Proper way to draw out a tang or handle?

[Brandon Buford]

I have a technique question.

 

When drawing out metal for a tang or even a handle on a "Blacksmith knife" where do you start.

 

I have a tendency to start drawing out the tip and work my way back, but should I start where I want the taper to begin and work my way towards the tip?

 

Hopefully this makes sense.

[John Page]

I've only done a blacksmith's knife once, so take this for what it's worth..

I started with the end and worked towards the blade, drawing out more as I needed it. For me, it was mostly a matter of how much I could draw out of it, and I didn't want to over do it. I suppose it also depends on if you are working with a piece of steel that is not going to be cut down on the blade end, as that would be the determining factor (you want a blade of length x, so you start drawing the tang there and then cut off the excess when you are done drawing it out).

For regular tangs I start at the end and work up towards the blade, as the way I hammer makes it easier to form a smooth transition that way. If you are using a guillotine, that wouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

John

[Brandon Buford]

I need a guillotine tool. I know someone on here has a really cool home made tool. Who is it. I need to get directions on how to make one myself.

[Geoff Keyes]

I use one. They aren't difficult to make. I used two pieces of heavy (.5") truck spring. They had a slight curve to them, so I took a heat on each and flattened them. I used the piece from the center of the spring because it already had a hole in it. I used a piece of square stock for the post and two pieces of .5" mild for the uprights. I left the blades of the guillotine as forged, no heat treat. It is nice to have an arm the sticks out past the pivot end of upper blade, that way you can open the jaws with your hammer. Mine doesn't have this feature, and it hasn't been a big enough deal for me to change it.

 

 

Here are a couple of other fullering tools I've built, one has a round tool face, the other is square.

 

 

[B Finnigan]

I have some video of drawing out and tapering a tang. When it comes to forging there are not a lot of "proper ways" but more what works for you.

 

 

 

FF to 1:50 to where I start the tang with a guillotine swag. And no I don't forge in the white heat. I had a cheap camcorder back then that didn't filter the IR out so it records as visible light.

 

 

 

 

This is just one way to do it. There are certainly many others to try also to see what works best for you.

 

Hope it helps some.

[Freya W. Ward]

My guillotines and fullers are very similar to Geoff's. They really do make drawing out tangs a breeze once you get the hang of using it. But again, the only improper way to do something is if the result is failure

[Freya W. Ward]

I need a guillotine tool. I know someone on here has a really cool home made tool. Who is it. I need to get directions on how to make one myself.

 

I think I was the one who mentioned guillotine tools to you, but if you look at Geoff's photos you can see how easy they are to make.

[B Finnigan]

My vids show me using two different sized ones.

 

Leaf spring works great since it already has a nice radiused edge and moderately easy to drill if you go slow and use a coolant. They don't have to be welded together, but use lock nuts if you bolt them. The impacting will loosen the tightest bolts within minutes.