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Hi guys, I've seen some really black knife fittings lately, and I am curious as to the process of getting them that way. From what I could see in the YouTube video, the bladesmith lowers the parts into a thick boiling "goo" and leaves it for an unknown amount of time. When the fittings come back out, they're pretty much jet-black! Link: He talks about "bluing salts" at some point, perhaps in another video.. I don't remember. Anyone able to explain the ingredients of this "goop"? Sincerely, Alveprins.

So I am new here, been trolling this forum for the past 2 months or so. Finally got all the stuff to make my first knife. The knife shaped object is in 1/8" 1084 from Aldo, I started it earlier today and ran out of sunlight. Blade is 4.5 in and handle is 5( in theory, it's close in reality). I am going to use 3/8 in brass pegs and hickory scales. I could switch to curly maple to lighten it up a bit, but i kinda don't want to Hickory is my favorite wood overall, but walnut and curly are prettier. BTW I work in a sawmill so I already got fancy wood and enough 15n20 to make a .078 knife for every day of the year, and the cable, so much cable! So here is the problem the balance is too close to where I want it, when I add scales and set the bevels I know the balance is going to shift toward the end of the handle. Currently the balance point lies where the pencil is (hopefully I'm not the only one who thought soapstone, then pencil would work for laying out the knife(both kept wearing off), ended up borrowing a sharpie from my neighbor who was wondering wtf I was doing with a bench grinder in my driveway(I have sharpies I just don't know where any are at the moment)). I ended up improvising a bit because it was starting to feel a little skinny and short for me. I plan on removing a little bit more from the top rear edge of the handle to make it closer to the original design and improve balance and remove a hair from the bottom of the edge to make it a little rounder. As well as increasing the width of the spine to make it a little beefier towards the tip. Anyone got any other ideas for how to shift balance toward the tip? General comments, criticisms, and tips are more than welcome as I only have half an idea what I'm doing. Thanks -Z

I am currently building a MacDonald Rolling Mill and I am having a hard time finding a motor and speed reducer combo that will work. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where to get one? Thanks Daniel

Hello everyone, Today I am trying to find a good option for a saltwater diver's/fisher's blade. My friend is quite the avid sea-farer and has complained that his blades often rust out rather quickly. His birthday is coming up in a couple months and I'd love to surprise him with a blade that might hold up a bit better... Not to mention something he can show off to his diving group to possibly bring in some market. Any help or tips is much appreciated! Thank you!

I'm in the process of making a new sword and I've got it almost rough shaped out. I'm getting ready to put the edge bevels and then do the center fuller. I have already made my fullering tool for the center fuller but I want to shape my edge bevels first. I was thinking about making a similar fullering tool to shape those edge and hopefully push some steel into the center of the blade. I would then push the edges into just short of where I want their final shape. Then go back through with the center fuller and push them out to just beyond the final shape and grind down. The main reason I think doing this will be helpful is to reduce some grinding and to help reduce the amount of bevel dents I get in the steel from hand hammering them in (still only been at this for a little over a year and I'm no pro... yet). I would appreciate any thoughts or feedback especially from someone who may have tried this already. Thanks!