"river eddy" pattern wip

[Kevin Colwell]

Hello Everyone,

I have been working on some different stuff, lately. Very different, for me, at least. My friend Ricky, as a good friend will, pointed out to me that I had become stuck in a rut with making using knives for hunters and all, and haven't really tried to make any art knife in a long time.

 

He was, of course, correct.

 

About this time, I saw the axe that was made by Roger Bergh. His work led me to Andre Andersson. I should have suspected this, given the work we see from Peter Johnsson and Wieland, but I did not realize an important fact until recently.

 

Here is the best way I can say it: Holy Crap! Those fellas over in Sweden are making some AMAZING work.

Bergh http://www.rogerbergh.com/index.php?option=com_joomgallery&Itemid=4

Andersson http://www.andreandersson.com/?page_id=306

 

The knife I am trying to make is heavily influenced by the work of my favorite smiths (the handle shape is inspired by Don Fogg's NorthSea Fighter http://web.archive.org/web/20130403194259/http://dfoggknives.com/NorthSeaFighter.htm). The pattern welding is, as always, inspired by JD Smith, and the guys from Sweden. Seeing their work really opened my eyes. I am not imitating them, but I am definitely using some of their style elements in the next few things I make (the blade shape on this one).

 

Now that I have all of the references and credit stuff taken care of, you may be wondering what this, "River Eddy," thing is.

 

Well, it is my attempt to make a pattern that reminds of swirls and flowing water. I will show you how I made it, and then show you pics of the blade.

 

Let me know what you think about it as a pattern. Spoiler Alert - it is mostly a Turkish Ribbon, with one step changed (and thus, I got the idea mostly from JD's work and CD).

 

 

ok - this is not the actual original stack of steel. This is L6 and O1, and the blade I am making now is 15n20 and W2, but I don't have pics of that stack, and each stack looks about the same. This is the best place to start.

 

Couple of squashed bars (on is O1/L6, other is the W2/15N20)

 

Into the mighty Twist-o-Matic (I cut holes through the sides to localize smaller areas and heat better). I twisted this bar 1.5 twists per inch. Pretty tight. It is slow going with the Twist-o-Matic, because I let each new section warm to welding heat (not as much with the O1, but with the bar for this blade, I let it get screamin' hot). Then, I twist nice and slow. No reason to hurry when you are twisting at welding heat. Slow and steady, to keep everything all joined as well as can be.

 

 

ready to twist

 

 

 

twisted (not shown was the process of making this into a 1/2" square and then octagon prior to twisting).

Edited February 12, 2015 by Kevin (The Professor)

[Kevin Colwell]

More of the process...

 

Squared at 3/8", with 64 twisted layers of W2 and 15N20

 

Cut into 4 pieces (6" each) and mill two sides of each piece flat and square.

 

 

this is the vise on my Rong Fu mill bought through Bolton Tools. It is a big benchtop mill, and pretty good for benchtop.

 

 

Ain't they pretty?

 

 

Make a cross of 15N20, and put a bar of the twisted steels in each corner of the cross, then weld the ends. Also, you see it is on stainless ht foil, and a puddle of WD 40. I wanted to be safe, and not use flux. In fact, no flux was used at any point in this entire process. I did, however, wrap the 4-way billet in the foil, filled with WD40 to scavenge any O2.

 

 

more to come... (edited to add: forgot- there was 24" of original twisted bar, and I kept part to make a maiden's hair patterned blade, so I used 4 sections of 4" each to make this mosaic, which then became the stock for two blades. I don't know when I will ever finish the second blade, if anyone wants to trade for a blade blank.)

Edited March 2, 2015 by Kevin (The Professor)

[Kevin Colwell]

still going.

 

 

I didn't have any pics of welding or drawing the billet. After it was welded and drawn a bit, I laddered it (I should have laddered it with a smaller cutter and more closely... I think).

 

Now, finally, time to make a blade!

