Here's a big Bowie from my Press

Greg Covington

Greg Covington

Joined
Oct 28, 1999
Messages
1,563
Friday I spent welding a big billet of 1095, L6, and some strips of 15n20 that Ray Kirk gave me. The L6 was from saw blades that I got from Dan Gray.

Started as a 15 layer stack...cut into three, then into two, then two again, for a total of 180 layers. It gave me enough for this big 11" Bowie plus enough for a couple hunters.

This Bowie has a nickel silver guard with a brass spacer, and desert ironwood grip with NS pins.

Sharpened top clip and a satin finish to the handle and guard.

I love this Claiborne Press! This billet did not have so much as a fleck in it.

1095.jpg
 
Looks great! Glad to hear the press is working out for you. Last time I heard mine is about finished. Its going to cost me an arm and a leg to get it shipped here but I'm sure it will be worth it.
 
Raymond Richard said:
Looks great! Glad to hear the press is working out for you. Last time I heard mine is about finished. Its going to cost me an arm and a leg to get it shipped here but I'm sure it will be worth it.
Click to expand...


You're gonna love it and if there is anything I can do to help please let me know. Sure would have been nice if you coulda' gone to Ron's for a weekend though.
 
I too have ordered one of Ron's presses (getting it by August, maybe). It's nice to see some great looking damascus like yours coming from that press. Very nice knife!
 
That's a beauty Greg. You must save alot of damascus on the press as well (less heating/beating), as opposed to my 25 lb. Little Giant. Mine's still in boxes, gotta get to that. How bit was your initial stack, before the first weld?
 
Is the wait on Ron's presses that long? I was going to order one from Korea and hope I could ship it back with my other stuff around the end of July.

Should I contact Ron directly, or Darren Ellis about getting one?

Thanks,

John Frankl
 
Great knife Greg! How much of the blade work do you do on your press? I know you use it to make your damascus billet up, but how far do you go after that, using the press. Do you continue to enolgate the billet, and even taper the edge?
 
John,
Ron is hard to get hold of, I suggest trying Darren. You get four sets of dies with it, and he can mount die holders on it. Your choice of paint, even pinstriping! I like it because it will stop where you want it to, like just above the billet, you don't waste time waiting for travel.
 
J. Neilson said:
That's a beauty Greg. You must save alot of damascus on the press as well (less heating/beating), as opposed to my 25 lb. Little Giant. Mine's still in boxes, gotta get to that. How bit was your initial stack, before the first weld?
Click to expand...

I initially wanted a hammer but my neighbors would have run me out. The billet stack was 15 layers and was about 4.5" high, 8" long, and 1.25 wide. This is alot of steel but the press makes it easy.

I use the flat weld dies on the first pressing, then once again after another heat. The the draw dies are used to stretch it out....taking it easy on the sides of the billet. After I get the bar out to a good size....I cut the billet into as many bars make a good stack with a chop saw, then use an angle grinder to take the scale off the mating surfaces, restack, tack weld the billet again, and repeat the entire process until I get the count I want. I have more luck with this method than cutting the billet and folding it in the traditional method....I know I get a good weld this way.

rhrocker Great knife Greg! How much of the blade work do you do on your press? I know you use it to make your damascus billet up, but how far do you go after that, using the press. Do you continue to enolgate the billet, and even taper the edge?
Click to expand...

I will use the press with the draw dies to form the tang....but most of the rest is done on the anvil. I will use it to taper the tip a bit sometimes. I messed with tapering the edge with the press and even made some dies to do it.....but the press (I feel) is too agressive and you can lose control of the blade shape quick this way. Ron tells me other people have made dies that do this well and I would like to see them. Personally, I like to hammer in the tip and edges.....but I use it for all my tangs.

John Frankl Is the wait on Ron's presses that long? I was going to order one from Korea and hope I could ship it back with my other stuff around the end of July.
Click to expand...
I agree with what Bill Foote says...or just call Ron.....emailing him is tough.

Thanks for all the compliments guys!
 
Wow looking good Greg .
glade to see your still having fun and making those fantastic Bowies . as to forging it with the press thats even better , nice looking Damascus ,did you use the latter patterned dies any yet and if so do you like them .
i just got back from having a some work done on my heart ,seems as though it is working so thats good news but have to lay around taking it easy for a few day –boring but it lets me have time to read up on things and get mail out and see the real world .
time in my shop with Raymonds press in the last few week has been slow but now i should be able to spend more time per day that will be good also .
Raymond has been very understanding and very supportive i want to thank him here for his kindness and understanding
thanks Raymond your kindness is uplifting and im looking forward meeting you at the blade show
bowie 21 days Damascus free
 
Hi Bowie! Welcome back! We've missed you guy. I sincerely hope you're feeling better, and that you can now get on with your life. Yes, Raymond is that type of guy, and although I'm sure he would have liked to have had the press earlier, he understands the problem. This can happen to anyone at anytime. Mind what the doctors say, and sure good to see your name on the posts again.
 
Bowie, Like I said you lay low like the doctor told you. I've got enough to keep me busy but I'm sure the press and I will become close friends when ever it gets here. All I've heard is praise about your presses and I'm sure you'll be hearing the same from me.....
 
Ron...glad to hear you are ok!

Go out into the shop fridge and drink that Guinness that I left for you....it'll keep you "a kickin" :eek:

I don't have your ladder dies, however I ended up with some ladders in this one because I dinged up the billet when I was stretching it out on the tip end.
 
good looking damascus greg, all this talk about about rons press makes me even more eager to receive mine , i should be coming up soon on the production roster , "ron you need to definately follow doctors orders and not return sooner than your ready-- none of us are that pressed.i like my air hammer but believe the press will be superior. bb
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top