I forged and heat treated this blade a while back. As you see sometimes I set things aside and get back to them when things get right. The blade is 9 1/4 inches and is W2 steel which I coated with clay (Satanite) for the differential hardening effect. Believe it or not, I am not clay coating for the hamon as much as for the true reason that differential hardening was developed in the first place. I believe this gives the blade the characteristics I want in it, such as toughness and durability. The hamon make this more visibly evident and looks cool. Here is the blade and the aluminum pattern. Notice that there is subtle differences in the two. But if you lay the two, one on top of the other, they are very very close. It's the depth of the blade and the clip and plunges that make it look a little different. That's another subject.
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5297/5463087817_29dda55baf_z.jpg)
The blade is tested and then finished by hand sanding and alternately etching and polishing.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6703798469_329740cd33_o.jpg)
Yeah, baby!
W2 will get so sharp that you can only take it out of the sheath in the dark.
('Cause the shadow will cut the leg off a table!) :saywhat:
Looking good Lin!
Again Lin, that is really looking good... So far! And I'm sure it will look terrific when done!!
Thanks.
I got the guard pressed and JB Welded. It's tricky getting an "S" guard to fit tight on the filed shoulders. I'll follow with a picture of the joint after the JBW is cleaned off. I have to make the ferrule/spacers next, but might be a couple days before I get pictures. I plan to put a nice stag taper on it and a butt cap.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6714587321_dfea014e38_z.jpg)
Lin,
What do you use to clean up the JB weld? I always try to keep the extra squashed out to a minimum. You are clearly doing something else.
I let it set for a few(15 or so)minutes, then wet a cotton swab with Wd-40 and gently wipe the excess JBW off. I alternate the wet swab, then a dry one till it's done. I dont flood the area with Wd-40, just enough.
Lin, thanks for sharing. Are you heating and shaping that s- guard or is that shape all ground from thicker stock?
Lin i wondered where you have been.I look on here everyday missed ya!!!
Looks like you really nailed that heat treatment. Hard edge, soft spine is easy. Looks like you did it the way the Japanese swords were done, with the spring temper in the middle. Beautiful temper line, even if you say that's just a by-product of what you trying to accomplish.
I'm glad to see a new post from you too. It's always an education.
I'm still here Cliff. Thanks guys.
Gabriel, I heated it and hammered it lightly into an "S". I had to stay off the flat area. It seems that there is always some straightening to do but it has to be kept to a minimum or lose the guard's thickness. This guard was a second atempt. :)
Here's the guard cleaned off.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6717396837_3ce570565e_z.jpg)
Lin, what kind of file guide (for cutting the shoulders of the tang) do you use?
I have to buy another, the one Ive been using is about gave up the Ghost.
Cool fighter, cant wait to see it finished!
That's looking nice, Lin.
Wait until you see the blade I forged up yesterday - and then you post this one today.
Beautiful blade Lin, can't wait to see it finished.
Did you get my PM, by the way?
That knife is looking great, Lin. You do amazing things with steel!!! The hamon on that blade is stunning and the guard almost looks like it is milled from the blade material -- great metal-to-metal fit.
Allan
Matt, I use a file guid made by a friend several years ago. It is showing it's age, but still work s fine when I do my part. I also have one made by a master bladesmith who is a machinist by trade. It's a nice one too.
Got it Rob. Thanks.
Thanks Allan. I should have this one finished sometime over the coming weekend if all goes as planned.
Matt, I use the one from Riverside Machine with the carbide face. It's a little pricey, but I've been using it regularly for, I forget, 2-3 years anyway.
Looks like the day I bought it.
http://www.riversidemachine.net/item576493.ctlg
Very, very nice Lin :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Can't go wrong with the Riverside carbide file guide. I made a couple over the years from full hardened O-1 before I got mine from Uncle AL. No comparison, spend the $$ and get a good one.
Its looking great Lin. The Hamon shows up nice and is more along the lines of what I am wanting to get out of the next project that is waiting, forged but waiting. Can,t wait to see it finished and hoping the Images Chuck gets of it show the detail.
Chris
Awesome blade!!!love it!
Thank you guys. I got started back on it this morning. The next thing is to cut out and glue up the ferrule pieces. I glue it together with super glue so I can drill them and put in a couple of temporary guid pins. In the vise.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6736789653_c2383f6a49_z.jpg)
Here is the ferrule. A more accurate name would be spacer, but that's another story. Here is is drilled and two soft pins are lightly peined to hold it all in line while I shape it and mill the slot.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7020/6736789841_5b972f1d16_z.jpg)
Here it's shaped and the slot is opened up to fit exactly the tang behind the guard.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6736789935_28c2419e4e_z.jpg)
Now what?
I am wanting to filework the middle piece of the spacer with some vine-ish looking filework. So, I have to punch out the pins to get it apart. I can use the holes later to re assemble it and permanently hold it together.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6736782945_e76f60aa62_z.jpg)
I'll check back.
Lin, it's the little things that helps ( like you showing that you pinned the spacer to mill it) thanks for all your tips
Dana
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7020/6738854001_ccd7c4e2f8_z.jpg)
That vine file work is really slick!
Lin, I like the file work too! Do you do any engraving?
Steve
-------
Potomac Forge
ABS Apprentice
Oh my goodness....that last pic just took my breath away. Can't wait to see the finished knife.
Soon Steve, soon. :)
Lin
what are you doing to blacken the back ground of your file work?
