- Joined
- Sep 15, 2009
- Messages
- 117
I like it!
-
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.
Ws Damascus Bowie WIP
- Thread starter Karl B. Andersen
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2009
- Messages
- 1,915
Thanks Karl! Really informative and enjoyable!
Steve
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Potomac Forge
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IN GOD WE TRUST
Steve
--------
Potomac Forge
--------
IN GOD WE TRUST
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
- Messages
- 5,668
Had a moment to post a little progress this morning.
The focus here is to apply a little basic math and geometry.
Everything is calculated from center lines, and I make a lot of use of my French Curves.
Create the basic profile of the guard and butt cap.
Center and pin.
Notice that the handle material is still in its basic 2 dimensional configuration and no 3 dimensional shaping has taken place - yet.
I will now use the guard and the butt cap to guide me as I file the handle to shape.
That process practically eliminates mistakes.
That way I'm not "chasing" anything and trying to make things line up.
After I get the largest % of handle mass removed, I will switch to finer cut files and gradually float everything together.
But, that's later on this afternoon.
Actually, the next project is to turn the permanent pommel screw.
The focus here is to apply a little basic math and geometry.
Everything is calculated from center lines, and I make a lot of use of my French Curves.
Create the basic profile of the guard and butt cap.
Center and pin.
Notice that the handle material is still in its basic 2 dimensional configuration and no 3 dimensional shaping has taken place - yet.
I will now use the guard and the butt cap to guide me as I file the handle to shape.
That process practically eliminates mistakes.
That way I'm not "chasing" anything and trying to make things line up.
After I get the largest % of handle mass removed, I will switch to finer cut files and gradually float everything together.
But, that's later on this afternoon.
Actually, the next project is to turn the permanent pommel screw.
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
- Messages
- 5,668
Now with my guard and butt cap profiled, pinned and centered, I can use them as my guides for shaping the handle material in a "connect-the-dots" fashion:
All I need do is shape the handle to the pieces already shaped:
This is the knife with the basic handle shape completed, but still sporting the temporary pommel nut:
All I need do is shape the handle to the pieces already shaped:
This is the knife with the basic handle shape completed, but still sporting the temporary pommel nut:
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
- Messages
- 5,668
Remember that recessed step in the butt cap? (Look back if you don't remember)
That shoulder was .088" deep.
So, here I cut in the mating shoulder on the pommel nut, but I create a step .100" long - .012" over the step depth.
This is because the butt cap will be hot blued and I positively don't want any contact going on that will be visible - so that gap there is .012".
Ready for hand sanding on the Walnut, finish sanding of the hardware, hot-bluing of the blade and hot-bluing of the hardware.
Guess I know what I'm doing tomorrow!
That shoulder was .088" deep.
So, here I cut in the mating shoulder on the pommel nut, but I create a step .100" long - .012" over the step depth.
This is because the butt cap will be hot blued and I positively don't want any contact going on that will be visible - so that gap there is .012".
Ready for hand sanding on the Walnut, finish sanding of the hardware, hot-bluing of the blade and hot-bluing of the hardware.
Guess I know what I'm doing tomorrow!
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2007
- Messages
- 382
Looking good Karl!
Thanks for doing this WIP. I appreciate all the extra time you are taking to share this with us!
I am glad to see you doing the WIP on this particular blade -- especially since I saw it when it was nothing more than a bunch of steel bars laying on the bench
Brian
Thanks for doing this WIP. I appreciate all the extra time you are taking to share this with us!
I am glad to see you doing the WIP on this particular blade -- especially since I saw it when it was nothing more than a bunch of steel bars laying on the bench
Brian
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
- Messages
- 5,668
Another day.
Here's a close-up of the hardware assembly and the blade, both in un-blued condition.
And here is a picture of a VERY boring Damascus blade hung in a cradle about to be hot blued:
Here we are coming up to the target temp of 292 degrees:
Here's a close-up of the hardware assembly and the blade, both in un-blued condition.
And here is a picture of a VERY boring Damascus blade hung in a cradle about to be hot blued:
Here we are coming up to the target temp of 292 degrees:
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
- Messages
- 5,668
Roger, I just remembered you wanted a closeup:
For those unfamiliar with the hot-bluing process I'm using here, it is the same procedure as used on many of your favorite guns.
It's a controlled oxidation of the steel surface.
These bluing salts are AMAZINGLY caustic!!
They do what they are supposed to do at a rolling boil maintained at 292 degrees.
Here's where your high school chemistry comes in!
We control the boil at 292 degrees by controlling the specific gravity of the mixture.
You know how water boils at sea level at 212 degrees - right?
Right.
However, take a dip of the sea water itself, and it won't boil until you raise the temp of the mix a ways.
