Newbie saying HI

D

Donald Babcock

Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
36
This is my first post on the forum. Just a little background information. I live in Central Maine and have been doing blacksmithing as a hobby for about 6 years now. I've been dabling with making knives for a few years now. Things have been going real slow as I don't have a work shop and I am only recently getting some of the power tools (belt grinder is on order and drill press is next). My forge is set up outside so I can only work on it during good weather during the warmer months. And all my power tools are on a small bench on the porch.

To date I have only made one knife and that was with some intensive help from Dan Gray (I believe he is also a member on this forum). We made this knife about 2 years ago and it is by far the best knife that I have ever owned.

I have several projects in various states of completion (all have been rough cut with an angle grinder and then profiled with hand files) so now that the belt grinder is on order I should be able to finish these projects a lot quicker and move on to other items.

I'll be doing some extensive reading and looking around on the forum and when I have questions I'll probably "chat your ears off".
 
Welcome to the forums, Donald:thumbup: There is plenty of good conversation here.

Not too many rowdies either, except maybe Dan Gray. hehe:D

Hope good fortune, comes your way as you put your shop together.

Fred
 
Anyone with the ballz to admit an association with that Dan Gray character belongs here! :D

Welcome, Donald!
 
Hi and welcome to the forums. I am located in Lewiston, Maine and if you decide sometime to come visit, my shop is pretty well equipped.
For your information, NECKA is having a hammerin at Dan's shop on October 27. I am sure you would be welcome to attend.

Marcel
 
I am thoroughly impressed. This is, by far, the best newbie introduction that I've ever seen on here! Welcome to our little group. When you have questions, you'll definitely find someone here who has the answer.

Ickie
 
Hi Donald,
There's a few of us Mainers here! I live in Prospect, and Lamont Coombs, from Bucksport, is on here quite often as well. We'll both be at the hammer-in on the 27th.

Hope to meet you there!
Welcome aboard.
Scott

edited to add: Wow, you are close! Give me a call sometime, and I'll have you over for a shop tour. You can get a feel for some of the equipment, poke around, ask questions, Whatever. All my info is on my web page (follow the link) below. Hope to hear from you.
 
Welcome to the forums, Donald it good to see new ones come on in. There is some good people in here. Have a great day. :thumbup:
 
Welcome to the Zoo Donald. If you are a sponge for knowledge, you are in the right place. There is much talent on BladeForums, and all are more than willing to share and share alike.

Don't hesitate to ask questions, show us your discoveries, and don't be bashful about posting your creations.

There are some really good folks here that go out of their way to help others. If I can ever be of assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me.

By the way,.............. About 40 or so years ago, I was in the military with a great guy from Maine. His name was David Nye. Last I heard, he was in the resturant business. Super nice guy (even if he was a YANK):)

Robert
 
haha thanks guys for the endearing piece/s on me ;) :thumbup:

Hey Don welcome, it's about time you got here :thumbup: 2 years can go fast wow it's be that long? :confused:

These hammer heads here,, rrrr I Mean great guys will treat you right :D
email me about the Hammer-in if you'd like to come,, be aware though, once you go to one you'll not want to pass one up again..
 
And to answer the question, yes I admit that I know Dan. One of his sons works with me out at the base. He actually had me up to his shop and let me hang out for several hours asking him questions and then he takes out a piece of 1095 bar stock and starts helping me grind out a blade. Heat treats it with his torch, tempers it, and then has me spend about an hour sanding the scale off it, and then sharpens it. The only thing we didn't do for it was make the slabs or a sheath. I went up expecting to just watch and ask questions and I walk out with a knife that I helped make. :D

Dan - yeah, it only took me about 1 and 3/4 years from when you suggested this site to me to actually remember to check it out. What can I say, I have bad memory. And my memory isn't the greatest either. :rolleyes:

I'll definetly plan on coming up for the hammerin on the 27th. Sarah (my wife) will be putting in her two week notice at her job so she wont be working on the weekends anymore. YEAH more play time for me on the weekends now.

