I'm going to try another work in progress with photos. This is very risky since it can flop at any moment. I am past some critical stages and feel I can go for it. First the stock is 1 1/4 round that is W2 steel.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3785/11505844125_afe73cae34_z.jpg)
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/11514259963_7929fe219c_z.jpg)
Time to start shaping the blade but I want to flatten it and taper it a little.
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2817/11514227706_1901c3576b_z.jpg)
Push up the bottom of the ricasso. This makes the choils much easier to pull down and back.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/11514254523_91bfa83955_z.jpg)
Gotta go to the shop for a while.
round bar is the absolute best form to star with, especially when its that good ole' W2.
I stepped the tang in to make a place for my tongs to grip.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7450/11514145895_8c30f442c5_z.jpg)
Now to flatten and shape the blade.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3668/11514144085_72c3c949a5_z.jpg)
Time for the grinding to start.
Looking good Lin, Do you use your power hammer for most of your forging and drawing out or your hand hammer.
Dana
I love these. So much to learn so much to learn!!!
Thanks guys. Dana, I sure do use a power hammer. But as you might imagine, there is no way to not use a hand hammer a lot. Has to be done.
Here is the blade after I did some rough shaping of the profile and I used a side grinder to knock the scale off the sides.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3746/11516062346_55befba073_z.jpg)
This will give you an idea of where I'm going.
You can compare the drawing to the blade.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/11584248315_fcfbc231af_z.jpg)
Here is a close up of the ricasso area.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7376/11594058115_c9bba94205_z.jpg)
Now the blade. It's 11 1/2 inches.
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2847/11584281643_2b2034e69a_z.jpg)
Holy Moly Lin, you sure do beautiful work!
I said it on FB and I'll say it again here. That minimal ricasso combined with the plunge/choil angle looks awesome. Can't wait to see it finished.
Matt
Very cool with that short ricasso.
Darcy :campfire:
That last photo makes me see soooo much blade with that minimal ricasso (that's a good thing). It's a very interesting departure from the "traditional" look, but I like it. I look forward to the progress of this knife and as always, thank you very much for sharing your processes.
Jeremy
OK, now the fun stuff. The fittings. It's much easier to draw than make what you draw. This is close but not exactly the guard I drew. Part of the difference is that the drawing is one dimensional and we see in 3D. I cut 1 inch off the end of a 1 1/4 round bar of 416 stainless and forged it into the guard. As you can imagine, there is a lot of reduction and thinning. This stuff is prone to split so I had to work it at a high red to orange and reduce it a little at a time with lots of heats. It split once right on the end where one of the balls was going, so I cut the split off and was more careful hoping that I had enough material to make the piece. As it turns out the guard is 1/4 inch longer than planned. That is the main difference I was talking about.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3705/11587295454_84d9ea0c53_z.jpg)
The next thing I did was to start the flattening the front. That was pretty easy since I used flat dies at the last of the forging. The front is flat mostly to fit the ricasso shoulders but I want the back to be round-ish and tapered away from the flat area at the handle juncture.
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2866/11589966663_563233f632_z.jpg)
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5506/11589966833_13b68005f1_z.jpg)
Beautiful so far. I love watching you process. Your forged fittings are always a treat. Thanks for taking the time to document it and sharing itwith us.
Chris
Thanks Chris.
The next picture is of the guard after it is heated and curved. I have it in the jig holding it so I can sand the curves. I intend to leave the balls forge finished and end up with a forge finish finial nut on the butt cap. This is where I am caught up and have to do more work to get some pictures.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3755/11602485926_b238388c3d_z.jpg)
so cool there just are no words.
That guard is awesome! That's some accurate forging right there! :notworthy:
Darcy
Oh man I'm loving this one Lin. Fantastic forging on that guard.
Thanks for being so generous with what you share. This is very inspirational! Your posts and knives have heavily influenced me.
WoW Wow wow absolutely beautiful!!!!!!
Thanks.
I got up early this morning. Too early and fit the stag to the knife.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3666/11623777305_dfb39dc70a_z.jpg)
Amazing.
This knife is turning out STUNNING.
Chris
I have to agree,Stunning!!
I always enjoy your knives, Lin. BUT-this one's a little extra special. Your departure to a different ricasso design coupled with the guard and fittings.....I'm trying to wrap my mind around the forging that went into that guard, particularly the spheres on the ends... And how did you do the spacer that appears to still have the scale on it? Very impressive design and joining of the finely fished/forge finish elements. I look forward to seeing the completed knife.
Jeremy
You're not playing fair, Lin. In the spirit of fairness and equality, I feel that the ABS should require you to build more low quality knives each year. Yes, it would limit your ability to produce specimens such as this, but it would allow the rest of us feel better about ourselves.
