O1 Question

L

Lucky Bob

Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Messages
956
I have O1 stock I was planning on making into a stock-removal knife, but it seems I've come across a guy who only does forging, but who is willing to let me dick around (and maybe teach me some :rolleyes: ). I'm wondering if it would be possible/feasible to forge my O1.

Also, if it is... how in blazes would one forge a wharncliffe profile? I read in Goddard's book that you clip the bar to get the shape you want, but I can't imagine how you could clip it enough to form a wharncliffe.

Thanks all!
 
I forge. Mostly I work with 1095 and old files but many have recommended O1 as a good beginners steel. It is a good steel to start with.

As for the forging itself, I forge the handle first. Since you want a wharncliffe style, draw the steel to a point, watching that you don't create a cold shut at the top or bottem. Then bend it into the edge-to-be. As you forge the bevel into that side it will straighten. It takes some practice to know how much to bend it. Work the bevel from both sides. Get close to the pattern you want. You'll have some grinding to do to get closer.

It sounds like you could do some reading before you start. A good book to start with is "The complete bladesmith" by Jim Hrisoulas (I think the spelling is correct). That covers what you need to know pretty well.

ron
 
son_of_bluegrass said:
I forge. Mostly I work with 1095 and old files but many have recommended O1 as a good beginners steel. It is a good steel to start with.

As for the forging itself, I forge the handle first. Since you want a wharncliffe style, draw the steel to a point, watching that you don't create a cold shut at the top or bottem. Then bend it into the edge-to-be. As you forge the bevel into that side it will straighten. It takes some practice to know how much to bend it. Work the bevel from both sides. Get close to the pattern you want. You'll have some grinding to do to get closer.

It sounds like you could do some reading before you start. A good book to start with is "The complete bladesmith" by Jim Hrisoulas (I think the spelling is correct). That covers what you need to know pretty well.

ron
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Well, the thing is, I'm much more interested in stock-removal knives. However, if I can make forged, and only forged, knives, then so be it. I have Goddard's book, and a fairly experienced smith. I just didn't peg him for the kind of guy who would be into wharncliffes.
 
you can always forge AND stock removal. You will need to grind on the blade some anyway so if the mood hit...stock removal :)

0-1 isnt just a beginers steel, its an awsome steel! It seems to have had this beginers reputation placed on it and its really not. Jst ask some of the competition cutters who are using 0-1:thumbup:
 
Alrighty! Well, thank you both (and Son, even if I was a smartass earlier).

If I'm lucky, I'll be able to start forging this darned piece of O1 tomorrow.
 
I am going to agree with Mr. Goode here, O1 can be a great performing knife steel, and is as easy as it gets to harden, but I have yet to figure out how it got a reputation as a good beginner steel. It can red short, it can be a bear to anneal properly, it is a quite a bit more costly than other steels to learn on, unless soaked for at least 4-5 minutes at a steady temperature one cannot get top performance out of it, it tends to band out readily if not heated correctly etc... Something like 1080 has none of these issues yet I seldom see any of the 10XX series steels recommended as often to the new guy.

But don't despair Lucky Bob, that's not to say that you can't make a really nice knife with simple tools and O1, in fact it is a testament to the qualities of O1 that so many folks like the results they get even when not quite optimizing the steel. I loved the stuff back when I just got it hot and immediately dumped it into some oil; now that I am able to hold proper soak times on it I am positively giddy about the stuff. But I do believe its reputation as a beginner steel is based more on it being said enough times that folks just assume it is true without asking why.
 
Kevin R. Cashen said:
I am going to agree with Mr. Goode here, O1 can be a great performing knife steel, and is as easy as it gets to harden, but I have yet to figure out how it got a reputation as a good beginner steel. It can red short, it can be a bear to anneal properly, it is a quite a bit more costly than other steels to learn on, unless soaked for at least 4-5 minutes at a steady temperature one cannot get top performance out of it, it tends to band out readily if not heated correctly etc... Something like 1080 has none of these issues yet I seldom see any of the 10XX series steels recommended as often to the new guy.

But don't despair Lucky Bob, that's not to say that you can't make a really nice knife with simple tools and O1, in fact it is a testament to the qualities of O1 that so many folks like the results they get even when not quite optimizing the steel. I loved the stuff back when I just got it hot and immediately dumped it into some oil; now that I am able to hold proper soak times on it I am positively giddy about the stuff. But I do believe its reputation as a beginner steel is based more on it being said enough times that folks just assume it is true without asking why.
Click to expand...
Well, thanks for the advice... but I's gots what I's gots, so I'm going with what I have!
I originally was going to do an apartment-shop (minimal electric tools, steel removal with files) stock removal knife, and send it off for HT, so it didn't much matter how it had to be HTed, as long as someone *else* could do it right.
 
i love O1, it gets a killer edge. and its not as expensize as other tool steels. i also like the 10xx steel but i distorts more in the quentch than O1. Im doing a bunch from O1 right now. ALso it has a simple heat treating process and does not have to be perfect. i think that is why biginers like it because the heat treating process to them is probley the most chalinging part because thay dont want to crack or distroy all there hard work
 
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