B. Norris

Looking for recommendations on bladesmithing related things to do in or around Barcelona, Spain. I am especially keen on getting to see Falcata firsthand.

Here are three knives in process. The handles have been oiled with Teak Oil and they are sunbathing as it speeds up the curing. One is Anglo-Saxon inspired and the other two based on knives found around the Baltic Sea. The last two will get rings added to the pommels. Handles are mystery wood and Oak. The tool is a broach, made frome a Keyhole saw, and handled in Elm.

"Collectible Knives of Finland" by Lester C. Ristinen would be a good aid in answering your question. ISBN #0-9626839-1-4. Particularly the section about puukko from the Kainuun region, also known as "Tommi" puukko.

Gary, why into water and then into Parks 50? My understanding is that the Parks 50 is faster than water for the first half second or so and then slows down to the speed of an oil quench afterwards.

I used beeswax on a leather mug that I made. Warmed the mug in the oven, on low, with the door cracked. Rubbed it down with beeswax, it melts and is absorbed by the leather. Returned to the oven to warm back up and continued until the leather would not absorb anymore wax. That was ten plus years ago and the mug still looks brand new. Lliquid just beads up and rolls off!

"All puukkos are knives, not all knives are puukkos." Pekka Tuominen. From "Collectable Knives of Finland" by Lester C. Ristinen, ISBN 0-9626838-1-4. Worth looking at, lots of variation in regional styles. Have you seen the, excellent, tutorial by Niko Hynninen on forging a puukko? Niko's tutorial

Did 3, ten minute, etch cycles and did not like the results. Went thru 2 more, 30 minute cycles. Then cleaned with powdered rottenstone. Then neutralized with baking soda. Blued and hit with 2000 grit paper on a hard backing. This is for a Viking Sax and imitates the look of refined smelted steel.

Thank you Alan, both for the advice and the warm welcome.

I am looking for advice on how best to get the pattern weld to show on a small (2-3" blade) with high layer count. There are between 500-600 layers with no manipulation other than forging to shape. Steels are 1095,15n20, and 1084. I have ferric chloride, as yet undiluted.

So... Gonna have a go at forging Folly?

Wagon tongue vice.

The least risky option is to make a mold off your original and cast a new one. Solder is an option if you are okay with the risk that it could go wrong. Somebody with a reasonable amount of skill could pull it off easily but, if this is a "first time soldering" job the risk is considerably more.

The style of solid fuel forge you plan to build is a specialty tool. You need to be able to heat the entirety of the blade for heat treating but, for forging that is really inefficient. Heat the whole blade up and hit it in one spot and the rest of the blade moves. Heat a short section, say two inches, and you can do your work without having to go back and do as much re-work. The other point is that the long forge, like the Lively design, burns an inordinate amount of fuel for general forging. Were I trying to start over, and work in solid fuels, I would want two forges. One a Lively style, for heat treating, and the other something with a small diameter firepot to take short heats for general forging. Like the picture below of a paint can forge. You could easily build something like this inexpensively. I would just dig some clay up somewhere and line the paint can with it. It will not last as long as a store bought refractory but, it was free and you can easily do it over. The only thing you might have to buy would be a blower and a pipe to get the air into the forge. ~Bruce~

The SCA (Society for Creative Anachronisms) is holding a Known World Metals and Glass Symposium over labor day weekend, in East Bethel, MN. Links to a google website and facebook page are below. There are plans to hold a reduction smelt along with doing a wootz crucible run. Other classes will be offered, this is a good chance for those new to the craft to gain some experience. https://sites.google.com/site/knownworldmetalandglass/home https://www.facebook.com/events/1529824643905337/

Oh my! I had no idea... Thanks for posting this. It figures. I am buying a house and have absolutely no scratch to spare at the moment. In case you do not know, Mr. Strasil is a 5th generation blacksmith. There will be many items at this auction of especial interest to the blacksmithing community. He is responsible for many of the tutorials at online blacksmithing forums and is a regular contributor to the online community. This is very much a once in a lifetime opportunity. ~Bruce~