Integral Madness

steelshaper

steelshaper

Joined
Jun 14, 2007
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I had a few minutes with nothing to do ( in about a hour I have to go move a horse) so I thought I would show you fine folks some of the stuff I am up to.
Here are a few integrals I am working on.

From the top (this one will be done first) laminateed 1084 with mild steel there is also a fuller that you cant see in the pic.
O-1 utility
L-6 wharni
O-1 This one is the best so far that I have done with keeping the end of the edge close to the bolster area, at least with O-1 round.

I have been consumed with making integrals. After talking with Burt Foster I know that until my stupid press is runing I am at a serious disadvantage as far as forging these things goes but I keep trying. I am very fortunate though Tim Z. told me I can start using his salt pots for heat treating :D its only about a 30 min drive from my house. So lucky me I am going to have some help heat treating my O-1 and L-6 from some one who really knows his stuff.

Thanks for looking
 

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Wow, great forge work. Can't wait to see the final products.

If you have any tips on fitting scales on the full tangs, please let us know. Trial and error fitting is so frustrating it drives me insane.
 
Thanks guys!

Mark I would like some tips on that too. Every trick I have come up with has not help me much.

I realize now how sucky that pic is. I will try to put up a better one tommorow, and maybey some pics of the tools I made to make it a little easier to forge integrals.

If anyone has any tips as to how one could keep more steel at the bolster blade transition when forging these by hand I would sure like to hear it.

Thanks again
 
Here is the laminated integral sort of mocked up. I need to do a little more work re color and etch before it sees epoxy but I thought I would show you guys how its coming along.



devilstaloncarver.jpg


I think I am going to keep this thread going and post up everything I know about forging integrals. Tonight I will be doing some forgin and will take pics to show how I do things. If any one has anything to add PLEASE do.

Thanks
 
William,

That's a great looking knife! I love the overall design and great lines of the blade. Can't wait to see it all finished up.

--nathan
 
Great: both the shown and the soon to be! And yes, do include the tools you made to make it a little easier. Be verbose too. I need a LOT of explaining. THANKS!
 
Integrals are fascinating, and especially forged integrals. Your bolster looks great, and I like the way you treated the handle where it meets the knife. This is one of those areas where smiths have it all over us stock removal guys - you really can shape the metal any way you want. And boy, does it pay off! That's one of the nicest blades I've seen in a long time, thanks for sharing. Can't wait to see the finished pics.
 
Here is one of the main tools I made to help with forging integral bolster knives. I made this out of a piece of coil spring and some scrap steel I had on hand. Basicly it is a spring fuller. The main thing I use it for is setting the transition from the bolster to the blade.

spring_fuller.jpg


Here is a piece of 3/4 O-1 that has had one heat of forging with the spring fuller.


integral_forgeing1.jpg


There is more to come but this is a start.
thanks
 
I really like your fuller tool. Thanks for sharing that. I have some W2 hex and some square O1 I am planing on doing into integrals and that looks like the tool to start with
 
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