Work in Progress

Lin Rhea · February 20, 2011, 08:49:00 PM

I have been in and out of the shop a lot this weekend working on a few knives. While some were in the oven, I decided to forge a blade and although I only took a few pictures, I think it gives the idea of the blade taking shape.

I had a piece of W2 steel that was left from another bar. It was 5/16 X 1 1/2 X 6 1/8. This was kind of an excersize in material displacement, since that was all I had in that bar and I knew that I wanted to make the pattern shown. The pattern is 9 inches of blade and I wanted to get it a little thicker than a quarter inch (.250) at the ricasso.

So, after estimating how much I needed for the tang and ricasso, I started to draw it out first so I could hold on to it better and I could adjust the blade length if I had to. Here is the bar and aluminum pattern before I sarted.

DANA HOLMAN · February 20, 2011, 08:56:00 PM

That's going to be one heck of a knife, take a bunch of pictures and keep us posted
Dana

Lin Rhea · February 20, 2011, 09:07:00 PM

Here the tang and ricasso has started to be drawn out. In the back part of the forge. I leave it thick so I can handle it and it not be too floppy while working on the blade portion. The size I forge the tang is also a size that fits one of my tongs.

Lin Rhea · February 20, 2011, 09:35:00 PM

Here the blade is looking rather embrionic with the tip being shaped and the parts recognizable. All that is left is to alternate between drawing the edge down and the length out. When the blade is shaped and straight, I turn it around and finish forging the ricasso and tang.

Lin Rhea · February 20, 2011, 09:38:00 PM

The blade is very close to being forged to shape with just enough to trim around the edges for the profile.

Lin Rhea · February 20, 2011, 09:52:00 PM

I rough ground and heat treated the blade after which I got as far as I could on the grinder. This is the blade close to shape above the pattern. I have to tweak the curves a little here and there by file and sandpaper, put a cutting edge on it and test it to see if the heat treat is just right. I have an idea it is, but will always make sure.

There was not much to spare from the original chunck of W2 to get this blade.

sticshooter · February 20, 2011, 10:45:00 PM

sweet.<><

Toecutter · February 20, 2011, 11:48:00 PM

Very nice Lin, I really like the belly in the blade and the matching peak in the spine. Cant wait to see this one come along. Thanks for sharing.

Nathan

skullworks · February 21, 2011, 07:07:00 AM

Beautiful work! That is a looker...and I'm sure a worker too!

Lin Rhea · February 21, 2011, 08:29:00 AM

It turned out .270 thick, so I have just about the right amount to settle in at .260 or so for the finished thickness. I'll be finishing the blade during the evenings and over the weekend, but I'll bump it up as I go. Thanks.

OconeeDan · February 21, 2011, 09:30:00 AM

Thank you for your time in posting this Lin, I enjoy seeing your work.
Dan

kbaknife · February 21, 2011, 01:19:00 PM

I really like that profile, Lin.

Weigh that thing before you remove too much material! I use an old PO scale.
Then, use the metal calculator: http://www.dwsteel.com/calculator.asp?m1=2&m2=4&s=1

I do that all the time so that when I'm cutting some material from large stock, like DH III's round W2, I'll know how much to cut off for a blade.

If you know you need so much weight of a particular dimension, but don't have that dimension on hand and need to forge it from something else, you can always figure out how much is needed.

Say you want a chunk of steel that is 1 1/2"W X .270"T and 10 inches long, but only have 2" Round stock, then you'll need to cut a piece of the 2" round 1.3 inches long.

Anyway - sorry to go off on something else.
That's just a fantastic Rhea Blade.

Lin Rhea · February 21, 2011, 01:44:00 PM

So what the coversion is based on is weight. Yep, that is a good thing to have handy. Right now, I'm more or less using the eyeball along with some area calculations. This one turned out good, but I like that idea. I'm using Don's W2 also and that stuff is precious to folks like us.

KHALVERSON · February 21, 2011, 04:40:00 PM

lin
awesome blade
looks like you clay coated it
do you have any plans to etch
from what i can tell it looks to have a great hamon

Idahomike251 · February 21, 2011, 05:32:00 PM

Lin,
Fascinating! True artist at work. I very much like the hamon.
Mike O.

Steve Nuckels · February 21, 2011, 06:21:00 PM

Lin, that looks fantastic! Will be very cool to see the finished piece, as we took glimpses along the way.

Karls reply was very interesting and if I were more organized I would do that.

Steve
--------
Potomac Forge

amar911 · February 21, 2011, 06:49:00 PM

Lin,

Nice blade. It looks a whole lot better than the aluminum pattern, which is interesting since the basic shape is the same. The three dimensional aspects of the actual blade, the sheen of the steel, and the hamon line all do make a big difference in the appearance. You do such good work.

Allan

Lamey · March 03, 2011, 07:05:00 AM

nice work Lin, some hammer pics next time

Lin Rhea · March 03, 2011, 07:55:00 AM

Matt, do you mean pics of me forging? I'll give it a try when I get a chance.

Lamey · March 03, 2011, 08:26:00 AM

I just wanted to see what kinda Power Hammer you use, im a Power Hammer fool.