The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
wtf...a 2-hours-later double tap lol.
Yeah, that was impressive.
All that talk about how much HT costs is making me think about doing it myself with some of the more "beginner" steels. I watched a very informative YT video about different steels and the gentleman suggested 1095, 440c and O1 as fairly easy (in that all materials and knowledge aren't expensive or hard to come by) to HT, DIY-style. I like the idea of 440C since it's stainless and not real expensive. I have a BM 550 Grip that's 440C and it has a great edge and seems to hold it pretty well.
It's 25 a blade then any more past that is free, IIRC, in the same steel type.
I think daizee said use animal fat... Lol.
For real though people were making and heat treating knives for hundreds of years... You can do it yourself... Lots of people still do..
Will it be as good as a professionally done place.. No.. But could you do it good enough to use a knife, yes.
We have the science and smarts to do things way better than they were done in the past, but that doesn't mean it's the only way to do it now. For your own knives you wanna use yourself go for it... Never anything wrong with learning.
People say you can't use this or do that all the time when rely they should be saying it's not the best way anymore but will still work.
All my opinions of course, but a million swords and knives throughout history were made with no electricity or fancy kilns.
You can't DIY 440C, any stainless, or any decent tool steel (including O1) without a proper electric kiln ($600-$2000). Ought to have some quench plates too (easy enough to come by). And if you buy a kiln, there's no reason to start with 440C. Other stainless will give you far more for only a marginal increase in material cost. (I've never loved a 440C blade except 'Bruce'.)
You can DIY O1 in a 2-brick forge and canola, but you'll be wasting your money if you can't soak it at temp like a tool steel needs (kiln).
1084 for the home heat-treater unless you're going to invest in a proper kiln. You can treat it perfectly for pennies in equipment, AND it makes a fabulous knife. Even 1095 benefits from more control, and is riskier to treat than 1084 (more likely to crack).
Dammit, now you're making me think about bringing the forge to the gathering to get the bug outta y'all. Though pre-heated oil would be a tricky mess. I don't think that's gonna work out...
2" wide double sided carpet tape is good stuff for making a quick sanding block.
It was good.
Now off to bed.
WW, if you don't do any sleeping, I'll look forward to seeing what you work on tonight.
Your mind is a steel trap. I drink. Lol.