Hi guys...been busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking competition lately, so not much posting......but I figgured I'd share this with you.
My first damascus with more than 11 layers......9 inch blade, 120 layers random.........1084 and 15n20. I rough ground and quick etched to see what it looked like...........that'll do I think.
Also should add, this was all done with hand hammers......no power hammer. :knothead:
What say you? :campfire:
Darcy
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/PB010469_zpsd8ca0678.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/PB010469_zpsd8ca0678.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/PB010471_zps6282b2bd.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/PB010471_zps6282b2bd.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/PB010472_zpsf525d3fd.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/PB010472_zpsf525d3fd.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/PB010473_zps764ec60d.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/PB010473_zps764ec60d.jpg.html)
Sweeeet!!!!!
man that's going to be a dandy!
Looks good.
That's a pile of work to do by hand. :eek:
It will make you really appreciate your powerhammer/press when you get one!
And that blade profile is very appealing, as well.
Congratulations.
Very nice. You gonna leave the flats as forged or polish the whole thing up? Either way should look sweet. Your hammer arm should be good and strong now. Careful not to snatch the string clean off that Great Northern.
Matt Toms
Thanks guys.
Matt, I textured the flats with my texturing hammer.......I plan to leave them with the forge finish. I'll be carefull with the Lil Creep :D
Darcy :campfire:
Darcy be sure and post us some progress pics.
:notworthy: :notworthy: Looking forward to the finished piece Darcy.
and I just reread the main post... YOU DID THIS WITH A HAND HAMMER>>>> hats off to you my friend!
Darcy, That's a great looking blade, anxious to see that finished.
If you can take a snapshot of your texturing hammer. I made one, but not completly happy with it.
Steve
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Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Museum & Foundation
Thanks guys. I did a lot of the drawing out with a 10 pound sledge hammer and an able assistant(my wife) to hold the billet handle while I whupped it.........would have been brutal to do all of it with a 4 pound cross pein. :knothead:
Steve, I'll take a pic of the texturing hammer and post it up later.
I have a couple other blades I have to finish up before I can finish this one, so it`ll be a while till I get further progress pics up.
Darcy :campfire:
QuoteOriginally posted by Steve Nuckels:
Darcy, That's a great looking blade, anxious to see that finished.
If you can take a snapshot of your texturing hammer. I made one, but not completly happy with it.
Steve
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Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Museum & Foundation
Here's a pic of the hammer face........carefully and lovingly modefied with an angle grinder and by smacking it on a rock.......and the sharpest corner of my anvil(I don't recommend that.......it's hard on the anvil)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/PB030475_zps1fd96c55.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/PB030475_zps1fd96c55.jpg.html)
Darcy :campfire:
That's a good looking blade!
Thanks Darcy, that is the opposite of my hammer face! I took a wire welder and touched the hammer face leaving little bumps.
I like yours better, interesting result!
Steve
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Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Museum & Foundation
Getting closer.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1070067_zpsb07b3b81.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1070067_zpsb07b3b81.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1070068_zps28786bc7.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1070068_zps28786bc7.jpg.html)
The pattern is a bit different on each side due to some stack distortion while I was whupping the heck outta it.........that's why they call it random pattern eh? :bigsmyl:
Guard is still a rough bar of steel at this point.
Darcy :campfire:
Darcy that thing is looking GOOD>>>>> What you doing for handle etc???
Holy crap Darcy, if it looks that nice in rough ground form, I would really like to see the blade when you put the finishing touch to it. By the way, you must by now have arm and shoulders like Popeye's.
Mike O.
That's beautiful, Darcy. Great job on it, I look forward to the finished knife. Thanks for sharing.
Jeremy
Thanks guys. The blade is basically done, but it'll get etched once more just before assembly because I usually marr the finish a bit during the handle work. Handle will be polished caribou antler with a touch of carving just for fun. Fittings will be copper and mild steel. I hope to have it done by early next week.
Darcy :campfire:
I like the color of Caribou when polished. I look forward to seeing this one finished.
