- Joined
- Oct 28, 1999
- Messages
- 1,563
I made some decisions recently to change my Combat Special knife a bit.
Doing the cutting competition knife, talking with other bladesmiths, and general experimentation with different steel, heat treats, handle material and construction, has lead me to build a "new generation" combat blade.
Here is what is in the works: The blade has started as a round bar of 52100 rolled out to 5/16" by Ray Kirk. I forged it out to an 8" blade...still 5/16 at the spine with a continous distal taper. The blade has received several "shock" quenches during the forging....with reducing heats as the blade had gotten closer to shape.
With input from Ed Fowler's writings, and advice and input from Len Landrum, Ray Kirk, and Bill Buxton....four of the best 52100 "players" out there....the blade got a 3x quench (edge quench on the last) and a 3x temper.
The resulting blade when finish ground and sharpened wore me out cutting rope....and went thru a 2x4 three times...and still shaved nicely. I ran the cutting edge down a brass rod for its entire length and watched it flex and return to true. I think I got carried away with it because it was so fascinating.
I also did Ron Claiborne's test...drop it point first onto the concrete floor. Chipped my floor and the knife is fine.
It is really cool to see then fine grain in the steel as you get higher up in the grit as you finish grind.
This knife will be finished with G10 as the handle material with alot of reflections back to my cutting comp knife. I havent decided on a blade finish...but my idea is to keep it as "combat" as possible....I might bead blast it and coat it in matte silver Kalgard.
I will post pics as it comes along and then have her up for sale when finished.
Doing the cutting competition knife, talking with other bladesmiths, and general experimentation with different steel, heat treats, handle material and construction, has lead me to build a "new generation" combat blade.
Here is what is in the works: The blade has started as a round bar of 52100 rolled out to 5/16" by Ray Kirk. I forged it out to an 8" blade...still 5/16 at the spine with a continous distal taper. The blade has received several "shock" quenches during the forging....with reducing heats as the blade had gotten closer to shape.
With input from Ed Fowler's writings, and advice and input from Len Landrum, Ray Kirk, and Bill Buxton....four of the best 52100 "players" out there....the blade got a 3x quench (edge quench on the last) and a 3x temper.
The resulting blade when finish ground and sharpened wore me out cutting rope....and went thru a 2x4 three times...and still shaved nicely. I ran the cutting edge down a brass rod for its entire length and watched it flex and return to true. I think I got carried away with it because it was so fascinating.
I also did Ron Claiborne's test...drop it point first onto the concrete floor. Chipped my floor and the knife is fine.
It is really cool to see then fine grain in the steel as you get higher up in the grit as you finish grind.
This knife will be finished with G10 as the handle material with alot of reflections back to my cutting comp knife. I havent decided on a blade finish...but my idea is to keep it as "combat" as possible....I might bead blast it and coat it in matte silver Kalgard.
I will post pics as it comes along and then have her up for sale when finished.
:thumbup:
