Nick Wheeler

I know there was a topic like this on sword-forums some time ago. I'm curious to hear the feelings and opinions of those who hang out here. It seems that a lot of bladesmiths I talk to long for W2, but I haven't found any sign of it's availability (as of now, not years ago). I really like the break-down of 1086M, but haven't ever used any. I have read about the quantity Howard had to order to get it made. Which leads me to another part of this question directed to Howard...If you were to do it over again, would you? and would you change anything? Just curious ??? Nick

I've got two fossilized walrus ivory handled knives here, and I'm not very happy with the finish. On oosic and elephant ivory, I got good results sanding up to 2000x and then getting the luster with polishing paper from K&G. It could just be the wheels/compounds I have, but with pink rouge I felt like I got a plastic look...not to mention it put shallow scratches in it. Very eager for any and all advice Thanks!!! Nick oh by the way, Don, could you give me some details on donating to the ABS auction for Blade?

That is absolutely STUNNING. I've sat at the pc for quite some time now simply staring at the image...WOW. My hat is off to you. Nick

Hi Everybody- I'm really hoping to meet and greet with all of you that will be there. Just in case you're wandering around the show, I'll be at 27-L. Really looking forward to it!!! Nick

I was going to start a new thread, but this one is the right topic so I'll give this a shot. I don't want to slander South Eastern...so please don't take this that way... When I first bought the "Don Fogg package" they sent me a controller and thermocouple that's different that what's now listed on Don's site. It worked great...but when the salt pot leaked and the severe corrosion ruined my thermocouple, it was time to order a new one. They sent me the one that is listed on Don's site now. This new one is an "L" shape with no lead wires. Seams like a simple fix to get some wire and a female plug, but they have yet to come up with this for me. So, did you fellas that are running this same set-up have to go elsewhere for the lead-wire and female plug??? Frustrated, Nick

Very pretty Terry!!! I love the material/color combinations! Let's see some more. Nick

Congratulations Dale!!! I have run the paces on that test in front of a couple MS and even though mine didn't count officially it made my heart-rate go up a bunch. I'm sure when time comes for me to do it officially it's going to rack some nerves. Good on ya' Nick

http://www.blacksmithing.org/ That link gets you to some interesting info on making some shop tools. I don't remember exactly what's on it, but I know they have a page on making a hot-cut hardie. Good luck Nick

Hey Joss- Did you get it already? I have been planning on making some texturing dies for quite some time now. You know how I am about making tools...I have to stop and make a knife every once in a while :: I've seen different smith's texturing dies and have seen many variations. Tom suggested taking the top plate and just randomly running beads of weld on it with the wire feed welder. He has a cool set that he made by just "attacking" the die with a torch. I think he calls it his good-year die. I'm thinking a combination of weld beading and swipes with a cut-off wheel would make a nice effect. Maybe a horsh-shoe rasp as well Nick

Very nice Don! I really like the lines on that piece. At what point in the forging do you do the texturing? I'd really like to do some blades with that added character. Nick

Beautiful Terry! Jamie's got a small knife on order with me and in our emails he's been very very excited about that one from you! I can understand why. Looking good my friend, Nick

Thanks Guys- Very glad to have the caliber of fellas present to answer these questions!!! Don, I am pretty much in the same thought as you. What I am really liking is using the salt to do a drawn out set of thermal cycles (I got the idea handed down from Howard) to set up a really fine grain...and then austenitizing the clay coated blades in my forge inside a tube. I like the even temperatures given by salt for thermal cycles very much...but definitely felt that "loss of feel" taking a clay coated blade in/out of salt. John, the tube I was using was 312 ss that was scrapped out by a local pulp mill. A mill-right snatched it up and welded a cap and flange on it for me. Mistake. This new tube is 316 ss that I bought at a local machine shop...1/4" wall thickness, 4" diam., 18" long. I paid about $50 for the tube and a chunk of 316 for the end cap. A friend and great fab man - Kelly Couples (Octihunter on the forums) is welding it for me. You've probably heard of him as a supplier of 15N20. I also went through the thermocouple supplied by South Eastern Heaters in short order....so the new one is going to be "sheathed" by a 0.25" ID piece of inconnel tubing. John, are you going to be in Eugene? Howard, I got to see some pics of your shop beings as I was right next to Zaza at the Reno show. He had some pics from when he did some playing in your shop. Thanks for all the help and inspiration guys! Nick

Hey Guys- I'm curious about the corrosiveness of the various high temp salts. I've been using Houghton (sp?) salt from Jeff Carlisle. After my ss tube developed a leak it caused real havoc. The salt that burned off in the forge caused rusting on everything in my entire shop. The salt bath itself was UGLY, horrible corrosion on the exhaust port of the forge, forge body, and the cart it sits on. I've now got that cleaned and repainted. I"ve noticed that everything that was submerged in salt and not cleaned off (blades, the tapered rod, wires to hang blades from) gathered a really nasty covering of goop (this has nothing to do with the leak). I assume this is from the coating of salt that was on it drawing moisture while sitting idle. Do all salts cause that type of corrosion if not cleaned off of the materials that were submerged. I have a new 316 tube being welded up right now, and hopefully I'll not have the same problems. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks, Nick