My Second Forged Blade - Tell Me What You Think

Andrew Colglazier

Andrew Colglazier

Joined
Sep 14, 2006
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One I just finished up. I'm completely amateur, and having fun learning.

This knife is made completely of reclaimed materials. The blade is forged (by me) from an old truck coil spring, probably 5160. The handles are mesquite burl from our property. The lanyard tube is from and old brake line. I quenched in oil and tempered in my oven. The heat treat took, the blade sharpens well and holds the edge. :thumbup:

Some pics -

The forged blade;
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100_2328.jpg


Shaping -
100_2329.jpg

100_2331.jpg


Finished -
100_2335.jpg

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Now to make a sheath! :thumbup:

Andy
 
Very good second effort!
I like the look of your handle, but see no pins, is it just epoxied on?
Also it looks in your pictures like your blade has little bevel, IE your thickness changes little from spine until the edge bevel, then there is a relatively beefy edge. Doesn't look like there is much distal taper (thinning from the handle towards the point) either.
Just things to think about. Keep at it. This is not meant as criticism, putting your work down or anything negative. Good to see new makers putting stuff up for everyone to look at!

-Page
 
Sunshadow, your observations are right on. I used no pins because I didn't want to take away from the wood.

The edge is full convex, and there is no distal taper. The blade is about 5/32" thick. This is a bigger knife than the "standard" nessie. It is quite sharp, though!

I appreciate your input. :thumbup:

Andy
 
Looks cool but may I suggest next time using hidden pins if you do not whant to see them. Pins do make the handle much stronger.
Like I said looks good keep it up!
 
Nice looking knife. I don't think a couple of small pins would take away anything from that wood...and it will keep your handle on the knife.
Keep up the good work.:thumbup:
Mace
 
A good start. Forging is such great fun. Enjoy the learning curve, Fred
 
great knife, 2 mosaic or small pins wouldn't distract from the handle and would increase the shear strength of the handle slabs immensely.

Will
formerly known as badbamaump
 
Very interesting! I've been told by also reputable people that with today's powerful glues, pins aren't necessary.

Discussion?

Andy
 
the pins prevent a shock from knocking them off

the glue is a seal like a sticker once the surface lifts nothing will prevent it from coming off

I personally tested all my first knives with a hammer in everyway because they werent good enough to make me happy and I wanted to see what they would take

with a hammer i can knock the scales off without breaking the wood too much without the pins when they are in there its way way harder to break,
and the wood will be mangled to take them off.

another way lots of people have shown me is to drill though the handle of the knife numerous times and the glue will bond though the handle.

the problem is that glue cant seep into metal like it can wood metal doesnt soak up the resin for a insane bond it just collects on the surface

or at least this is how it appears to me,

but honestly you probley wont take those handles off unless you really try to
 
search the old 'glue wars' threads, there were a few adhesives that worked extremely well, freezing, boiling, hammer blows, multiple dishwasher cycles. With proper surface prep, pins probably aren't necessary, but it's a good safety net.
 
Looks like a good effort for a second knife.
For the next one try curving the bar of steel down in the reverse of that shape you got. This will allow the blade edge to rise as the bevels are forged (you discovered what happens when you forge a straight bar - you get a skinner shape). Those old Mountain Man skinners weren't that shape because it was a superior design. they were that way because Mountain men (and most pioneers) knew nothing about forging, and started with a straight bar.
Keep up the good work ....... and use pins.
Stacy
 
I think your knife looks fntastic. Very fronteer. I get a kick out of that style.

Its not a beauty queen all tarted up but I can get a kick out of all styles. My first knife is a real basic but after 15 years I still can't bring myself to make a flash one to replace it. I make flash damascus for customers.

I have used hiden pins in the handle before. Too many trips to the bottom of the kitchen sink and it fell off after a few years. I cleaned it up and stuck it back on in about 1 hour no harm done still has hidden pins. Now it just does not sit at the botom of the sink it gets hand cleaned. That was my second knife I made it for my wife. If she is going to get mad and cut off the wedding tackle at least she will have a sharp knife to make it painless.

Again first knife fantstic.
 
If you are concerned about the epoxie holding the scales on you could try blind pins. drill small holes in the tang, and matching holes in the underside of the handle scales stopping short of breaking the surface. Insert the pins then epoxie the handle scales on.

I suspect that with modern adhesives the wood will break before the adhesive will give up it's hold (depending on what you use) Some glues are strong enough to shear structural steel before the bond will break.
 
i had lots of problems with just glueing. it seams that if any flex reached the handle it would start to peal up. after using pins problem is gone. i do use just glue on most hidden tangs as i can notch the tang and it does not come out. i love the fast JB weld :)
 
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