Scott - I'll have to check out your site and see about setting up a time to come over and see things. I'm not sure exactly were prospect is. It is late and my brain is starting to shut down for the night. I vagualy remember where prospect is, but I can't remember if I mentioned that my memory was bad. ;) I'll check out your site when I get a chance.

To all the others I'll just let you know that my memory isn't the greatest so I'll be asking lots of questions in the very near future potentailly repeat questoins because my memory isn't very good. Dan is probably glad that I finally joined so other people can answer my questions now instead of just bugging him.

I'll post some pictures of the bowie that I am working on (the real rough looking one that I have been doing with hand files) once I get the digital camera out again. I keep meaning to take some pictures of the progress to document my first knife that I am doing all by my self, but my memory sucks so I keep forgetting.
 
Donald Babcock said:
To all the others I'll just let you know that my memory isn't the greatest so I'll be asking lots of questions in the very near future potentailly repeat questoins because my memory isn't very good. Dan is probably glad that I finally joined so other people can answer my questions now instead of just bugging him.
.
Click to expand...
Donald who's this Donald guy:confused: :p

no problem here Don, you are welcome here any time for one on one scale removal or any of the finer aspects of knife making :D

oh ...email returned this morning...
 
Don
I emailed you
there was a problem sending it back from your email you last sent, digital ID problems..so I sent it the reg way. you must be on base???

I'd say about 08:00 hours would be good..
......Dan
 
Donald Babcock said:
And to answer the question, yes I admit that I know Dan. One of his sons works with me out at the base. He actually had me up to his shop and let me hang out for several hours asking him questions and then he takes out a piece of 1095 bar stock and starts helping me grind out a blade. Heat treats it with his torch, tempers it, and then has me spend about an hour sanding the scale off it, and then sharpens it. The only thing we didn't do for it was make the slabs or a sheath. I went up expecting to just watch and ask questions and I walk out with a knife that I helped make. :D

Dan - yeah, it only took me about 1 and 3/4 years from when you suggested this site to me to actually remember to check it out. What can I say, I have bad memory. And my memory isn't the greatest either. :rolleyes:

I'll definetly plan on coming up for the hammerin on the 27th. Sarah (my wife) will be putting in her two week notice at her job so she wont be working on the weekends anymore. YEAH more play time for me on the weekends now.

Scott - I'll have to check out your site and see about setting up a time to come over and see things. I'm not sure exactly were prospect is. It is late and my brain is starting to shut down for the night. I vagualy remember where prospect is, but I can't remember if I mentioned that my memory was bad. ;) I'll check out your site when I get a chance.

To all the others I'll just let you know that my memory isn't the greatest so I'll be asking lots of questions in the very near future potentailly repeat questoins because my memory isn't very good. Dan is probably glad that I finally joined so other people can answer my questions now instead of just bugging him.

I'll post some pictures of the bowie that I am working on (the real rough looking one that I have been doing with hand files) once I get the digital camera out again. I keep meaning to take some pictures of the progress to document my first knife that I am doing all by my self, but my memory sucks so I keep forgetting.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that your memory isn't very good. :confused:
 
Not sure what you are refering to. I must have forgotten something :D

Dan I'll be there around 8. I'll bring the knife that we made together and the bowie that I am working on to get some pointers on what I can do better for the next one. Hopefully the next one wont take me over a year to get to where I am with this one. Hand filing the edge bevels sucks.
 
Dan Gray said:
don't let him fool you :eek:
if you talk to him about Japanese stuff his mind is like a steel trap :)
Click to expand...

Wouldn't quite say steel trap, but yes I have done extensive research into that particular subject of blades. That is my passion when it comes to sharp shiny objects. Knives are my hobby, but swords are my real interest in making blades. I have a long way to go before I try any swords, but there are definetly some plans in the works. Not that my wife is to keen on having the larger blades around the house in the not to distant future, but she'll have to live with it. :D

I've got several knives planned out that are just waiting for the grinder and the bar stock to arrive so I can get working on stuff. I'll be posting a design that I intend to work on once my current bowie is done. I'll start a new thread for that one and document my progress.

That is if I can remember to do it!?!
 
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