vlegski

If you've got a variable speed grinder, new belt , slow it way down, just above a crawl,, and very little pressure, let the belt do the work. On a single speed I use on brand new belt to cut the angles then its to sharpening stones.

I've noticed that these quite periods are cyclical. All sites suffer slow periods. Just a thought. It is hunting season! Guys might be out doing some practical knife tests

Thank you. After I reread the materials used I suspected a transition zone but I've never seen one so well defined on the spine. Excellent work!

I'm seeing a very nice crafted knife. But I've a question. If my eyes are seeing correctly I see in the insert picture what looks like 5 layers. Its like I'm seeing a 15n or nickel layer between core and outer layer. Or am I just seeing a well defined transition zone. Regardless I see a knife that gives credit to the skill of its maker!

I like mine! Had it for about 5 years. Use mine mostly for damascus and smashing canister damascus. Easy to make additional dies for.. Only draw back is pumps screams like 7 kids at a party. But since its not switched one for long periods its tolerable. FYI, not sure if you know. Presses have a different effect on damascus from hammers.

Well done!

Joel and to anyone who wants to take your knives to the next level. Take Joshua's advice and visit a master bladesmith. Could it cost you? Yes. But consider it money in the bank.. To the point, I visited MS Ed Caffrey for two days of custom training and knife evaluations. Our first hour or so was spent with him looking over my knives so he could ascertain my general problems from a MS trained eye. Then we spent time addressing those issues. The next day, more training and philosophy, before I left I asked him to look over the blades again. This time he came from a MSmith evaluation judgi

Take Jarrods advice! I'm as adventurous as the next. But, a couple minutes of research told me there are too many unknowns in jet fan blades. There are at least 6 manufaturers of fan blades using 6 different materials and manufacturing processes. Jarrod mentioned blades containing nickel. Some have titanium. Some have ceramic cores. And some have coatings.

I've had a Pheer 1 horse variable speed for about 4 years. I was limited in 240 outlets so I went with 110. As a hobbyist its fine. The 1 horse is fine however as you grow in confidence and you start trying to hog off metal faster you will bog down the 1 horse. Its a solid piece that worth the money. BUT. if you can afford the 240 variable speed models I think in the long run you'll be happier

That question is wide? What are you wanting to build and do you have the machines to forge the cans? .. I can only answer from the small shop perspective. Personally, I find 1.25 inches by 5 or 6 inches plenty for most knives. I can usually get 2 hunters from one can. I tend to go with thicker side walls and caps.. 3/16 inch. Gives me good material for welding and prevents cap blowouts

Well done!

Jerrod pinpointed part of your problem and Jake hit the other.. Looking at your picture I see alot of scale on the bar. I don't understand the why's but mill scale is the toughest material I've encountered. It will ruin a good drill bit in half a heart beat. After the bits edges are rolled all you are doing is workhardening the metal and overheating the drill bit. I use two methods to get rid of it. Soak the bar in vinegar overnight and grind off or a twisted wire wheel on an angle grinder. If its still too hard its back into the fire for another attempt at what Jarrod suggested.

One picture is worth a thousand texts or a thousand guesses as to size, power sources and suitability for small shop blacksmith. I'd be interested but I'm the type that likes to make sure there's a pig in that poke.

I have a grizzly. Its relegated to making sheaths now. Yes its cheaper but the others you mentioned while more expensive, are infinitely more versatile. I can slow them down to avoid overheating thin edges or ramp it up for hogging off metal. I'm finding that as I vary the speeds I'm not burning through the finer grit belts. The slower belt speeds allow the grit and me to work more efficiently. With the grizzly you have either the platen or the wheel. The one speed is not forgiving. I can't count the number of two inch gouges cause by that speed and me wobbling at the plunge grind. You wa

Welcome to the damascus bug and a whole new realm of possibilities in designs you can make.

Brain storm? Make a four strand twist with nickel wire. Cut to desired lenghts to fit canister. It might give the star pattern.

Looking good! Well done!

I think you'll really enjoy it. I've had mine for about 5 years now. Worth every penny. I went with Als after researching different blade sites, seeing it in action on FIF and using a couple of hammers. In part my decision was based on my shop floor needing reinforcing to handle a hammer. A press does move metal differently than a hammer. It will take you a little longer to move metal since the press movement. Als has two stages. You'll get an initial moving of steel then slight pause as the secondary squeeze kicks in. I like that aspect as it allows me to make damascus and govern the

Billy. I haven't had much luck getting small details in my canisters. They tended to wash out as I Drew out the billet. So this is a Wag. Maybe try cutting small pieces, like slivers or rods of 15n20and scatter them heavily through your canister where you want the stars to be.

Well done!

This might sound presumptuous but was any edged weapon really designed to be defensive. The knives we associate with mountain men were camp general purpose knives and a weapon of last resort. A bayonet was designed to replace the pike pole and to extend the reach in close quarters, but as anyone who served knows its been everything to the fighter. I could go on, but the vast majority of old edged weapons/tools were used in daily life and turned into a weapon when required. For me, its been a tool for day to day life since a child. As far as a fight. Using a knife against an unarmed pers

Personally I've had good results with warps when I clamp blade to a straight piece of stock and given it at least 2 tempering cycles. It helps relieve the stresses in the blade from the quench. Then I use a slower grinder speed to avoid over heating the blade.

Well, since we understand the metal stresses could be a cause. And the temps are controlled by the oven it leaves a couple areas to look at. 1. Your normalizing numbers may be to high. For 15n20 the 1650 seems to agree with various documents. The second and third are high when compared to other heat treat sources. But since temps vary all over the board because if personal opinions it trial and error. 2. Oil contamination or deterioration. 3. Oil temp to high 4. Quench technique might lend itself to warp. 4. Blade configuration. Thin to thick.

You stated you determined the hrc as 60 prior to tempering. I'm curious as to your method to determine Hrc prior to tempering as all I've ever done was file tests to check for hardening. Usually prior to tempering my files won't cut, unless I have a decarb problem

There are people far more qualified to explain why metal does what it does. If you haven't tempered yet you can clean up a majority of the metal. It doesn't have to be perfect. Clamp it to a piece of straight stock and run it through what ever your tempering cycle is. If it takes a curve after that try blue backing it while in a straightening jig.