 

OK, I had a lot of steel, and it was all made from this one big twisted bar. Two of them came from the 4-way weld packet (and thus have the River Eddy pattern thingy), the third is a Maiden's Hair (i.e., a the large twisted bar forged out into a blade).

 

Edited to add: After thinking about it, I don't know when I will ever finish that middle blade blank. The maiden's hair on top is next on my list. If anyone wants to trade for that middle blank, let me know. It is, obviously, from the same mosaic block as the one below it, which is the focus of this particular thread.

 

The rest of this will focus on the blade on the bottom of the picture, with the slightly raised point/clip

 

as always for me, I refine the difficult parts with files. Here, I am getting the shape right where the bevel on top of the ridge meets the raised clip.

 

working back into the bevel with a 4" safe-edge file. This is the best way for me to keep the ridge crisp and the lines straight.

 

You can see that the rest of the bevel on top of the ridge has been filed, except for a few really deep grinder marks from the 36 grit cubitron.

 

same process at the other end, although I had to use a needle file at the ricasso end, as well as the other two you just saw, to get everything just right.

 

real blade pics with pattern coming next post

Edited March 2, 2015 by Kevin (The Professor)

[Collin Miller]

Nice!! I really like maiden's hair pattern, and your river pattern is going be unbelievable. Can't wait to see the post etch pics!

[Kevin Colwell]

Still more...

 

 

 

 

 

OK, I realize that was a lot of stuff. But, I wanted to show how the pattern was made, and see what people think about it. I sort of like it, as it seems like a river with eddies to me.

 

Now that I have the blade done, I am going to work on the rest of the knife. It will have a curved bolser/guard thingy (bolster made of pwelded steel). The handle will be ebony, and hopefully it comes out looking a little like the NorthSea fighter handle in shape, but with a few key differences.

 

Edited to add: As the project has evolved, I have moved away from the North Sea Fighter shape for the handle, and I am now going with a more Scandinavian look with different carving. I love the carving on the NS Fighter, but it doesn't go well with the pattern in this blade).

 

I hope you like it. If you think it is not a good pattern or whatever, tell me now, before I go through the trouble a making more.

 

Also, I am curious to know what the reaction is to this blade shape. It is very much like the ones being made in Scandinavia right now, and I think it is a good-looking and efficient design (maybe not my iteration of it, but the overall design, anyway). It is a lot different from bowies and a lot of the US fighters and stuff. So, I am not sure how people will react.

 

Thanks for looking.

take care,

 

Kevin

Edited March 5, 2015 by Kevin (The Professor)

[Collin Miller]

You should definitely make more! I like the shape, the false edge really sets off that pattern.

I agree, bowies, skinners, hunters, fighters etc. Have never been my thing either, there's nothing wrong with them, but they just aren't very unique, to give my honest and unnecessary opinion.

[Kevin Colwell]

thanks, Colin.

I have just made too many of the hunter/skinner type stuff lately. I want to make something different, and more upscale. We shall see if this is actually nicer when done. Hope so, anyway. Obviously, I am planning 3 knives with the Scandinavian influenced blades.

 

handle and bolsters to start soon.

kc

[John F. Ellis]

This is really great! I love seeing all the steps.

[Josh Brannen]

Excellent pattern and masterfully executed. IMHO it is definitely worth continuing. It's awesome that you are self aware enough to know when it's time to step out of your comfort zone. Really looking forward to seeing this progress.

[John Kruse-Kanyuck]

That is one awesome piece of pattern. I really enjoy looking at the w.i.p on this, and am excited to see more!

 

Does octagonal bar twist more cleanly? I've seen many stay square for it; being that I'm soon twisting my own first ever billet (oh man its small though) I am curious about this.

 

The false edge gives a great look to it and really contrasts the pattern above the 15n20's line.

 

Well done, sir!

[GEzell]

Very interesting pattern, both the steel and the blade.... I like them both.

[Kevin Colwell]

thanks guys,

everything about this one is new to me (except that I did some blades years ago that were sort of big tantos that had a similar shape, but only similar, not the same).