It's because of the specific gravity of the mixture.
This mix here is SO heavy, because of all the salt, that it won't boil until it gets to 292 degrees when the mixture is correct.
It's a real ballet/dance.
If the mixture is boiling either under or below 292, the bluing job will be affected.
So we control the boiling temp of 292 by the addition of either water or salt.
And we need to maintain that temp for 30 minutes!
So, as time passes by, water escapes as steam and the mixture becomes heavier = a higher boiling temp that is NOT acceptable.
So, we need to gradually replace the dissipated H2O as we go along.
We don't regulate temperature by the flame, we do it by adjusting specific gravity.
In this case today, it started boiling at too low a temp, so I had to add salt.
Anyway, here it is, boiling away at the target temp with the blade suspended:
For those unfamiliar with the hot-bluing process I'm using here, it is the same procedure as used on many of your favorite guns.
It's a controlled oxidation of the steel surface.
These bluing salts are AMAZINGLY caustic!!
They do what they are supposed to do at a rolling boil maintained at 292 degrees.
Here's where your high school chemistry comes in!
We control the boil at 292 degrees by controlling the specific gravity of the mixture.
You know how water boils at sea level at 212 degrees - right?
Right.
However, take a dip of the sea water itself, and it won't boil until you raise the temp of the mix a ways.
It's because of the specific gravity of the mixture.
This mix here is SO heavy, because of all the salt, that it won't boil until it gets to 292 degrees when the mixture is correct.
It's a real ballet/dance.
If the mixture is boiling either under or below 292, the bluing job will be affected.
So we control the boiling temp of 292 by the addition of either water or salt.
And we need to maintain that temp for 30 minutes!
So, as time passes by, water escapes as steam and the mixture becomes heavier = a higher boiling temp that is NOT acceptable.
So, we need to gradually replace the dissipated H2O as we go along.
We don't regulate temperature by the flame, we do it by adjusting specific gravity.
In this case today, it started boiling at too low a temp, so I had to add salt.
Anyway, here it is, boiling away at the target temp with the blade suspended:
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
- Messages
- 5,668
I did feel it necessary to mention that all of the water involved in this process must be very pure - no tap water, well water or distilled water.
Any unwanted mineral in the water may adversely affect the salts and neutralize them.
So, each winter I collect about 10 gallons of melted snow.
Even distilled water may have been distilled in copper lines, or rain water from your gutters will have spent time in aluminum!
Not good.
After 1/2 hour, the blade is removed and quenched in cold water to set the bluing.
Then, it's suspended in boiling water to dissolve any residual salts.
Then suspended in water displacing oil.
Then, since the salts don't differentiate between nickel bearing steel and non-nickel-bearing steel, the blade comes out totally black!
When I etch Damascus, it gets a REALLY deep etch that leaves the nickel bearing steel up higher than the other.
So, after hot-bluing, the blade is sanded with 3000 grit to remove the bluing from the 15N20 in this case.
Then polished.
This was a differentially treated blade and you may be able to see a light difference, which to be quite honest, is even LESS visible in person.
The lighting just catches it differently.
Now, to do the hardware!
Any unwanted mineral in the water may adversely affect the salts and neutralize them.
So, each winter I collect about 10 gallons of melted snow.
Even distilled water may have been distilled in copper lines, or rain water from your gutters will have spent time in aluminum!
Not good.
After 1/2 hour, the blade is removed and quenched in cold water to set the bluing.
Then, it's suspended in boiling water to dissolve any residual salts.
Then suspended in water displacing oil.
Then, since the salts don't differentiate between nickel bearing steel and non-nickel-bearing steel, the blade comes out totally black!
When I etch Damascus, it gets a REALLY deep etch that leaves the nickel bearing steel up higher than the other.
So, after hot-bluing, the blade is sanded with 3000 grit to remove the bluing from the 15N20 in this case.
Then polished.
This was a differentially treated blade and you may be able to see a light difference, which to be quite honest, is even LESS visible in person.
The lighting just catches it differently.
Now, to do the hardware!
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
- Messages
- 5,668
I had to post these on another site and since I was in the computer chair, thought I might toss them on here as well.
Sorry about the lint and the smudges - it was just an impromptu post to demonstrate some different views:
Sorry about the lint and the smudges - it was just an impromptu post to demonstrate some different views:
braillediver
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2007
- Messages
- 3,058
Beautiful. And your explanation of the Blueing process is icing on the cake.
Thanks for sharing.
Mitch
Thanks for sharing.
Mitch
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2002
- Messages
- 12,297
Very Nice Work, Karl !
The hot bluing realy brought out the damascus and your fit / finish is tops...
The hot bluing realy brought out the damascus and your fit / finish is tops...
