Working copper?

U

unky_gumbi

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Aug 28, 2009
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I was going to ask this in my WIP, but I thought it may get more answers on its own. The three knives I am working on all have pretty much the same profile, but I altered the grinds on each one to make them stand apart from each other. I would like to make each one really distinct from each other so that means changing up the guard styles and materials as well.

I know one of the knives is getting wrought iron, one is getting O-1, and I have a piece of 1/2" copper rod I would like to use for the other. I did a bunch of searching on working copper and it is about a 50/50 split on cold working and hot working it. All I want to do is flatten out the rod so I can make my guard and possibly a pommel spacer with it. I gave the piece a couple of hits cold, but with my bad elbows if I continue I will be down and out for a couple of weeks if I continue:( That means that I am going to have to hot forge it.

My question is just what temperature/color do you hot work copper? I read often enough about dull red/quench to anneal it while cold forging, but have found nothing yet about temps for hot forging.

Thanks for any pointers

George
 
The only experience I have had with copper and knife making was not to fun. When I started making knives on my dining room table in our apartment I decided to make a copper bolster for my second knife. I shaped the whole thing with files. What a pain that was...even with the files chalked, the file had to be carded every stroke. The knife turned out great looking. I let the copper age and get a natural patina. However I vowed I would never work with coper again. Now that I have a shop to work in, and a KMG clone I will definetly work with copper agin in the future. I am very interested in reading the information you get about forgeing the copper.
 
Well I guess I can forget about using what I have for a copper guard. I went out and cut a piece off in anticipation of flattening it and using it, and it turns out it is just a copper clad rod:( and the cladding isn't that thick either, only about .03". Oh well back to the drawing board and searching for just the right thing.
 
To anneal copper for cold forging, heat it to a red heat and quench it in water.

For hot forging take it to a red orange. Due to different ambient light conditions, don't hit it if it's sweating or looks wet and shiny on the surface.

Hot forging is more appropriate for thick stock and cold forging for thin.
 
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