 

I made a set of chisels from masonry nails for the wood carving steps to come, but they are UGLY. However, they work.

 

What this means is that I am not really confident about this plan, but I am excited. I had the same reaction to seeing Bergh and Andersson's work that I had when I saw JD's or Don's (sort of a jaw-dropping period of contemplation and re-evaluation of what I was doing). Wieland did the same for me (and Peter, with swords). I know that all of you understand exactly what I mean. You look at a hundred or a thousand knives and swords, and find most of them to be interesting. Then, suddenly, WHAM, you come across THAT craftsman... and everything or almost everything you see, is like a new insight.

 

What has come before just isn't good enough, anymore.

 

(forgive the rhyme, it was an accident, but I am leaving it because it captures my recent experience).

 

thanks,

kc

[Kevin Colwell]

John - yes, octagonal bars don't shear at the corners the way a square cross-section will. You save a lot of material loss and grinding work by making them octagons before twisting, and then making them back to square or rectangle when you are done.

 

I have a set of squaring dies (built like a tank, from Riverside Machine) that have 1", .75", and .5" slots on them. I am going to make my own 1.5" and 2" dies, now that I know an easy way (thanks to Walter Sorrells's video - man, can I name anyone else in this thread?).

 

Just trying to give credit where it is due.

 

squaring dies are great for welding things. Once something has been welded flat, and then welded in the squaring dies, it is going to stay together. You can flip them 45 deg, 90 deg, twist them, flip them on end... whatever. Squaring dies are just great for a press. It is because of them that I am able to open up and try for more complex patterns. They make that much of a difference, to me.

 

kc

[Wade Hougham]

When you stop having fun it is time to do something different. Great step forward, Kevin. I am with all of the above, love the pattern.

[Brian Dougherty]

Very inspiring Kevin

[DanielQ]

Excellent thread! Thank you! Definatly some great blades with interesting shape and pattern.

 

//DQ

[Krateros]

wow!great work!i love that pattern.

[J.Thompson]

Kevin,

Love the pattern! I think it captures very well what you the essence you were going for. I'm going to have to get a copy of JD's CD and check it out

 

Very nicely done, can't wait to see it finished

[Kevin Colwell]

Wade - yes, I am having fun again. The reason for all of the hunters and such originally was to serve as a break between more challenging projects. Somehow, I let the simple ones take over in the interest of helping friends and making a quick buck to buy more tools and equipment.

 

But, in doing that, it was becoming work. After all, I already have a job. This is supposed to be a different sort of thing.

 

Bergh and Andersson both go in for a lot of can-welded mosaic pweld stuff. I don't like those results much. So, I will do the multi-bar thing, but with different welding and patterning.

 

thanks, Krateros, J Thompson, and Daniel Q.

Brian, I don't consider anything I do to be inspiring. Follow the links above and watch JD's video. Those will really inspire. I spend about an hour a day just flipping through Bergh's gallery (just like I used to do with Don's).

 

hurt my back. No work today. Maybe tomorrow the bolsters can start.'

 

best

 

kc

[Kevin Colwell]

Hello All,

I have been working on this project when I am able. I haven't made a ton of progress in some ways, but then in others, I have. I hope.

 

This project requires either a big curved bolster, or one of those guards that is essentially a big curved bolster with a bit extending below the ricasso.

 

It also requires sinking the knife down deeply into the bolster/guard. I haven't done this before, except by hot fitting (which isn't an option here).

 

So, there has been a lot of making tagane and punches and chisels, as well as practicing with sharpening and heat treating them. I seem to have trouble with these aspects, and I have been focusing on improving and developing reliable/repeatable techniques.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the piece of steel I am using for the SECOND guard. More about that, later.

 

 

Ebony for the handle.

 

Now I have cut slabs and I am face-milling them flat. I love the mill for getting things flat.

 

replaceable carbide cutters on the face mill. Nice and rigid (but not a Bridgeport).

