Brian Dougherty

Wow! Looking good

Interesting. I never delved into alloys in school, so that stuff is a mystery to me. (I'm an EE, basic materials was all I got) When I look at the copper/Tin chart it screams to me that you can get a significantly harder alloy by going from 30% copper to 60% copper for the price of another 100C in pouring temp. (I'm assuming more copper will make it harder) I've got some tin lying around from bullet casting. I might have to try this for fun. Is there a goof back-yard alloying reference book out there?

How in the heck does someone figure something like this out? I realize knowledge developed over hundreds of years, but were they really taking notes of what a goat had been eating for days before they asked it to wee on the hot steel?

That's confounding. If it wasn't for the fact that you get the first stack weld to stick, I would have guessed that you are not letting it soak long enough. However, I doubt that is the issue here since the problem seems isolated to the second stacking. I will say that 2150F is kind of on the low end of the range I shoot for. I like to get over 2200F.

The way my shop and forge are positioned I have to either fold and reweld all while hot, or I have to cool the material down and grind it clean to re-stack. (there is 400' between my forge and the nearest power tool) So if I am doing something that involves precise restacking, it is al pretty cool and clean when it goes back together. I wouldn't have thought a little blue oxide would be an issue with the proper forge environment, but can't say that I have welded something that was truly "Blue". However, I no longer grind off the mill scale from my 1084 and 15N20 pieces when I do

You said "Yes", right?

What steels are you using, and which ones are on the outside of your first stack? There are some that work in a stack, but don't like to weld to themselves.

Yep beautiful country. I'm in the same camp as Bill's wife. New Zealand is one of very few places I would care to visit. We'll be empty nesters soon, maybe someday I can make that happen. That rig was pretty low at the tongue. Any issues dragging?

Bummer. The cheesy swordsmiths clip would occasionally show up in my "Watch it again" youtube feed. Always good for a laugh.

The 1 - 1 - 11 marking indicate a weight of 151lbs in "hundred weight" if I remember my conversion correctly. Alan will come along in a bit to correct me and to tell you more if I am wrong.

aw, bummer! The feather pattern was looking good too

Nice!

Start with the family jewels, when applicable, so they can't reproduce.

I have heard of 300 series stainless steels work hardening from grinding, but I have never experienced it myself. Was the last belt you used on the dull side by any chance? That is another stunning knife. You've shot way past being a contemporary of mine to being an inspiration.

Day-um Faye, sharpie marks or not, that is looking really good.