Geoff Keyes Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Just some informal pics. I have finally gotten one done for me, which is sort of a cobblers children thing. I have been looking at some of the work coming from our fellow makers in South America, and decided to try some things inspired by them. This one has been sitting around for a while, I think it was a big piece of 1095, full hard. The blade is very thin (as you can see from the pics) and the tang is a piece of 1/4 inch threaded rod. This construction is a bit of an experiment (which is another reason to keep it for myself). It is built as a takedown, but at the last moment I chickened out and filled it with epoxy. OL 11 3/4" Blade Length 6" NS spacer and butt cap Mild Steel cap nut Buffalo horn handle I still need to do a little clean up, thanks for looking, Geoff "The worst day smithing is better than the best day working for someone else." I said that. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. - - -G. K. Chesterton So, just for the record: the fact that it does work still should not be taken as definitive proof that you are not crazy. Grant Sarver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Well, I think it's pretty cool. Interesting construction, too. I might have left a little less belly in the blade, but that's just me. Nifty filework on the bolster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Ahhh Geoff that is classy!!!! Let not the swords of good and free men be reforged into plowshares, but may they rest in a place of honor; ready, well oiled and God willing unused. For if the price of peace becomes licking the boots of tyrants, then "To Arms!" I say, and may the fortunes of war smile upon patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ Simon Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 I really like this knife and I have built knives with all thread as the tang. How do you feel about how tough the tang will be? Did you epoxy it upon construction. I braised one of mine but found that the all thread could be bent if I put a lot of pressure on the blade or handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jipp Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 i like it.. no clue how strong the tang would be.. but the blade/bolster look great. chris. i could complain but who would listen. chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Nice Geoff! Interesting idea on the tang. Let us know how it works out. --Dave -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Colwell Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 I really like the bolster. It looks like it took some time and patience, and its well done. I have used all-thread forge-welded to a stub tang and it worked fine, but never used that long of a piece of it (strangely, the only way I can weld is with the forge). good work. thanks for showing. Kevin please visit my website http://www.professorsforge.com/ “Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.” E. V. Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklionforge Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 geoff!!! me likey likey..... i like the file work on the bolster.... and the belly ??? i like that too but thats just me... All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart,and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Keyes Posted August 9, 2009 Author Share Posted August 9, 2009 Thanks all. I really like doing integrals, though I'm still trying to figure out the best way to go about it. The filing of the bolster is indeed fussy work, I started with a round file, but then went to a square file to get a cleaner look. In the Argentine tradition they often do a round transition, does anyone know how they get it? I suspect that it's filed, but it's quite elegant work and it looks turned. The tang hole goes an inch and a bit into the bolster, so lots of thread is engaged, and I epoxied the hole, and I epoxied the handle and cap nut. I don't think that it's coming apart. Chris, I've got a buddy, who is a blacksmith. He works at the Superstition Mountain Historical Museum, though right now he's camped out near my shop. Understand that is in your part of the world. You might drop by in the Fall and say hi, it's nice to make new connections. Thanks again, Geoff "The worst day smithing is better than the best day working for someone else." I said that. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. - - -G. K. Chesterton So, just for the record: the fact that it does work still should not be taken as definitive proof that you are not crazy. Grant Sarver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jipp Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 i would love to meet someone in this craft. yeah that is my part of the woods.. im waiting for fall my self to start forging. LOL. will def have to meet you friend im a noob and have lots to learn. chris. i could complain but who would listen. chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 hang on ... we're allowed to make blades to keep? why didnt anyone tell me???? looks great. i think its a very interesting construction method too .. pretty spiffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 You can get some slightly stronger threaded rod if you get a grade 5 or grade 8 "tap bolt", fully threaded bolts. Let not the swords of good and free men be reforged into plowshares, but may they rest in a place of honor; ready, well oiled and God willing unused. For if the price of peace becomes licking the boots of tyrants, then "To Arms!" I say, and may the fortunes of war smile upon patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Colwell Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 (edited) there is, somewhere on the internet, a tutorial on how to make one of these integrals. I will post if I can find. If anyone else has the link, please get it for our man, Geoff. aha - google to the rescue. Here it is (I think it is also on British Blades but there is something wrong with the site right now, maybe the link will work later): http://www.knifenetwork.com/workshop/tut_c...e_ferrari.shtml Sorry for the false alarm, there was a link through a website for Brazilian bladesmiths, and I read the tutorial several times when I was contemplating taking up this art. However, it is not there any more, just the first page is available at the first link I listed. If anyone has the thing copied or anything, I would appreciate it, too. Here is a quick tutorial (pictorial) for how to forge a round bolstered integral. http://primitivepoint.blogspot.com/search?q=integral+bolster thanks, Kevin Edited August 10, 2009 by Kevin (The Professor) please visit my website http://www.professorsforge.com/ “Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.” E. V. Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim P Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 (edited) That's really good Geoff, I saw a cirillo here about 3-4 weeks ago. I like the belly of your blade, kind of reminds me of a trade knife. I don't know anything about cirillos but they look nice. They're a good size, working knife. If you knew sombody with a thread roller you could use some high tensile strength tie rods. Jim Edited August 10, 2009 by Jim P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Keyes Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 This is the look I'm trying to get to The unfortunate thing about the above tutorial, is that the part I wanted to see, is the part he didn't get pictures of, that is, getting a good transition between blade and bloster . I'm still trying to figure it out, thanks for the help. Geoff "The worst day smithing is better than the best day working for someone else." I said that. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. - - -G. K. Chesterton So, just for the record: the fact that it does work still should not be taken as definitive proof that you are not crazy. Grant Sarver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jipp Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 wow, them some amazing work there.. them boys got talent. heh chris. i could complain but who would listen. chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim P Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I don't know how they were made, but I wonder if you couldn't make a jig/fixture and turn the bolster in a lathe? Where they meet could be hard to make even, maybe a file with a smooth side? Again, just a guess. I like the one second from the left. But metal handles don't do much for me, I still like yours better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I'm still trying to figure it out, thanks for the help. Start with bigger round stock, and lots o' filing. And judicious use of the pein to pull that heel down and back hard. I can't do it that well yet either. Those guys just blow me away with those things! There will be a big unsightly lump just ahead of the bolster face that has to get filed off down to the blade surface, unless you use chisels and scrapers like the guy who made that one on the left did to get the little doohickey ahead of the bolster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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