Forging knife strategy

[John Hoe Handle]

So, I was taught to draw out the "heel" or choil. Then cut in my plunge lines. Use that as a basis for my bevels. So I have been making knives this way. I don't like the look where the blade is wider than the ricasso however.

If I want the blade right after the ricasso to be same width, should I draw out my heel and then grind the blade to match the ricasso width?

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

Don't draw it out at all.
You mean like this?
(In knife making, you'll learn to not always take things so literally. Don't over-think it.)
As well, that blade started out as a 1 1/8" round bar. I forged it DOWN to this dimension and forged it to the shape you see here.
When starting with a flat bar, just forge the forward portion of the blade and grind the ricasso/transition on your grinder.
Keep it simple.

 

[John Hoe Handle]

Gotcha. So don't forge the bevels. I learned off a guy who thought anknife should be forged to 95% before grinding

 

[kuraki]

Well, if you want to forge the bevels, fine, but just grind the edge back to be even with the ricasso. Maybe you forge 90% instead of 95%. But it would take so little time to grind back I wouldn't really even think about it.