My first forged knife

SBranson

SBranson

Joined
Oct 29, 2006
Messages
2,912
Finished this up this morning.

I got forge on father's day and quickly set to playing with a bar of 1095. I made a "knife like object" pretty quickly but didn't have a plan.
Then I thought I should do a kitchen knife and further, considering all the meals she made for me when I was young, I should make this as a gift for my mother... Ha Ha... no mama's boy comments please. :p

Not only was this my first forged blade but my first attempt at heat treating myself. I went for the clayed hamon treatment but I made the clay too thick and only got some action near the edge. It did skate a file so I think it's hardened but we'll see if it holds it's edge. The hamon is nice looking though so if I can bring it up more in the next one, it ought to look really nice.

I did the 3 cycle normalizing before grinding, then once more after grinding.
Quench was in warmed Canola.

Handle is stabilized spalted maple with black canvas micarta bolster.
2 ss pins.

Blade is 7.5" with an OAL of about 12.5" Distal taper both ways and has a nice balance just forward of the bolster.

Etched makers mark was a botch so I will have to sort that out.

I guess that's about it

Here's some pics.

the rough forged blade
kitchenknife_10.JPG


ground to shape
kitchenknife_1.JPG


way too much clay.. :p:rolleyes:
kitchenknife_2.JPG
 
Stuart...

Wow that looks fantastic, but really I didn't expect anything else considering your other knives...and from here your mark looks great too....
 
You did a great job on the handle and the blade, but I agree that the clay was applied a little too thick. It looks like you only hardened the first few millimeters of the blade. I personally do not coat the blade with a coating of satanite, I leave the edge clean, and only coat the spine. With 1095, it tends to plop the hamon very close to the clay, so put it generally where you want the hamon. With 1084, (in my experience) the hamon tends to creep away from the clay. It mostly falls back from where the clay is, so I put it closer to the edge than I do with 1095. Otherwise (hardened edge aside) the knife looks like a winner
 
Thanks...

I did a lot of reading, maybe too much as I may have confused myself, and hence the clay treatment as it is. Also, considering it's pretty tough to get supplies I didn't use satanite. I used this available at the local Canadian Tire outlet. Not sure if this was part of the problem.

KK0068-300.jpg


Well, as much as I enjoyed forging this one, I'll be making another very soon. :D
 
Looks great my brother !
I hope you bring it in to work tomorrow, can't wait to see it in person !
Cheers
 
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