Looks great, Darcy. I know how much work is involved in a billet by hand. I can't wait to see the finished product.
Thanks for sharing.
Chris
Lookin great so far.
I'm just starting to get bitten by the knife making bug. Wow, I now want an anvil more than ever.... Nice job.
Got this one basically done tonight, but the light was too poor to take good pics. Here's a quick teaser for now. :goldtooth:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1150074_zps8c77aa2d.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1150074_zps8c77aa2d.jpg.html)
Darcy
That's going to be a pretty one.
WOW - very nice.
I get two differing patterns from side to side sometimes and need to work on that as well. Not that it is a bad thing as the magic of Damascus still just amazes me as it comes out of a test etch but sometimes one side on my blades turns out more impressive than the other.
That there is two opposing sides of awesomeness!!
looks great Darcy.... looking fwd to more pics
Looking great. Can't wait to see more images.
Chris
Well, I took some pics today in the great outdoors. Here it is.......wish I could take better pics.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1160093sm_zpsb5a627fc.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1160093sm_zpsb5a627fc.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1160091sm_zps19dceff7.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1160091sm_zps19dceff7.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1160090sm_zps9b04b59f.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1160090sm_zps9b04b59f.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1160087sm_zps02519c04.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1160087sm_zps02519c04.jpg.html)
And one to show the shine.......Damascus often just looks flat and grey in photos.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1160089_zps355a7021.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1160089_zps355a7021.jpg.html)
Guard and the "nut at the butt" are textured mild steel.
Copper spacer.
Polished caribou antler handle.
Overall length is 13 3/4"
Blade is a hair under 9" from tip to guard
Weight is 12 oz.
1/4 inch thick spine, very thin edge.
1 5/16 at the widest point.
Balance is 1/2 inch ahead of the guard.......light, fast, but with enough forward weight to still chop OK. This is my new hunting companion. Leather done by the weekend(I hope)
Comments and criticism are welcome.
Darcy :campfire:
That is one beautiful knife. Great work.
Good stuff Darcy, thanks for keeping us posted on the progress. Still impressed you hammered that blade by hand. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
man I like that, snazzy is what comes to mind.
Thanks guys.
Darcy :campfire:
Very nice Darcy. The overall knife is wonderful, even more so because of the hand hammered Damascus. Nice carving on the handle to.
Thanks for sharing.
Chris
That one just might make my top five list of favorite knives I've seen on TG, and bear in mind that three of the other 4 are from Lin Rhea and the forth is a 4 way tie between the 4 in Karl's 4 Brothers set. I love the guard shape and how the texture on the rough forged blade and the guard blends together. The polished copper offers great contrast and the matching carving is perfect. A fully polished antler handle isn't something you see often but looking at this, I'm can't see why it isn't more common. The only thing left that a good knife needs is functionality and judging by dimensions and grip shape, I'd say this one nails it. I still think your stupid for hammering it out by hand though, and I can't wait til I get to where I can be stupid like that too.
Matt
Thanks Matt, you should come on up here in late May and we can split our time between stupidly beating on hot steel, and stalking black bears with pointed sticks! :readit: :D
Got the sheath done.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1190106_zpsc36f9a48.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1190106_zpsc36f9a48.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/45stomp/P1190110_zpsc114acc6.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/45stomp/media/P1190110_zpsc114acc6.jpg.html)
I need a new camera bad!
Darcy :)
Love how this came together, very nice work!!
That sheath really completes the package. Very nice work Darcy.
Chris
Thanks for the invite Darcy. I probably won't be able to make it that far north for a few years though. I've got a two month old just added to the 5 & 8 year olds I already had so not a lot of money for huntin trips right now. Mostly been trading knives for diapers and such. Once my kids get a little older, I want to try to start making some trips and hopefully meet some of the guys from here on TG in person. Sheath looks great too, by the way.
Matt
You did a wonderful job on the whole project start to finish. Great attention to detail. :campfire:
That is fantastic! Well done sir, well done!
Thanks guys. Much appreciated.
Trading knives for diapers! That's funny stuff Matt. :D
Darcy :)