Matt
This is not a very good picture. It got too late and was pretty dark for good photos.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7294/11635273784_8ecbcd0794_z.jpg)
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3716/11635837506_90f020c2f3_z.jpg)
A couple more.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/11635666436_22d7a71e56_z.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7380/11635125943_6ce122445e_z.jpg)
Pro shots soon.
great Bowie
Beautiful! Will it be at the Little Rock Show? I do hope to put my hands on it.
Chris
Thanks Chris. Yes, I plan for it to be there.
Thanks Matt.
Beautiful.
Jeremy
Smoley Hoke!
I love that stag.......such rich color. Can't wait to see the pro pic.
Darcy :campfire:
Lin,
About your guard, what's the purpose of the inletted area on the back of tang slot? What is your sanding sequence for the spacer to get your diameter steps? Do you sand smaller oval and then use a tape wrap that you grind the larger diameter spacers to? Do you normalize and harden the guard? Thanks for any assistance.
Gabe,
I inlet the back of the guard so that only the rim is making contact. This makes it easier to flatten and the joint is tight without any rocking. I often inlet one of the adjoining faces.
The spacers. I drill alignment pins to hold them all in the same relationship and actually peen the pins lightly. I then drill, mill, and file the tang slot snug. That is when I start sizing the spacers down to align with the ricasso etc. I take out the middle spacer to size the front and back spacers together (pinned loosely). Then I pull the pins and slip the middle one in and size it by eye. When its all done and finished completely I permanently pin them together as a unit to be installed to the knife.
To give you a sense of the timeline of making this knife.
I forged the blade last Sunday and finished it this Sunday. I had to spend one day away from the shop. So six long days and lots of steps it is done. There is really no way to fully explain the steps. I forgot to take pictures at some of the places I needed to. I was just moving along and forgot. I spent 3 days on the blade, 1 1/2 days on the guard, and the remainder on the ferrule/spacer and the handle and butt cap.
I tell you this to give you an idea of what goes into a custom knife. Some might think I spend too much time on one, some might think I'm fast. I don't know. I struggle with being "too close" to my work and picking at every flaw and obsessing with little details. It's the "process" along with the discipline it takes to wait that I am really working on. If the process is perfected, the object reflects that. I enjoy drawing the knife and seeing if I can make it the way it is drawn, trying not to cave to the temptation of simplifying it for speed or ease. I can do this only a few times a year.
Thanks Lin, that one was sure worth the struggle. Awesome Sir!
Lin, That's a stunning knife, and your eye for detail is what sets you apart from so many others, I think if (I) was to slow down and really look for the all the flaws, I would find so many that I might not finish the knife. Although I have started to really look at my knives and am working on the my flaws. You inspire us to keeping working on a better knife. Thanks for what you teach us.
Dana
Many thanks for taking the time to explain and share.
Best,
Gabe
Thanks guys.
Gabe, I do normalize the 416 and sort of anneal it since it will air harden as well as harden from holding it in the vise and laying it on the anvil etc.
Another incredible knife, Lin. Thanks for taking us through the steps.
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2814/11656936835_4c1e84f94f_z.jpg)
Chucks image shows this one beautifully. I appreciate you taking the time to post your process. Thank you.
Chris
Good job !
Details are so important
in the finished product :thumbsup:
Awesome! Very nice flow and great use of different textures.
Darcy :campfire:
I always like maker pics better!!
Awesome knife, incredible talent!
Lin, that knife is stunning. I really like the knobs left as forged,, makes the rest of the knife even more amazing.
Thanks for taking us along.
RS
Thank you guys.
You may have noticed that from time to time I will intentionally push my blacksmithing to the fore front. I wont always do this but I wont stray too far from the earthy look of the forged product. Its elemental.
Dang, I'm startin to sound like an artist. :scared:
Lin it definitely takes an artist the be able to know when more is less. You are defenintely a MASTER!!!!
Thanks.
I'm itching to start another one more upscale. Not that this one is down scale per say. I prefer this over the fancy. But I am considering a Damascus blade, all smooth fitting (perhaps "D" guard)and some creamy white Walrus.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/11752514795_084be069d4_c.jpg)
I'm sure looking forward to that one!
Cool drawing Lin. I'll be interested in how you make the D guard attach at the ball end. What Damascus pattern? I'd sure like to see some tips on how to do a twisted W's "firestorm" type(hint hint ;) ) pattern.
And about that "artist" comment. You know what they say, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck..............
A big "thanks" for all you contribute to this forum. :thumbsup:
Darcy :campfire:
Darcy, That is likely the pattern I will use anyway. My own "twist". I may take some pics along the way. I enjoy it.
Where I work, there are quite a few "artists" and lordy some of them are strange. Sure makes me wonder sometimes....
As for the guard, I envision to make the front guard separate from the rear guard. I think I can drill a hole in the ball for the tail of the rear guard to fit into and solder it while it is all mounted and tightened in place. Then I can disassemble it and finish it. That is my general plan, but I may run into a snag and have to do it differently.
I have to prepare my little brain for this one although it should work if I get my plan worked out first and follow it.
Looking forward to it Lin.
Darcy :campfire: