Home forge?

[ttaylor0024]

I am relatively new to knife making, just finished my first knife last week, putting a handle on a letter-opener tonight, and 2nd knife is half-way through production. I am looking to the future, and am wondering if a wood stove would even come close to being a good forge? I mainly want to just be able to heat-treat knives right now, but am also looking to make some Damascus later on. How well would a wood stove work?

Also, my high-school has a kiln for firing pottery, would this come close to what I need? How hot do forges need to get to heat-treat metal? Would a hand-torch work?

Thanks guys!

 

[mgysgthath]

Do you mean taking a wood stove and modifying it to be a forge, or just throwing a knife in with the logs and hoping it gets hot enough? Depending on what you're doing and what the steel is you're going to want 1200f - 2200f or possibly a bit higher, which it will not do without modifications. In other words unless it's planned that way, it won't function as a regular wood stove anymore.
The kiln could work for heat treating possibly, there are a lot of variables though. People do heat treat some steels with acetylene torches, it's not the best way to do it but it can work.
I'm sure someone else will have more advice, but read the stickies in the mean time, there is a lot of great information there

 

[Big Barn]

See if you can find the book (soft cover) - The $50 Knife Shop by Wayne Goddard. This will give you better options & everything for the most inexperienced novice/beginner knife maker.

 

[blindhogg]

Wood burning stove, um probably not.
you can build a forge pretty easily if your handy using plumbing components and something as simple as a mailbox.
I did one just this way and it works like a charm. I use it for heat treating and general forging. ITs a venturi style forge.
As for damascus you will probably want to build another style of forge called a vertical blown forge.
Google is your friend, plans all over the net. Yes guys do use Oxyacetylene torches to heat treat, never done it myself but I can see it working well
if your forgeless.
CW

 

[1066vik]

yes you can use an oxy-acetylene rig to heat treat, but hammer welding will require a forge.
brake drum off a semi works for the basis of a coal forge.
ammo can or a dead propane cylinder mostly filled with refractory cement is a good start on a propane forge.
check out the stickies at the top of this subforum -- LOTS of good info there.

oh, yeah - and welcome to the insanity neighbor.
you might also check out the kansas custom knife makers assoc'n to see if there's a maker near you. (like Harvey King in Alma)

 

[Tai Goo]

The pottery kiln might work. I used to fire clay in my electric heat treating furnace.