 

 

Now, I am using the mill to flatten and square the patter welded steel for the bolster/guard.

 

[Kevin Colwell]

Still working...

 

 

Here it is with the slot started on the mill, and the radius done with the KMG.

 

 

Files, tagane, and punches, to get the pockets on the ends carved out. This is the area that I have had to struggle with. First, my only mill cutter that would not break for sure (that I wouldn't break, that is) was oversized. So, I had to do a lot of peening and polishing to get the slot to the right width. Then, I had to make and use the tagane. Most of them, I made too soft. That is, when I tempered with a torch, I tempered too much. I let them get to bronze/purple. On something that small, I was heating away from the tip and letting the temperature/color run down to the point, but I still overshot. I had to use a toaster oven, instead. Just a little straw color worked (tempering W1 at 350 F). I am carving poorly annealed 15N20 and 1084 with hardened and tempered W1, and so not over-tempering was important.

 

I am about to heat treat it! I use this to keep scale down. It works well, too.

 

 

Here it is after heat treatment. Looks great, no scale or anything.

 

I spent about 30 minutes shaping, polishing and fitting after this, and that is when I noticed THE CRACK in the corner.

 

You can't see it in this pic, or any pic. But, it is there. I was too confident, and I just quenched this thing in a bucket of water. after all, it is thick, right?

 

I forgot about the stress risers at the corners. The crack starts right in the corner and runs down/along it.

 

 

This is what it looked like. You can just see the crack in the upper right hand corner. It's there, for sure. Back to the drawing board (or anvil).

Edited March 5, 2015 by Kevin (The Professor)

[Kevin Colwell]

I won't bore you. Imagine that same sequence of stuff, all over again.

 

Here is where I am, now.

 

 

I still need to do a little more fitting. However, this pic exaggerates it, because the guard is not driven all the way up the ricasso. Obviously, I am going to round and shape it all, but first I have to fit it.

You can see from this pic, I have enough material sticking down below the knife to make a curved guard. I am going to make one sort of like what Andre Anderssen does, and not a more modern style like you see on most ABS submission knives.

 

I am very excited about the next stages of the work. This part will be a lot of fun. I love using hand tools to shape metal and wood.

 

Also, the steel for the second bolster is sort of a mystery. I know what types it is made of, but I didn't write the layer count or pattern on it. Hopefully, it will look cool.

 

thanks for watching. Wish me luck. This really is a fairly different approach to styling, and I am interested to see how it turns out. I know what I see in my head, and I hope this matches that at the end.

 

The blade shape is growing on me.

 

Your thoughts, hints, advice, etc. are welcome.

 

take care,

 

Kevin

Edited March 9, 2015 by Kevin (The Professor)

[Collin Miller]

Dude, you can't beat that with a stick. Two thumbs up.

[DanielQ]

The spine and belly lines are going to be very important on this knife, make sure you pay attention to them both during the sketching and the execution. Harmony is paramount.

Sometimes I use the same tool I use for marking a straight middle line on the handle material, the straight line created by the blade that is. It's just a wooden board that looks like an L but with a larger bottom part, hold it against the blade and draw. To mark the spine line, press it against the spine and lay the upper part of the L along the handle. Gives a good visual help. (On the picture, it is the wooden thingy resting against the blade and extending over the back)

 

This will look good, but I would've made the connection between the wood and the steel slightly concave/convex, gives it a bit more life I think. (This is a personal preference, most people do it straight)

Looks very good so far, the blade is excellent and interesting.

 

//DQ

[Kevin Colwell]

Daniel,

thanks for the advice. Yes, I actually agree that the transition would look better concave/convex. Nothing is glued yet, as I have so much shaping and fitting left on the guard material, and then I have to polish and etch it.

 

I may give it a shot, or I may not. At least, not on this one. On the next knife I am planning, there will be some rounded junctions between the materials in the handle. I am in agreement that such junctions look good.

 

thanks again.

 

kc