for now. Kinda funny being in my apartment, going towards the spare bedroom through the dining room, opening the door and seeing a KMG, drill press, 2X42 grinder, 1X30 grinder, metal cutting bandsaw, etc....heh. I always wonder what they think I am doing in there making all that noise.

Im currently shopping for a house and will start the real anvil search after that. Once im in a permanent setup I'll splurge on a nice one....im jealous, forging has always appealed to me but stock removal is where its at until i change locations.
 
TikTock said:
Ive been wanting to get into forging, but am in an urban setting, so my neighbors only have to put up with my small shop for now. Kinda funny being in my apartment, going towards the spare bedroom through the dining room, opening the door and seeing a KMG, drill press, 2X42 grinder, 1X30 grinder, metal cutting bandsaw, etc....heh. I always wonder what they think I am doing in there making all that noise.

Im currently shopping for a house and will start the real anvil search after that. Once im in a permanent setup I'll splurge on a nice one....im jealous, forging has always appealed to me but stock removal is where its at until i change locations.
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TikTock I've read your posts, I've seen your knives, and I consider you a great knifemaker. I am a novice who has enthusiasm, nothing more. Your knives are 5-10 years beyond where I am now. Thank you, though, for the vote of confidence. And also, how do you heat treat in your apartment?
 
I havent even been making knives for 5 years! :) Started with kit modifications no more than two years ago...im a quick learner and its in my blood, however....youre way too kind!

As far as HT, i do it on my porch. Here is my humble setup. Dragon breath type forge with sidearm venturi burner. Very compact and plenty big and hot enough to HT 10+" blades....its almost too hot!
setup.jpg
 
Way to go, Andy. I was hoping to start doing some forging this summer, but it never happened. :(

Maybe whene I finally come up to visit...

John
 
Tik, that timeline is good to know. I'm pretty good with my hands, but I said 5 years because of the calibur of your work. It was honest, not flattery. I have a wife and child, so I don't think I'll be where you are in two years. That's OK with me. The journey is the fun part. What did your first few knives look like I wonder? And where did you learn to do sheaths like that. Mine look like kindergarden work next to them.

John, If i've got myself setup we most certainly will do some forging.

OO! OO! Did I mention I finally got a good quality respirator! Thats a big deal for a guy like me with limp lungs. Those dang drywall masks were not cutting the butter. This thing isn't as comfortable, but I don't inhale dust around my nose and chin. Every blade I've ground I've had rough throaty coughs afterward. Sunday, no cough.
 
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