The "Gunflint" Bowie

Karl B. Andersen

Karl B. Andersen

Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Messages
5,686
Can this guy really do TWO knife progressions in one day?:eek:
Short answer - yes, he can.
Seriously, I did that other stag "stuff" and this one today. I'm whooped.
I've had this knife forged up for a couple weeks and needed to get it moving so I'd have it for the Troy, Ohio Hammer-in and show in two weeks at the
http://www.americanbladesmith.com/i...s&subsection=show_events_details&events_id=22
7th Mid-America Bladesmithing Symposium.
So, I really did need to be busy today.

I made this blade with a couple things in mind. I have wanted to make a raised clip mid-sized Bowie for some time now. I want one for myself for a back-country canoe trip I have planned in the Boundary Waters next year right after the Blade Show. I'm getting a new portage pack that I want to strap a camp knife to, so I named this knife the "Gunflint Bowie" after the Gunflint Trail that winds through the Arrowhead of North East Minnesota and runs along the outer perimeter of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
I'm going to have the pack customized with an outer pocket to hold my Bowie. (This one will be for sale when finished.)
Here is the basic platform for my pack:
img_0722.jpg


I started with my 1" square 5160 that was made in 1984 here in Illinois for a specific manufacturing process:

CBa-1.jpg


I'm not much of a tong guy until the end, so I weld up my material to handles made from rebar:

CBb-1.jpg


A picture of the press with post-spacers in place:

CBf-1.jpg


I have my power hammer set-up with a spacer holder to which I attach spacers that run from .130" up to over an inch:

CBd-1.jpg


I wanted this knife to finish up pretty thick at the guard, and my first posts on my press needed just a little extra, so I added two nickels!

CBe-1.jpg


After a little beating and pounding we get this:

CBi-1.jpg


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CBl-1.jpg
 
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I forged this during that miserable heat we all had and just didn't finish it that day. I think I lost almost two pounds in sweat that day.
The next morning I forged in the raised clip and didn't think to take any pictures.
I think here I was doing some post-forging thermal cycles. There was some delirium involved during those days due to lack of potassium, so I'm not sure what I was doing.:confused:
CBk-1.jpg


After some of the basic grinding has taken place, I've used my surface plate and height gauge to determine flat-ass dead center. I will use this line to help file in the false edge.
CBm-1.jpg


I sort of knock the major edges off on the grinder, but do the real IMPORTANT stuff by hand. There is really no other way to get a clip dead center and straight.
CBn-1.jpg


CBo-1.jpg


CBp-1.jpg


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wow!!
 
Then we need to clean up the clip which I do with hard steel backing to keep that clip SHARP!!

CBwb-1.jpg


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Now the clip is done and we need to sand the flats.
CBs-1.jpg


After the blade flats are readied for hardening, I have stamped my name and JS and need to do the final tweak on the ricasso, This I do on the disk.

CBt-1.jpg


After all is said and done, she's .262".
CBu-1.jpg


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Set the guard shoulders:

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And the ol' "Gunflint Bowie" is about ready for the oven!

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That is a sweet looking blade Karl - I'll be looking forward to seeing this one shape up.

Roger
 
So what is "mid" sized, exactly. The blade shape is very similar to a project I am working on, just apparently a little shorter.

Larry
Tinkerer
 
Dusty One said:
Lookin good....Thanks for taking the time to show us !
Click to expand...

I respect anyone who takes the time to do this. I really appreciate when Nick does his WIPS. Personally, I try to do them whenever I can.
I think it goes a loooooooooooooooooooong way to show the knife world how much we put into our knives.
I only wish more guys would do it, and do it with regularity.
And I mean REALLY!! show the steps and procedures involved.
There's so much to be enjoyed and viewed by others, that to not take advantage of this venue is a loss.
 
While my oven is warming its way up to 1515, I'll do a little thinking ahead.
I always like to have in my mind what exactly it is that I'm making, even long before I get there. Sort of helps keep me in focus.
I always draw my knives for the visual, and also to have a pattern for my handle material cut-out. I save these and use them for ideas and future patterns.
CCa-1.jpg


Then I'll lay them out and get an idea of what I want.

CCb-1.jpg


CCc-1.jpg


CCd-1.jpg


I buy 416 round stock and use for my fittings. This way I can get whatever size I want.

CCe-1.jpg


Look! She's up to heat. Now that the oven has made it up to 1515, the entire mass needs to come up as well. In the bottom of the oven I have a layer of 1" thick wrought iron that needs to heat up as well, so as to make a nice and even, continuous heat over 100% of the oven.
I give it one full hour - minimum - of soak time.
So, I'm gonna go have lunch.

CCg-1.jpg
 
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I'm back.
This 5160 that I got some time ago is amazingly deep hardening. I want a little bit of "give" in the spine and guard shoulder area, and I achieve this with a substantial application of clay.
This steel hardens so deeply, that it will harden underneath the bottom edge of the clay, and the tang will air harden without ever being quenched. It'll smoke a drill bit, no problem.

CCf-1.jpg


I will warm up my forge to dry the clay and I will do two reducing heat thermal cycles.

CCj-1.jpg


Then, after the second cycle and it drops to about 1000 degrees, into the oven she goes.

CCh-1.jpg



After four minutes in the oven, I open the door and shoot the blade with my laser thermometer. Guess where she is?

CCi-1.jpg



I was lucky enough to get 15 gallons of Texaco A before it became extinct.
(Luckily, it is now being produced, as far as I know, with the original formula/recipe and is called Quench A, by a company in Indiana.
I get good luck with it at about 140-150.

CCk-1.jpg


After sufficient soak time, a full blade quench!!
Then, a couple tempers.

CCl-1.jpg
 
Very cool WIP, Karl! Thanks for taking the time out to post it!

That blade looks great - can't wait to see the finished product!
 
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