Here it is,,,DaQo'tah's Pronghorn (no.1)

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DaQo'tah Forge

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Aug 26, 2002
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yes,,,after much consternation, and the near death of 2 cats....I finished (more or less) the Ed Fowler Pronghorn inspired 52100 blade I was working on with the help of nearly everyone here...LOL

Although I have attempted a few other blades made out of car leaf springs and lots and lots of Mild Steel, this was my first real Knife steel blade.

I got the 52100 steel from Rex Walter, and forged it myself on my home-made coal forge.

I worked the blade, I did my own heat-treating, and etched the blade to check if my heat-treating was correct.

I made the handle out of some oak from the back yard (I dried the oak in my wife's food dehydrator).

I made the spacer out of a busted shovel handle from work. I made the spacer for 2 reasons; first, Ed Fowler uses a spacer on his pronghorn and he's way smarter than I am. Secondly, I didn't have drill bits long enough to drill a full oak one-piece handle...

The brass guard was the most tricky thing to make. How you guys have the patience for all that filing is beyond me.

This is my first real knife,,,I dedicate it to you all, my new friends and advisors here on BLADE FORUMS.COM... I got tons of good advice here and that's why I had the guts to try to make this, and the support to help me finish it..

Thanks, Everyone!

P.S. I just placed an order for my second piece of 52100 steel, so everyone better get set to read a bunch of posts dealing with the problems I have with this next knife! The Battle continues...

The addy to see a photocopier scan of my blade -

http://eastof29.tripod.com/daqotahforge2/id20.html
 
That is very impressive, I wonder if Ed's first Pronghorn looked that good. ;)

Before the critiques start, I'd like to know, what do you feel you did right and what could you have done better?
 
Phil- good question

Hi this is DaQo'tah
well,,about everything was done wrong,
at times I wanted to toss the darn thing in tha snow in the backyard, and never start another knife again.

I did the steel wrong, I did the brass wrong, I did the handle wrong,,,I even did the spacers wrong,,,

yet,,,who really cares?...I did it!,,,this is all my work!...and when I showed the guys at work, they could not believe it. 52100 really does out-cut any knife you can get at K-mart.

Everyone wants to see the way it can cut hair on your arm,,,the hair just "Pops" off...I have never ever had a real High Proformace knife like this in my life, even when I used to go deer hunting every year with dad before he died, our knifes with just junk. (I wish dad could see it)
I know there is so much room to get better, this knife is a collection of errors,,,,but its also like your first kiss, you might do it better next time,,,But who cares, it was fun anyway!,
 
I have been a fan of your website since before you were a member here I found it doing a websearch and really like your klingon weapons.

You are right you will get better but like you said I think the knife is a really good first better than my first blade and 52100 is some tough steel to forge for you first blade.

Good job.

Jim Bunker
 
Jim - this is Daqo'tah

yes, as this was the very first time I have worked with a real knife making Steel, I didnt know what I was getting into at all...

I tried at first to make a bottle-jack steel press. I got this idea in my head that I could make a press from some left overs around my shop,,I used parts of some RailRoad ties, with some ready-rods, and the the jack I kept in my rusted out Dodge.

well, I heated up the steel in my coal forge to a red hot temp,,,and placed it into the press...I started to move the jack handle,,it was hard to jack the press up, then it got very hard,,,and then very VERY hard,,,then some of the jack's Hydro oil started to shoot out !

I said to myself at seeing that happen, "Okay, thats the end of that idea, Score that-52100 "1", and bottle jack press - "zip"

next I got the idea to make a handle out of moose antler,,,well, as I was drilling out the middle for the tang, I accidently drilled out the side.."So much for the Moose Antler idea, whats up next DaQ"?
 
Nice one! at first I thought it was the Fowler blade you were emulating! Keep em' coming...

Bob
 
hi this is Daqo'tah

I did make a try at a sheath for my first knife too.
But, things didn't go too well for the leather and stuff, I dont have anything interesting to say about the sheath to this knife. I tried to go along with the design of Ed Fowler's, but it just didn't work out for me. You cant tell perhaps from the photos, but the sheath is way too small, and is off center in the back,. and the leather is twistd,,,,but, it still does work good enough for my first effort.

the photo addy is - http://eastof29.tripod.com/daqotahforge2/id21.html
 
Hey DaQo'tah you did it! I can't think of a much harder first project and you pulled it off nicely. Congratulations. I'm looking forward to seeing your knives two years from now...

Dave
 
Great first Knife
It is a 100 times better than my first.
All you need now is a makers mark to top it off so everyone knows who made it.

Keep it up.
 
Hey DaQo'tah nice work. You took on a whole can of worms and came out the other end just fine.

I'm a full-time leather worker (40+ years) and your sheath for a first attempt is quite good. Even after 40 years there is always room for improvement in my stuff. The day you become totally satisfied with your work is the day that you won't get any better even though you should.

Feel free to contact me if you want some pointers on leather work. If you're interested I've got a couple of tutorials over on the CKD Sheathmaking forum.

Again the whole package is nice and the main thing is you didn't give up. After all your trials and tribulations (I'm a cat person and got a real kick out of your cat stories!) it can only get easier.

Congratulations-
Chuck
 
Down and Dirty etching-

OK I learned this one many moons ago from a muzzleloading gunsmith friend and it is definitely down and dirty. It works on carbon steel, I don't know about stainless.
Apply a thin layer of beeswax(best) or paraffin (candle) wax on the area of the blade you want to etch. (try heating the blade with a hair dryer and then rubbing the wax on it - that should give you a thick enough layer)
Take a sharp pointer and scratch your mark into the wax down to bare metal - keeping the design open and simple works best with this method.
For etchant use straight Clorox bleach. Put it on with a small artist brush, making sure you get it on nothing else but the design. You'll have to reapply it several times until you get a deep enough etch. You can also make a wax dam all the way around the design so that you can apply a thicker coat of bleach. Experiment on scrap first!!!! After the blade is etched wash it off thoroughly with hot, soapy water and then rise with clean, hot water.

I've used it and it works, but I disclaim any responsibility since I'm not there to supervise. Vinegar may work as well for the etchant.

This is only one idea for a cheap etching. I'm sure there are others.

Chuck
 
DaQo'tah:
You did very well! Keep that first knife and you will always love her. I am proud of you! You have a lot going for you as a knife maker.
Keep rounding stuff out. Especially the back side of the guard. Hold the knife in your hands, change grips, make her fit all the way around.

Heat the front half of hte ricasso and extend your temperline back.

Above all, stick with it! and most important, enjoy the voyage.
Thanks for making us all young again.
 
Shure wish my first knife looked that good! You did good, hang on to her and you'll always remember how far you've come, not that you've got that far to go. Must be makeing all those Klingon weopons!

It does get eisier as you go on, but the main thing is the heat treat, without that a blade has no soul, and looks like you are close on that acount.

Can't wait to see # 2.
 
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