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Hello: Just finished this one for book IV...what a nightmare this one was...the polish is deadly....cut myself a bunch of times but double edges can get yas.. Still it turned out OK I guess.. Not too bad for a broken down old man.. blade length 13 3/4"...1095 and L6 laminate... This one could really benefit from a pro grade polish.. A bunch of stuff going on in there... Hope the photos work JPH

oooh, also spent a few quid on cactus juice and a vacuum set up! - this is a plank of wood I got from a market stall for about $5, all chopped up ready to go in this pic. The blocks came out rock hard and perfect after stabalising! got 10 usable blocks from the plank- might be doing posh handles in the future

Yet another one... For some reason, the blade looks smaller than it is. It's 8.5" long...

Supposedly, this is now not going to happen again. I hope that's true. Thank you for your patience.

Today I got started on a mosaic pattern that may be my most ambitious. I'm going to attempt to build & inlay a live oak tree into a mosaic billet. I got the billet that I will use for the leaves made as well as another that will be the Spanish moss. Much of the rest will need to be done in a canister with different powders. I didn't get photos of each step so if you have questions, feel free to pose them.

There is soooo much going on in this video. https://www.woodtv.com/news/kzoo-and-bc/victim-uses-battle-axe-to-fend-off-home-invader/

At least around here, the parent sits in the back seat during the test, but is not allowed to talk. Had I said anything during the drive, it would have been an automatic failure for him. Thankfully I was able to keep my mouth shut and he passed easily. Now we just need to go to the Secretary of State's office and get his actual license. I'm not sure if I was more nervous the first time he got behind the wheel, or thinking about him driving away by himself.

@Gary Mulkey indeed. Still beautiful! I'm partial to the forest idea

Ambitious indeed, but you can do it.

What usually happens with kitchen-knife shaped blades of W2 (in my experience, anyway) is they go "tink" at about the two second mark. If you want to do the water-into-oil thing, you scoop it through the water on its way to the oil, with no pause in the water, taking around one second to get through the water and into the oil. And use hot water, 130-140 degrees.

Cheers to you! That is a fantastic sword. I love everything about it!

Wow Josh, I see I posted a response to your thread way back in Jan 2018 but I must have got lost in time ( I go Walk About from the forum sometimes but I always return) and never saw the finished result....until now.... Great job..really great job man. There is a real lot of info I will find very helpful (especially now) as I also walk the same path. Anyhow I made a collar out of nickel and glued it all up and am now waiting for it all to set. Nothing to do now but crack a beer.

Wonderful Work all round Josh I bet you are proud of that.

Whoa... that's crazy looking so far. Cant wait to see it progress.

Curious me but how would it work forged out? A beginners assumption that it would squish the tree shape. If it was cut into wafers and laid/welded onto another thin billet it would resemble a forest. Im probably quite wrong but either way its very beautiful.

I’ve already got the popcorn ready, this one is gonna be good!

Beautiful sword! I keep coming back to scroll through the pictures.

So it turns out I'm not the only one with a home defense ax at the ready!

The great gulf between journeyman makers and master craftsmen has been widened with that offering.

The scabbard is an absolute work of art... and the sword is a perfect compliment to it, amazing work, truly inspiring.

Thank you for your continued efforts to keep the forum running Niels!

We're back! Thanks to Niels and Dave.

Due to some personal problems and forge problems this is my first completed knife in almost a year. It took me a few months of off and on work but I am very happy to have it completed and I really hope you all appreciate it as much as I do. But as always any feedback is greatly welcome and appreciated! I include in progress pics to show the journey this knife and I took from forge to finish. Special thanks as well to Collin Miller for helping me along with this knife and pushing me to make sure I finish this right! OAL 13.5" Blade length 7.5" Handle Material African blackwood an