Leaving scale after heat treatment on blade

T

tacticalrescue

Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Messages
47
aside from the obvious aesthetic's or lack of optional finishes to protect from rust......is removing scale an absolute necessity for a wilderness tool? furthermore ive heard bits about how theres a different kind of scale that forms from forging that is actually beneficial? any and all tips appreciated...

i imagine it will chip off over time and of course might get in food or such.....?
 
I did something similar to that with my first forged knife. The only metal I removed post heat treat was what was necessary to give it a good edge. I always have regretted it every time I see that blade. It looks like I got it as far as HT and then slapped a handle on it and quit. I would encourage you to take some time to research it well and work hard to produce something you'll be proud of. Almost any info you could want can be found in the stickies, and most anything else can be found with the search tool that is right below the "super sticky".
If your considering leaving it on because you like the appearance, look into doing a "Brut-de-Forge" style of knife. Doing one well is not as easy as it first seems, but can look great if applied to the right blade in a meticulous manner.
Enjoy this hobby at your own risk- it can be addictive. But you can't beat the feeling you get from holding a pice of your craftsmanship that you can be proud of.
 
Thank you again alaskanhunter:) i will look that up and take your advice. I was more into the look than being lazy(although of course that was part of it). I was also asking because i was thinking about a movie i saw called the hunted where he forged a knife in wilderness and it just got me wondering about scales mechanical pros and cons.
 
I sometimes leave scale on my blades for the rustic look. I grew up doing a lot of the mountain man rendezvous and kinda dig the less refined look myself :)
 
Lieblad said:
I made plenty either way, rather like the look of transition between scale & clean steel.

As far a a chip off into food,, OMG ! Instant death... Its iron oxide afterall.
Seriously..
Nothing to think twice about, think about how much crap gets into home & factory processed food.
Ever seen the sludge buildup within municipal water mains ?
Dietary iron supplements are often manufactured of iron scale purchased from steelmills.
Click to expand...

Hahah never thought of it that way. Its a healthy food additive!!! Lol i just meant more for taste:).
 
Not really. They are both iron oxide. The scale in forging is thicker and not as well attached to the good steel as the HT scale is. Both will come off an leave the rustic look but without the flaky crust by soaking overnight in vinegar or sodium bi-sulfate ( best way).


If I want the Brut-de-Forge look, I still soak off the scale before finishing the profile and shaping the bevel and edge. If I want the dark color on the upper part, I soak it in FC for a while before final bevel clean up.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Not really. They are both iron oxide. The scale in forging is thicker and not as well attached to the good steel as the HT scale is. Both will come off an leave the rustic look but without the flaky crust by soaking overnight in vinegar or sodium bi-sulfate ( best way).


If I want the Brut-de-Forge look, I still soak off the scale before finishing the profile and shaping the bevel and edge. If I want the dark color on the upper part, I soak it in FC for a while before final bevel clean up.
Click to expand...


okie thank you! beautiful:) all my questions have been answered.
 
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