Kevin Wilkins
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Oct 7, 1998
- Messages
- 1,489
I recently posted to this forum about my difficulties in getting A2 blades hardened and tempered without warpage. As a last resort I sent 4 warped blades and 3 newly ground blades to Paul Bos in California to see what he could make of it all.
Today I received the blades back from Mr. Bos, all hardened, tempered to RC 59-60 and straight as an arrow.
Mr. Bos took the trouble to call me when the blades were ready to explain why he thought the blades warped. His thoeory is that the flat ground stock was not ground the same amount on each side leaving the steel highly stressed. However he was able to straighten all the blades and save the work.
As an aside, Ron Lake was here in Berlin last week and I asked him what he thought. Mr. Lake - who has made a few knives over the years himself
- agreed with Mr. Bos and had another theory he thinks could also perhaps have been the cause. His theory is that the steel came from a big roll at one time and retains a memory. I've contacted the steel mill and their technical guys are "looking into it." In any case I now have a few more grey hairs, but I also have 7 perfectly done blades which I can at last finish.
I'd would like to thank Paul Bos here in public for the excellent job he did and for his skill and professionalism. Where others failed, whined and gave up Mr. Bos rose to the occasion, took on the challenge, and in the finest tradition of American Craftsmanship did his job to perfection. Thank you Sir, my hat is tipped.
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Totally new website!
http://www.wilkins-knives.com
Today I received the blades back from Mr. Bos, all hardened, tempered to RC 59-60 and straight as an arrow.
Mr. Bos took the trouble to call me when the blades were ready to explain why he thought the blades warped. His thoeory is that the flat ground stock was not ground the same amount on each side leaving the steel highly stressed. However he was able to straighten all the blades and save the work.
As an aside, Ron Lake was here in Berlin last week and I asked him what he thought. Mr. Lake - who has made a few knives over the years himself
- agreed with Mr. Bos and had another theory he thinks could also perhaps have been the cause. His theory is that the steel came from a big roll at one time and retains a memory. I've contacted the steel mill and their technical guys are "looking into it." In any case I now have a few more grey hairs, but I also have 7 perfectly done blades which I can at last finish.I'd would like to thank Paul Bos here in public for the excellent job he did and for his skill and professionalism. Where others failed, whined and gave up Mr. Bos rose to the occasion, took on the challenge, and in the finest tradition of American Craftsmanship did his job to perfection. Thank you Sir, my hat is tipped.
------------------
Totally new website!
http://www.wilkins-knives.com
