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Ive had a long year with work and responsibilities, but I have tried to make a bit of therapy time for the craft, and push to improve at making. This is the last one out of the stable for 2019, its a 240 x 50 gyuto, in a wrought iron damascus san mai, over blue paper steel, with a chunky nickle barrier layer in the mix. Im happy with it when I compare it to what I was making 12 months ago! pics are a bit washed out, but its got character in real life! Handle is bog oak, with a copper spacer. Happy making next year everyone! ive got so many ideas for 2020, if anyone can lend me some time

So... I figure with everyone's great sense of humor here, I would share somethin amazing that happened today. The principal at my daughter's elementary school showed up for the last day before Christmas break dressed as cousin Eddie from Cristmas Vacation! Not the leisure suit either, no way, no how. The man actually pulled up in an RV, stepped out wearing shorts, boots, a house coat, and the same hat, and pulled out the sewage hose and pretended to pump it into the storm drain! He may be my hero...

My son sent me the following photos the other day,he works for Highways England, they were taken on his early shift somewhere near Leicester

Since my visit to the local blacksmith and demo of his new forge, as well as finding out that un-refractoried kaowool won't kill me.....I think it's time. Had my SJ sideways in some corners after work trying to make everywhere in time, got MIG tips and all-thread, dropped them off at my buddy's engineering shop, he's still open till Friday. He's going to fit a brass extension to the MIG tip and drill a 10mm through a piece of the all-thread to take that. Piece of flat bar drilled and tapped to accept the all-thread. Hopefully the rest I can do with some of my patented bird-shit welding.

Thanks, Josh, but I've got so many irons in so many different fires right now (no pun intended) I really don't have time to work on it right now. I think I'll just put that project on hold until I can laminate my own stack of Damascus. I think I'd be more proud of the 3-finger knife if I were responsible for the whole thing instead of taking a "guild" approach. Going to try and get down to Jantz sometime soon after Christmas so I can pick up some 1095 blade stock and start on some of my plain steel knives. When the time comes, would 1084 and 15N20 be a good combination to do that laminate for my little 3-finger? I want a little contrast, but not a lot. I'm going to David Moonyham's shop tomorrow and he's going to walk me through forging 3 blades so I can get some experience pounding on blade-shaped items. Really looking forward to working with an experienced bladesmith. This will be my first shot at it and I'm really pumped up. Up to this point, the only things I've pounded out on an anvil have been bottle openers, steak flippers and a coal rake. All from rebar. (I know that's a nasty word for most smiths, so I "whispered" it.)

Even better to know, as it pretty much proves the utter uselessness of those big bell reducers.

Love the pic showing where the knife handle bit came from the whole antler.

Very nice Garry!

I know pretty much nothing. I know that someone had wrapped duct tape around the tang and used it for chopping blackberries. I took it as trade for some blade work, but that's about it. Geoff

I had been asked a few times if I have done any knives with deer antler, and while I had done one small one I hadnt really had much in the way of antler to work with. Last year I was given and old white (very weathered) set and a new set so thought to see how it would work with a stick tang. I gave the antler a short soak in potassium permanginate and it came up rather nice after I had sanded the tips of the ridges back a bit. Still have to do a little clean up on the brass and make a sheath but it shows potential for a good using knife

Thanks Gary, Didn't look that big in the pic. I say again... Skillz.

Blasphemy!

Does it float?????

You can also fold and stack hot like this: (power hammer is optional)

Let's get this straight right now fellas. There is no E# or F-flat. There is no B# or C flat. The 12 note tonal scale (in alphabetical order) is graduated in what are called half-steps or semi-tones. A sharp sign (#) after a letter indicates a half-step above the letter note. A flat sign (b) indicates a half step below the letter note. There is a half step between B and C, and between E and F. Therefore, B# is C and E# is F. Conversely, Cb is B and Fb is E.

Gerhard, Twists are the easiest and fastest way to pattern any PW billet. A small vice (securely mounted to something heavy) and a twisting wrench are all you need. Twist a 3/4" square bar and forge it into a blade. It will look awesome. The trick is to twist really hot and stop when the steel enters the dull orange/red zone. Only heat a small section at a time, if possible, and twist that area. Heat the next section and repeat. Don't be afraid to use the quench bucket to cool off areas you don't want twisting. +1 on Alan's old files and saw blade suggestion, and Alex's suggestion for stacking. Make three of those 6 layer billets and grind one of them clean on both faces, the other two get one face cleaned. Stack it and weld. You get 18 layers. Cut that in three pieces and repeat. You will now be over 50 layers and a twist will look really good. Don't be scared. You got this.

1 5/8" round x 2 1/2"

As promised Gerhard....these be Gum nuts! The one with the yellow tail is the female

Finished this xmas present for my brother. Yet another 5.5" petty in 26c3@63-64hrc(same batch as the other). I tried a Qtip for the mustard patina this time. Different result but I like it. Scales are padauk and G10. I tried the CA glue trick for the first time on this one. Worked like a charm.

35.) Bronze battle ax, Bronze Age, 20th-12th centuries BC (no dimensions)

And this guy eats the Guava.

34.) Dacian battle scythe, 2nd-1st centuries BC

33.) Avar sword, The Migrations period, 6th-8th centuries AD

32.) Ancient bronze + iron spearhead

31.) Celtic bronze brooch, 2nd-1st centuries BC

30.) Roman iron tools, 1st-2nd centuries AD

29.) Spearhead and a decorated disc-butted ax (bronze), Bronze Age, 16th-14th centuries BC

26.) Roman pickaxe (dolabra), 1st-2nd centuries AD (built by Mr.Kris Lipinski here : https://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?/topic/35706-dolabra-roman-pickaxe/&tab=comments#comment-346534 ) 27.) Dacian knife, 2nd-1st centuries BC

24.) Dacian iron socket axe, 2nd-1st centuries BC 25.) Dacian iron socket axe, 2nd-1st centuries BC

23.) Roman iron spearhead, 1st-2nd centuries AD

21.) Roman iron chisel, 1st-2nd centuries AD 22.) Roman iron spearhead, 1st-2nd centuries AD

19.) Bronze battle ax, Bronze Age, 16th-13th centuries BC

The other artifacts : 16.) Roman iron axe, 1st-2nd centuries AD 17.) Roman iron hammer, 1st-2nd centuries AD

13.) Roman iron hammer, 1st-2nd centuries AD 14.) Ancient bronze brooch

11.) Roman iron socket axe, 1st-2nd centuries AD 12.) Roman iron spearhead, 1st-2nd centuries BC

10.) Roman iron plough, 1st-2nd centuries AD

9.) Roman iron spearhead, 1st-2nd centuries AD

8.) Roman iron socket axe, 1st-2nd centuries AD

7.) Roman iron drill, 1st-2nd centuries AD

6.) Roman iron axe, 1st-2nd centuries AD

5.) Gothic dagger with cruciform handle, 3rd-4th centuries AD

4.) Roman iron tools + battle axe, 1st-2nd centuries AD