I am with Danny,
Great work Lin,
Thank you very much guys.
Dana, I use Birchwood Casey Brass Black. I should have the buttcap on tomorrow and have it professionally photographed soon.
Excuse me while I clean the drool from my keyboard :eek: Thanks for sharing your processes and knowledge with us all. You make an incredible knife to say the least. I can't wait to see this one finished.
Thanks Lin. The light peening of the spacer pins was a tip I needed. My superglued spacer stacks always come apart on me. Do you peen from one side only and then punch out the pins from the flush side?
Where do you get your bronze?
Gabriel, I pein both sides with nickle silver pins stock. It's soft enough to punch out with a stainless punch of the same size.
Making progress now. I thought you'd like to see the way I scribe the butt cap for the contoured shaping with the stag. This can be an exact thing or a loose interpretation. I start exact and let the stag tell me what to do. This knife has a woods theme, with vine, leaf, antler, and an acorn. So, I got it reasonably close. This piece of stag is pretty "busy" with so many ins and outs that I just give a close impression of following the stag. On the other hand, if the stag had mainly smooth and regular ins and outs, I would stick to it exactly. Each knife is different.
First I drill a hole for the tang screw to pass through since this will be the stationary point to give it reference. I blacken the back side of the butt cap material and screw it in place so it wont move around. Then I scribe the contour of the stag with an awl leaving the bright scratch showing against the black background. You can use layout fluid, I used a sharpie.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6745038765_11437502cf_z.jpg)
I cut it out using the very edge of my flat platten with the belt running right on the edge. You can get most of the contouring done pretty quick like this. It dont take very long at all. I change belt a few times always allowing material to remove right up to the line and just a hair past it.
Now it was time to make the finial. I dont have any making pics but I can describe it. I soldered a small block of SS on a machine screw to fit the coupling nut attached to the tang inside the handle. This block of SS is about 3/8 inch square and has a shallow hole to stick the machine screw into for soldering. I get it soldered and shaped and now it's in the handle. It looks like this.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6745038573_65ee75f718_z.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6749051247_c15fa29ac9_z.jpg)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6749051153_ef6947c6f4_z.jpg
I should have a pro photo soon.
Very nice Lin, thanks for posting. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Lin -
That is simply awesome. :clapper:
Danny
Wow. That is beutiful.
TBRA
Thanks.
One side not about the butt cap that you might find interesting.
I have some 1 1/8 round 416 stainless so I sawed off about 1/2 inch from the end and heated it up and ovaled it on the anvil and then wedge shaped it. I flattened the part that goes against the stag and milled out a hollow under there around the hole. I did that to lighten it up so the shift of weight would not go too far to the back. It's actually a stylized "S" contour on the outside of the "wedge" to counter the "S" guard. It also added about 1/4 inch to the handle length, which I felt it needed.
Awesome!!
:thumbsup:
Lin, your craftsmanship is indeed breathtaking - truly beautiful.
Can't wait to see the Pro picture Lin. That is really nice to see it in stages, thanks for posting the progress.
That as to be the most beautiful handle work I've seen in a long time! Really nice work Lin!
Nice work Lin :thumbsup:
I have to admit, Chuck's photo is much better than mine. :D
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6756192385_1997bbefd7_z.jpg)
Lin, thanks for the many WIP posts of late. This and the ABS forums are my go to knife forums because of these regular contributions.
Very nice Lin. Chuck captured the detail. My favorite knife of yours yet!
Chris
Wow, the finished pics really show that knife well. The hamon and vine work catch and hold my eye. My favorite as well Lin. ( corse I'd have to see all your blades to be sure)
Lin, did you pin the butt plate?, i would think you would have but just asking, and are you soldering the coupling nut to the tang,or welding it?
Very nice
Dana
Good Grief! Simply beautiful!
Thanks for sharing so much.
Travis
Thanks.
Dana, I split the coupling nut about 1/2 it's length and slid it over the tang and pinned it so it would wobble a little. That wobble allows the butt cap to level itself. I sometimes pin the butt cap along with the finial machine screw, but this time I did not. I hollowed the butt cap as I mentioned and the hollow is irregularly shaped so the epoxy will fill it in and wont let it move. Of course, you have to overfill it a little or prime the butt cap with epoxy to make sure it sets up into it.
Thanks Lin, Thats make since, i was thinking it was a take down for some reason.
Dana
Another fantastic piece, Lin!
A question about the butt cap: do you file the contours by hand to match it to the stag handle and then just buff the edges for a finished look?
Rusty
Rusty,
In a nutshell, yes. But you have to get it pretty close and allow for successive steps of the finishing. It's quite forgiving though.
Lin that's fantastic!
Man that's sweet guy! What's that command?
Thank you guys. Email sent Mike.
great!
Awesome!...thanks for the "how to"
Just an amazing work! Thanks for letting us all watch & drool!
This is another that should be pinned at the top!
They dont get prettier than that!!!
Holy moley!!!! That is a knife for any collection. Lin, you have produced one of the most beautiful knives I have ever seen -- classy and classic looking at the same time. If I were buying a Bowie, this one would be impossible to resist. You richly deserve the "Master" designation!
Allan
Thanks guys.
Allan, that one will be on TV several times in the next two weeks as part of a promotion of the Arkansas Custom Knife Show.
I wish I had a truck load of stag like that, but sadly it's hard to find that pretty.
Lin as always amazing!
Beautiful as usual,amazing work.
Another great knife!