Knives

steelslaver · #1 03-25-2020, 04:47 PM

Posted a couple in another thread when I was talking about marking steel. Found some on storage I had forgot about making and thought I'd post some here for fun.

steelslaver · #2 03-25-2020, 04:51 PM

More to look at

steelslaver · #3 03-25-2020, 04:55 PM

and still more. Ya I am proud of them

steelslaver · #4 03-25-2020, 05:00 PM

and one last bunch.

steelslaver · #5 03-25-2020, 06:32 PM

Here is the predator pattern and walrus ivory fighter assembled.

ISCS Yoda · #6 03-25-2020, 06:48 PM

Be still my heart!!!! Those are just so gorgeous!!!!

Thank you! It makes hibernating in place much better when I can see eye candy like that.

Lee Barner · #7 03-25-2020, 06:55 PM

i'll take #s 1, 2, 4, 7 & 8. oops: wrong section. words escape me except WOW. beautiful knives. thanks for sharing. lee

Kitgun · #8 03-25-2020, 07:50 PM

Remarkable workmanship.

walkinghorse · #9 03-25-2020, 08:30 PM

Works of art, appreciate you showing! 👍

wundudnee · #10 03-25-2020, 10:19 PM

Beautiful knives and I am very impressed with the sheathes. So many people make nice knives and neglect the leather.

H Richard · #11 03-26-2020, 10:06 AM

Beautiful works of Art. You sir have talent. Have you ever watched the TV program "Forged In Fire"? It's on the History Channel, usually on Wed evening. Since the wife wants to watch a different program I record and watch later. A Competition of 4 knife makers under very tight time frame (3 hours to fabricate a blade from all kinds of unusual junk), and 2 hours to clean it up and fabricate and attach a handle.

The winner gets $10,000. Any of the knives you have posted are far superior to any made on the program. But I presume you didn't have the time constraint to make yours. Really great especially the Damascus.

steelslaver · #12 03-26-2020, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H Richard

Beautiful works of Art. You sir have talent. Have you ever watched the TV program "Forged In Fire"? It's on the History Channel, usually on Wed evening. Since the wife wants to watch a different program I record and watch later. A Competition of 4 knife makers under very tight time frame (3 hours to fabricate a blade from all kinds of unusual junk), and 2 hours to clean it up and fabricate and attach a handle.

The winner gets $10,000. Any of the knives you have posted are far superior to any made on the program. But I presume you didn't have the time constraint to make yours. Really great especially the Damascus.

I watch Forged in Fire all the time. Great show. I applied to be on it but, they tape it in the fall and winter. Hunting season trumps everything else. Plus that year I had 12 week a job line up in mid January for some serious money. Wouldn't take me with time constraints.

I don't know how I would do. I am 68 now and my ability tto hit it hard for 33 solid hours wouldn't be the greatest. Part of it would also depend on the challenge. I don't know squat about cola forges. Salvaged metal I would do OK. Same with Damascus. I am really good at planning and time management when I have to be. When I work its a huge issue. One thing I don't get though. Canister Damascus. Forget the white out fill up the can, weld it shut, get it bright yellow al the way and weld it up good with the squaring dies. Then flatten it out to about 1/2", use a disk grinder to bevel the edge your plan to cut with to about a 1/4" and then shape the blade. The only place you need the tool steel exposed is the edge. Why spend time fighting the can of. You only need a small area of it gone. Having a lot of the side and spine coated with mild steel is a toughness plus. Once your grinding you will know when your grinding high carbon by the sparks thrown off.

Another thing that puzzles me is when some of them forge the bevels. They pound on the edge to thin it and as it stretches it arcs the back. Then they fiddle around taking that arc out. I was taught to start out by forging the tip angled to a point on one side. Then, curve the bar down with point down. Now, start forging the bevels on the side with the point. As you do this the future cutting edge will stretch, straighten out the arc you installed in the bar and also move the point, that was on the bottom, up and as you thin things up that point that was on the bottom will curve up to where you want it.

I used to do a lot of drop point and sharp finger style blades out of quality D2. That is mostly just a grinding show. I start with 5 blanks and work them through the process. When, I go to make a Damascus blade its a whole different story. I have an idea in my head. Or someone wants some style of knife and we come to an agreement on it, I will do that if I like the design. I make Damascus in batches and usually have 5 or 6 bars laying around. in batches. So I select a bar of Damascus and a piece of handle material that matches it and fits my idea. Then I go to work. I have a stash of stabilized wood burls, some exotic wood, hippo ivory , fossil walrus ivory, things like chunks of cape buffalo horn, muskox horn etc. Chunks of stainless, aluminum bronze, brass, nickle silver etc.

I have fell off from making knives, but , need to get back. I could make great money doing short term refinery jobs, but, I am starting to hate that. Not the work so much, butt being away, living in some motel somewhere, sucks. Making knives was my plan for extra retirement income. If I committed my self to making 50 really nice knives a year, I would have all the play money I need. I already have more Smiths than anyone needs.

H Richard · #13 03-26-2020, 08:03 PM

How do you make your Damascus? As I see in the show, or folded and layered as the old original method did.

steelslaver · #14 03-26-2020, 08:47 PM

I make mine mostly by folding. You can also cut the bar when it is squared and re stack the squares. You have to do it go you can get pressure on the area you want to weld. You can also cut a square bar 1/2 way from one side move over and cut it 1/2 way from the other side. Do that to the whole bar then open up the cuts and flatten. Twist it, square it cut it up and re-stack it. You can test an idea by using colored clay.

There are some guys that are amazing.

steelslaver · #15 03-27-2020, 11:23 AM

Want to see some really spectacular knives?

Johan knives - When extraordinary is not enough

Knives and guns? I have met this guy a couple times. Super nicee guy and unbelievably humble for such an artist

Knife Gallery — Bruce Bump

H Richard · #16 03-27-2020, 12:16 PM

I'm in AWE. Bruce Bump is really an artist. I couldn't stop looking at his pictures. Unfortunately I don't think I can afford very many of his knives. No prices were listed, but I can estimate what the cost should be. Thanks for the link, I bookmarked it.

kmyers · #17 03-28-2020, 11:08 AM

That is some fine work.