Looking for the next project

tryppyr

tryppyr

Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
3,911
Now that I'm done with my last project, I'm taking a little time to think about what's next. I have two things in mind... neither of them cheap, both with lots of potential.

The first would involve taking a really nice piece of damascus (albeit a small one) and making a blade of my own design. The piece is so small, in fact (4 inches long) that I would have to weld a tang onto it in order to be able to use it. Knowing that, I tested out my ability to do so with my new welder, and I'm pleased to say I was successful at welding two cheap pieces of steel together cleanly to form a miniature knife blank.

Here's a picture of the damascus piece I'm considering:

windmill.jpg


The other idea I had was to take a ready made blade from one of my favorite makers and finish it out, as I have done before. This one is bigger and nicer than the other blade I bought from this maker. Have a look:

recurve.jpg


I love both of these ideas. Obviously the second one would be easier and faster. The first would be more challenging and potentially rewarding.

I'm going to give myself some time to mull it over, and in the meantime will work on the miniature knife blank that I made to test my ability to weld. So the irony is that the prep I did to see if I could pull off a different project will probably end up being the next project.

- Greg
 
I went to the store and looked at both the blade and the billet. The billet is just TOO small to be of use for pretty much anything but a folder. The recurve blade is gorgeous, but I decided to switch course again. I picked up another bar of damascus, and I'll probably make two knives out of it. The damascus is 1084/15N20.

In order to make two knives, I'm going to need to weld tangs onto the two pieces I cut from the bar. So here's the question... does it matter what kind of steel I use in the tang? My concern is that the blade is going to need an oil quench HT, and if I weld something to it that requires a different heat treatment, do I run the risk of ruining the knife by having the tang deform during HT?

If it is a problem, then the next question is can someone sell me a small bar of 1084?

- Greg
 
Last blade I semi-finished(currently hoping to HT this weekend) is a replacement for my favorite folder from Wal-Mart. I know, why put a nice blade in a crappy knife. But, I like the handle and size and am used to carrying it. My point is, you don't have to make everything in a folder.
 
I'm not ready to move into folders yet.

Seriously, can anyone answer my question about the mixed metal blade or provide me with a small piece of 1084?

- Greg
 
It does not matter what material you use for the tang on a hidden tang knife. The tang is fully encapsulated by the handle. It is a very common practice on commercial producers to weld a mild steel tang on a piece of damascus.
 
A C Richards said:
It does not matter what material you use for the tang on a hidden tang knife. The tang is fully encapsulated by the handle. It is a very common practice on commercial producers to weld a mild steel tang on a piece of damascus.
Click to expand...

Will that influence the quality of the knife?
Will a welded tang be as strong as a solid one?
 
Last edited:
I try to have my tangs in the fully annealed state Therefor the use of mild steel in and of itself should not cause and adverse affect on the overall performance, if the weld is done properly and re-annealed esp in the weld area. I do not use this method myself as I forge all my own damascus. SO I can draw out a small section to create the tang. I do however use the method found in one of Wayne Goddards books were I braze a piece of all-thread to the tang and also braze a nut onto the pommel. I have never had a handle fail and I have done tests on the brazed sections to ensure proper strength. I found that the parent material would bend or break prior to the braze so I am happy with the results. I have also made many practice knives for the ABS testing and they all worked great. I would suggest if you have any doubt as to the performance abilities of a process that a few of your own tests are in order just to satisfy your curiosity. Do not rely solely upon the input of others as they might be biased toward their own way of doing things.
 
Greg,

I can give you some 1084 for cost of shipping - it's 1/8" x 1.1/4" - PM me if that's big enough. (On the other hand, if they still have any, Admiral is selling 60" bars for $7.00).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top