Jet engine knives

[Mecha]

G'day.

Some of you may remember the turbine blade, forged from a piece of a titanium alloy fan blade from a C-5 Galaxy's jet engine.

The two knives below were both made from the same jet engine fan. They should make good knives for general use.

Here are a few photos of the knives being shaped.

Cut and flattened:

Basic profile:

Recessed for wrapped handle:

More refinement:

Heat-treated:

The hard oxidized "alpha case" layer blew off of the left side of both knives during the rapid quench, revealing the heat coloration of the ti alloy beneath, while the marked side stayed clean and gray:

It's some interesting material to work with. Not sure what to do with the rest of it yet. Thanks for looking!

 

[JParanee]

That's awesome Sam

 

[WValtakis]

They look great Sam! I really like the dark blue cord under wrap...and I can't wait to get them in hand .

Thanks again for being the Mad Scientist crazy enough for projects like this.

~Chip

 

[Mecha]

Thanks JParanee. The narrow one was fun to make, I need to make more skinny dagger things like that. Both of these knives are distally tapered, sort of "sculpted," from the end of the tang all the way to the tip, so the dagger-type one is basically a thin, curved, triangular spike with an edge. The flat one is half as thick and is like a flat razor blade.

My pleasure, WValtakis, all for the love of large ti alloy blades. One more little step toward the ultimate titanium sword, which is really becoming a fairly polished design now.

 

[Dawkind]

Outstanding buddy...

 

[AVigil]

That is some Buck Rogers Stuff right there.

Very cool,

 

[Storm Crow]

Love both of 'em. I like that they are kind of at the opposite ends of the spectrum of the same general blade type.

 

[Mecha]

Why thanks very much everyone. Ya Storm Crow, they're like Abbot and Costello!

 

[mete]

I rotate my desktop photo 3 or 4 times each year and now have my favorite A-10 , 'comin' right at ya ' . Any A-10 engine blades available ?

 

[Matthew Gregory]

Love the longer one. Right answer, for me.

 

[Mecha]

Love the longer one. Right answer, for me.

I think you're right, MGregory. Time to back off the flat snubnose razor scrapers, and make some missile-shaped knives (or speedboat knives, as I call that general sort)!

 

[WValtakis]

Got them yesterday! What Sammy's pics failed to convey is what a WICKED slicer the snub nosed one is...zero ground with a wicked distal taper! Knocked out a sheath for the stabby one as well



~Chip

 

[Mecha]

Excellent, I'm glad they're acceptable. Yessir, I do like them thin, just like swords. Be sure to keep me updated on general observations and performance of the knives, at your convenience please!

 

[WValtakis]

I just cut up a bunch of tri-wall
cardboard with the snub nosed one, it loses the shaving
sharp edge pretty quick but seems to be holding a working
edge VERY well

I'm tempted to carbidize the edge, but I'll give it some more use to test the actual edge retention before I get any crazy ideas

~Chip

 

[Mecha]

I just cut up a bunch of tri-wall
cardboard with the snub nosed one, it loses the shaving
sharp edge pretty quick but seems to be holding a working
edge VERY well

I'm tempted to carbidize the edge, but I'll give it some more use to test the actual edge retention before I get any crazy ideas

~Chip

Yessir! The second honing is sure to be better than the first. Tungsten carbide edge would allow it to shred through anything fibrous or fleshy with ease, but might make the edge less smooth-sharp.