Forging stick tang shoulders

J

Jason Fry

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Jun 5, 2008
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What method do you prefer for forging stick tang shoulders? Right now, I have nothing but a worn out anvil. What are your thoughts on spring fullers vs. guillotines, etc? I have a treadle hammer that's just about tuned up, and will have some flattening dies with sharp corners that I might could work with. How do you forge yours?
 
Usually with my Little Giant! I try to do as much as a can by machanical means! Guillotine would be my second choice, but a hammer and anvil work to. I still end up tuning them with the grinder and or small files, so if they aren't there, that don't bother me much.
 
I'm just learning how to do this, so see if this helps
I'm not really forging in the shoulders though

use the guillotine to drop the choil (I think is is what it's called)
I think it's important to build the knife on the anvil from this "midpoint"

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from this dropped choil, you et the ricasso and then the shoulders and tang.
I made a flattening die as well to get the ricasso as flat as possible off the anvil

then the tang is ground to shape, it seems too difficult to forge in shoulders.
and then I file the shoulders in using a carbide file guide or you can use the same guide on a disc sander (non ceramic abrasive paper)

If you have a better method, pls share :-)

regards
Harbeer
 
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I learned to do everything with just a hammer. I don't have a power hammer or press but sometimes cheat by using a heavy vice. You can also forge out the tang like HSC/// shows above, then simply grind or file out the shoulders.
 
I use a guillotine fuller for tang shoulders. I think I still have one available if youre looking Jason
 
I made a Godzilla type fuller to make my shoulders. They are easy to make. Follow it up with the file guide and you're done in no time.
 
To "set" the drop for the tang shoulders (and for a blade that drops from the ricasso), I place the hot blade on the anvil edge and strife from above to make the lower shoulder. I flip the blade over and repeat the shoulder on the top side the same way. A dog head hammer is best for this. From there I draw and shape the tang and file/grind the shoulders to exact shape and position.
 
Stacy, I suspect that works if you have an anvil whose shoulders are remotely sharp.

I figure if I'm going to buy anything, he needs to be a good set of tongs to replace my home made ones, and then start hunting for a better anvil.

So I found some round stock and rigged this up.
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Jason, some guys only worry about the choil and just forge the tang out as a taper from the ricasso area. Guard shoulders are ground or filed in later.
 
Jason, in the intro to bladesmithing class I used a guillotine and a contraption that was a bit simpler to make. The best way I can describe it is like one of those deals movie producers use when they start filming and yell "Action" :D

Where it hinged the metal was extended up and had multiple holes so you could take the hinge pin out and move the bar up or down depending on how thick the stock your working is. I'll try to take a photo of it when I'm at the club next week, I was thinking of building one myself. The other cool thing was that you didn't use your hardie hole as it was meant to clamp into a post vise.

On a side note that fuller you made is about as simple as it gets and I have some mild steel that would work. I think I will make one this week until I make something a bit more permanent.

-Clint
 
I have seen the fullers like that. Raymond Richard had pics up of his one time. Called it Godzilla if I recall...


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