Hay Hook Fighter

Raymond Richard

Raymond Richard

Joined
Jun 17, 2001
Messages
5,705
This past fall a blacksmith friend of mine, Gene Chapman gave me an old hay hook. I'm not 100% sure how it was used but I believe it was used in an old time hay bailing operation. Anyway the hook itself was close to 3' overall. I forged a couple knife blades out of it. The first one was sacrificed to a water quench and this one oil quenched. I believe this steel to be 1080. The blade on this knife is just over 11" and overall its 16 1/2". Handle is curly maple and all the fitting are from an iron buggy wheel. The rest of this steel will be used for hawks and small axes.

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Dang Big'un,

You have 'bout got this forgin' thing figured out.

Great blade my friend. Thanks for letting us have a look.

Yo Alabama bud.......... Robert
 
Ray, what's the finish on the maple? febrings dye and tung oil? Like I said in another thread that's a fast, sleek stabby knife and I likes it. :D
 
Will Leavitt said:
Ray, what's the finish on the maple? febrings dye and tung oil? Like I said in another thread that's a fast, sleek stabby knife and I likes it. :D
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Will, Yes I do use leather dye to color the maple. First I coat it with black, let it dry and then sand it almost off. I leave just enough to high lite the curl. Then I'll coat it with brown, let it dry and sand again except leave more color this time. I use Watco Teak Finish to seal it. Its also got a coat of paste wax on it.
 
Really like that long sleek blade.
Ray, please don't take this the wrong way, but I like your style demonstrated by the knives in your avatar. More of a classic antique look than rustic, if that makes any sense?
 
A while back I commented that another one of your knives, a similar fighter/bowie, was my favorite knife.

This one is taking its place. I love that curly maple.
 
Ray .. is the blade clay tempered? Looks like it has a hamon.
Great piece of fighter :thumbup:
 
mohd said:
Ray .. is the blade clay tempered? Looks like it has a hamon.
Great piece of fighter :thumbup:
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mohd, Yes I did use clay on this blade and there is a hamon. I tried taking several pictures of it but the more I tried the more frustrated I got. Hopefully later today I can take a picture and the hamon will show up better.
 
Overall it's a really nice piece, Ray, but I especially like that wood! Beautiful piece of curly maple and you really brought out the grain in it! :thumbup:
 
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