Forging a knife

**Blood Groove** · 09-06-2008, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by erunkiswldrnssurvival

THANKS Blood Groove, I used ball peen hammers and i carved depressions in wood to partialy shape the parts. I even made copper nails to secure them to the wood base

Wow! How long did it take you to make that?

**erunkiswldrnssurvival** · 09-06-2008, 11:45 PM

to make the Rose , and Leaves then mount it bout three hours. to set up the tools about
two hours.(carving and shaping the chisels,ect)...

**Blood Groove** · 09-06-2008, 11:47 PM

Did you make more than one of them? It looks like a one-of-a-kind piece of work to me.

**erunkiswldrnssurvival** · 09-06-2008, 11:55 PM

thats the only one of those.i have a friend that builds water fountains, out of hammered bronze I gained some experiance from him

**Blood Groove** · 09-07-2008, 12:01 AM

Oh wow, water fountains!? I bet he gets a fortune for those.

**erunkiswldrnssurvival** · 09-07-2008, 12:04 AM

You'll have to tell me more about how you make your knives

**erunkiswldrnssurvival** · 09-07-2008, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by Blood Groove

Oh wow, water fountains!? I bet he gets a fortune for those.

Yea he does he does multi colored patenas, puffy fish, some rose and flower stuff, his fountains are spectacular

**Blood Groove** · 09-07-2008, 12:15 AM

Well I don't think that the way I do it is very different from how others do it. I just start with a chunk of 1095 high carbon steel and stick it in the forge. Then it's just a mater of drawing it out as for as you want it, and making a rough point, and handle. The just working on your taper on the spine of the blade and the handle. After you get it pretty close to how you want it, you can do the rest on a belt grinder. Actually I was really suprised to see how much work could be done on the belt grinder. OF course that's the rough grind. After that you can heat treat it, temper it, and do the finishing grind. Then you connect the handle. As for the guard, I'm not too sure how they work and how they are secured to the blade, but I'm going to learn about it soon. That's basically it, but obviously it takes a lot of other little details that I haven't written about. I'm really not very skilled at it yet though.

**Blood Groove** · 09-07-2008, 12:16 AM

They sound pretty amazing to me.

**erunkiswldrnssurvival** · 09-07-2008, 12:24 AM

That guy taught me how to heat and hammer the metal i'm sure steel isnt much different
anneal the metal with heat then hammer, repeat the process

**Blood Groove** · 09-07-2008, 12:29 AM

Yeah, I guess that every time after your done pounding on a knife putting it back in the forge is like annealing it. Then like you said you just take it out and pound again. The good thing about carbon steels is the more you pound on them the smaller the grain structure of the metal gets, which means that when you heat treat it it's got a smaller chance of cracking, when it's done it'll hold a better edge and not crack. The guy who taught you all those things sounds like he has some serious skill. Well It's getting late, I'm headed off to bed now.

**erunkiswldrnssurvival** · 09-07-2008, 09:01 AM

YEA skill and Desire

**Ole WV Coot** · 09-07-2008, 09:21 AM

That rose is an art piece for sure. I am a little short on the talent side so I am always interested in how things are made. Might I suggest a fancy display knife for some future project? I am sure interested in the walnut handles and pics of the knife you forged BG. Way back when he was alive John Ek made fighters with poured lead rivets and I was fortunate enough to get one. The rivets were lead because he said if the handles ever got loose just hit it with something hard to tighten. I retired my edge & 1/2 Ek in the late 60s but still keep it handy in the bedroom. Second or third set of handles, now walnut with plain copper rivets. It and my KaBar also from the same era both retired along with me now. If you can equal Ek's steel you will have a winner.

**erunkiswldrnssurvival** · 09-07-2008, 09:30 AM

The lead rivits reach back to the early greek/ roman era. thats a good method to know.Thnks you ole Coot

**Blood Groove** · 09-07-2008, 05:36 PM

Ole Coot, I really like the idea of lead rivets! I'd have never thought about that but it makes so much sence. You just give it a few good hits and it's tight again. I'll remember that technique. Well if I can get pictures up on the site I will. I can't wait until I finish it. It shouldn't be too long now.

**Blood Groove** · 09-09-2008, 09:32 PM

Well the Rockwell testing I got said that it was 37...but they tested a part taht wasn't dunked in the oil. We only put about half the blade in the oil, and the spine was out, so it would have a lower hardness than the blade (It makes the knife more tough) I went to do blacksmithing today, and Stuart ran a file over the blade. The blade has a good hardness (Although I don't know what the Rockwell is) And the spine and handle are softer. But we don't have to re heat-treat it. We started making the guard, and then I did some hand-filing on it. Oh Stuarts business is called Highland Iron Works, and his full name is Stuart MacCaskill. I think that Highland Iron Works site is on a my-space. In case anyone wanted to know.

**Blood Groove** · 09-16-2008, 08:57 PM

Well I did some more work on my knife today. I finished the filing...with a belt grinder, and then drilled the handle holes. The knife could be done as soon as this Saturday.