Gotta Start Somewhere WIP

[S.Grosvenor]

Built a little brick forge and started hammering out some A2 (it was free) making a Hunting knife set (2 PC) and hitting hot metal with a hammer "Suits me right down to the Ground".

 

[fast14riot]

Not bad! That little one looks like it is going to be a nice little field scalpel. Keep us up to date on your progress.


-Xander

 

[sunshadow]

how are you planning your heat treat?
you will want to extend the tang on the longer blade.
good beginnings. You may want to look into getting some 1084 for learning with from Aldo

http://www.njsteelbaron.com (tell him Page sent you)

Aldo's 1084 moves really easily, can be heat treated easily without fancy equipment and makes really nice blades (I make most of my knives using it)

good start

-Page

 

[S.Grosvenor]

Its pretty hard allready, seems like each time I went in and out of the forge it got harder to shape, cant cut either one with a file been shaping with a flap disc on my hand grinder...I have read that a2 isn't something to start with but its all I got, I will look into 1084 thank you for the suggestion.

Plan on extending the tang with a piece of rod welded to the cutoff as the handle will be a crown antler from the buck I shot last fall.

 

[barnett25]

A2 is an air hardening steel. Though in knifemaking applications I believe most people use plates for heat treating. The process would be something like this:
Heat to critical with the proper soak time.
quickly sandwich between two large metal plates in such a way to make good contact with the blade.
After cooling to room temperature temper using normal methods.


Although you may be able to harden it nearly as well just by placing it in front of a fan.

 

[S.Grosvenor]

Great information, thank you.